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1.
Abstract. Covering behaviour is displayed by several regular echinoid species but its functional significance has yet to be quantified. Some of the most popular theories have interpreted this behaviour as an adaptive response to avoid over-exposure to light and/or as an anti-predator strategy. Since both predation pressure and light intensity may be seasonal as well as diurnal in nature, the aim of the present study was to quantitatively examine, in situ , the potential seasonality of covering behaviour in the purple sea urchin, Paracentrotus lividus (Lamarck). Data were collected over a one-year period at Lough Hyne, Co. Cork in Ireland. A peak in covering activity was observed over the summer months. Predator density and light intensity (sunlight hours) were also shown to vary seasonally at Lough Hyne. Covering behaviour in P. lividus , as in other echinoids, may be a response to a number of simultaneously interacting factors. At Lough Hyne, however, light intensity and covering item availability appear to be particularly important factors.  相似文献   

2.
The distribution and abundances of the following species of barnacles were established in autumn 2001 within the Lough Hyne Marine Nature Reserve: Cthamalus stellatus, Cthamalus montagui, Semibalanus balanoides, Elminius modestus, Balanus crenatus and Verruca stroemia. The results of the survey showed a clear distinction between the vertical distribution and the abundance of barnacle species inside Lough Hyne, and those sites sampled in the Rapids and outside the Lough. The Lough is now dominated by the introduced Australasian species E. modestus. This species was first recorded outside Lough Hyne in 1956. By 1988 it was found occasionally throughout the Lough, and appreciable numbers were recorded in 1990–1991. It has now replaced all other species in some parts of the North Basin. At sites subject to freshwater influence it is totally dominant, including in the highly sheltered Goleen site where intertidal barnacles have not previously been recorded. It is suggested that, once established in the North Basin, the sheltered nature of the Lough, combined with high summer temperatures and limited circulation, fostered retention of larvae and heavy spatfall of E. modestus.  相似文献   

3.
The fishery for the edible sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus is of great importance to many European regions, although in some of them this species has shown a wide scale decline in recent years. This paper reports on direct (on P. lividus) and indirect (on the co-occurring but not fished echinoid, Arbacia lixula) effects of sea urchin harvesting in shallow rocky reefs in North-western Sardinia (Italy, central-western Mediterranean Sea), where this activity is intensively practised. Density, size (test diameter), and biomass of both species were assessed in autumn 2004 at two locations impacted by P. lividus fishery, and at two controls within an adjacent Marine Protected Area. Density of P. lividus and A. lixula was significantly greater at the controls than at the exploited locations. The average test diameter of P. lividus was also significantly larger at the controls, where large-sized specimens (i.e. >5 cm) were notably more abundant. The average size of A. lixula did not significantly differ between the impacted locations and the controls. The average biomass of P. lividus was significantly greater at the controls than at the exploited locations, whereas no differences were detected for A. lixula. These results reveal the existence of a heavy fishing impact on P. lividus in North-western Sardinia and the need for regulation of its harvesting to prevent severe direct effects on its populations. Since no indirect effects on A. lixula have been detected, it could be hypothesized that this species did not benefit from P. lividus fishery due to an only moderate competition for habitat and resources between these two echinoids. Implications for management of edible sea urchin fishery are also discussed.  相似文献   

4.
Abstract.  The so-called 'covering behaviour' of echinoids is known to vary with habitat according to the types of covering items available, but the full extent of the role played by habitat characteristics in this behaviour is not known. Moreover, whether or not different species inhabiting similar environmental conditions and habitats also show similar patterns of this particular behaviour has yet to be investigated. In this study, two prominent west coast echinoid species, Paracentrotus lividus and Strongylocentrotus purpuratus , were examined with respect to covering behaviour and spatial organisation. Populations of both species are found in exposed intertidal zones, occupying boreholes within tidepools. Important similarities were found in the spatial organisation of both species' populations, with lowest densities in upper shore pools. However, the size distributions of the two populations differed significantly; P. lividus within upper shore pools were significantly larger than those in mid or lower shore pools, whereas S. purpuratus on the lower shore were significantly larger than those at other shore heights. We found significant between-species variability in covering item use, although the number of covering items available at both sites was not significantly different. For example, greater densities of covering items were used by P. lividus than by S. purpuratus . We also found that the percent of echinoid surface area covered varied significantly in space for both species. These data emphasise the complex and multifaceted nature of covering behaviour, but most importantly, they also strongly suggest that habitat characteristics can only partly explain the extent of this behavioural variability amongst echinoid species.  相似文献   

5.
The present investigation focuses on population structure analysis of the purple sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus across the African Mediterranean coast, with the main aim of assessing the influence of the Siculo-Tunisian Strait on gene flow disruption in this highly dispersive echinoid species. For this purpose, patterns of morphological and genetic variation were assessed among its populations from the western and eastern Mediterranean coasts. A total of 302 specimens from seven Tunisian sites were collected and examined for morphometric variability at twelve morphometric traits. Concordant results, inferred from CDA (canonical discriminant analyses), pairwise NPMANOVA (non parametric multivariate analysis of variance) comparisons and MDS (multidimensional scaling) plot, unveiled significant inter-population differences in the measured traits among the studied populations. Furthermore, the combined use of the one way ANOSIM (analysis of similarities) and the Discriminant/Hotelling analysis allowed unravelling two morphologically differentiated groups assigned to both western and eastern Mediterranean basins. The SIMPER (similarity percentages) routine analysis showed that total dry weight, test diameter and spine length were major contributors to the morphometric separation between locations and between groups. Pattern of phenotypic divergence discerned in P. lividus across the Siculo-Tunisian Strait is interestingly in congruence with that inferred from the genetic investigation of the purple sea urchin populations from the same region based on the analysis of the mtDNA COI (cytochrome oxidase I) gene in 314 specimens from nineteen locations covering a wider geographic transect, streching westward to the Algerian coast and eastward to the Libyan littoral. The specific haplotypic composition characterizing each Mediterranean basin, as inferred from the minimum spanning network, confirmed the geographic partioning of genetic variation, as revealed by F-statistics and AMOVA (analysis of molecular variance) analyses, yielding significant genetic differentiation between eastern and western Mediterranean populations. The newly detected phylogeographic patterns, observed for the first time in P. lividus throughout the explored distribution range, suggest the involvement of different biotic and abiotic processes in shaping such variation, and provide evidence that a large and geographically exhaustive dataset is necessary to unveil phylogeographic structure within widespread marine species, previously cathegorized as panmictic in part of their distribution range.  相似文献   

6.
Uptake and loss kinetics of cadmium were studied in Paracentrotus lividus exposed for 24 d to different stable Cd concentrations (0 to 1.14 μg Cd l−1) and 109Cd tracer added to seawater. The whole-body uptake kinetics were linear over the time course of the experiment. The whole-body 109Cd concentration factor was independent of the stable Cd concentration in ambient seawater. Bioconcentration of Cd in whole individuals and their body compartments was directly proportional to the Cd concentration added to the seawater. The echinoid digestive tract wall showed the highest degree of Cd uptake. Whole-body loss kinetics were described by a 2-component exponential equation. The loss kinetics were similar for each of the treatments examined. Cadmium was found to display a long biological half-life in echinoid tissues; the major fraction (73 to 85%) of the Cd taken up by echinoids was eliminated following a loss component whose biological half-life was of the order of 1 year, regardless of the absolute Cd concentration accumulated by the echinoid. Paracentrotus lividus is suggested as a valuable biomonitor of Cd, particularly where knowledge of Cd concentration variations over long-term is of interest.  相似文献   

7.
We evaluated the effectiveness of chemical tagging with the fluorescent marker calcein for two key species of herbivorous sea urchins, Diadema africanum and Paracentrotus lividus, to facilitate medium‐ and long‐term ecological experiments. In total, 98 juveniles of D. africanum and 98 P. lividus were tagged with this fluorescent marker, with 12 combinations of different tagging techniques (chemical bath or injection), concentrations of calcein (2, 10 and 20 mg · l?1), and soaking times (2, 4 and 24 h). Respective control treatments were conducted by means of seawater injection and bathing. The success of tagging was assessed after a month of feeding individuals ad libitum with the algae Dictyota sp. Sea urchins were dissected and their Aristotle's lanterns cleaned with 10% sodium hypochlorite to examine these structures under UV light using a binocular microscope. Each species was evaluated in terms of survival, percentage of tagged individuals and intensity of the resulting tag. The results showed that the method of soaking individuals of both species for 24 h in concentrations of calcein of 10 and 20 mg · l?1 gave the highest percentage survival (100%) and the resulting tags were clearly visible.  相似文献   

8.
Numerous studies of interactions between urchins and algae in temperate areas have shown an important structuring effect of sea urchin populations. These studies focused almost wholly on the effect of high urchin densities on laminarian forests. In contrast, algal communities below 5–6 m depth in the northwestern Mediterranean are characterised by low sea urchin densities (<5 ind m−2) and the absence of laminarian forests. No previous research has addressed sea urchin/algal interactions in this type of community. To determine the effect of the most abundant echinoid species, Paracentrotus lividus, on well-established algal communities in this area, we performed a removal–reintroduction experiment in rocky patches located between 13 and 16 m depth in the northwestern Mediterranean, where sea urchin densities ranged between 0.9 and 3.4 ind m−2. After 6 months, the cover of non-crustose algae was significantly higher in the plots from which sea urchins had been removed than in control plots (84 vs 67% cover). These removal plots reverted to their original state upon reintroduction of sea urchins. The non-crustose algae consisted of turfing and frondose forms, with the former representing some 70% of the non-crustose algal cover. Change in the cover of turfing algae was responsible for the significant increase in algal development in the sea urchin removal plots. The response of frondose algae to the treatment varied between algal species. It is concluded that grazing by P. lividus exerts a significant effect on habitat structure, even in communities with low sea urchin densities, such as those found in vast areas of the Mediterranean sublittoral.  相似文献   

9.
The effect of harvesting on the diversity and structure of benthic assemblages is nowadays a relevant component of fishery management. Invertebrate harvesting is increasing worldwide and sea urchins are one of the main invertebrate target species. However, current knowledge about the effects of sea urchin harvesting on benthic assemblages is still poor. The aim of this study is to evaluate the influence of Paracentrotus lividus (Lamark, 1816) harvesting on tide pool assemblages from intertidal rocky shores. To achieve this objective, a field removal experiment was done for 10 months. Results of univariate and multivariate analyses showed that P. lividus harvesting had a significant effect on the number of taxa and structure of the benthic assemblage. Assemblages from pools where P. lividus were removed showed significant differences against controls; namely, where P. lividus were eliminated, pools showed higher number of taxa than control pools. This result contrasts with previous studies assessing effects of invertebrate harvesting that generally have found a biodiversity reduction in the exploited habitat. Despite this apparently positive effect of P. lividus harvesting, we should be cautious because effects of P. lividus harvesting on higher trophic levels or during long periods of time remain unexplored.  相似文献   

10.
Several previous studies have reported high levels of genetic differentiation between populations inside European Marine Reserves and their adjacent coastlines for a direct‐developing species. These studies suggest that sea loughs may not represent the most suitable sites for inclusion into Marine Protected Area (MPA) or Marine Reserve networks as they are not well connected to other populations. However, many marine species have pelagic larvae, and the connectivity of populations of such species inside sea loughs with non‐lough populations remains unknown. Here, I investigated the levels of gene flow between populations of the acorn barnacle Semibalanas balanoides inside and outside Strangford Lough, Northern Ireland; this species has a long‐lived pelagic larvae (4–6 weeks). There were no significant differences in the levels of genetic diversity between sea lough and non‐lough populations and no evidence for genetic differentiation between any of the populations examined; the populations appear well mixed and well connected, in contrast to what has been reported for a previous direct‐developing species.  相似文献   

11.
We examined whether adults of three species of sea urchins species (Diadema antillarum, Arbacia lixula, and Paracentrotus lividus) exhibit a consistent depth-dependent partitioning pattern on rocky reefs of the Canarian Archipelago (eastern Atlantic). Hydrodynamic experiments were carried out to quantify the resistance to flow-induced dislodgement in these three species. We tested the model that different morphology can result in habitat partitioning among these sea urchins. Abundances of D. antillarum increased with depth. In contrast, A. lixula and P. lividus showed the opposite zonation pattern, coexisting in high abundances in the shallowest depths (<5 m), and occurring in low densities in the deepest part of reefs (>7 m). Both A. lixula and P. lividus had greater adhesion-surface to body-height ratios than D. antillarum. Similarly, A. lixula and P. lividus showed a greater ability to resist flow-induced dislodgement compared with D. antillarum. The mean “velocity of dislodgement” was 300% and 50% greater for A. lixula and P. lividus, respectively, relative to D. antillarum, for any particular size. As a result, A. lixula and P. lividus are better fitted to life in high-flow environments than D. antillarum. We conclude that the risk of dislodgement by water motion likely play a relevant role in the vertical distribution patterns of these sea urchins in the eastern Atlantic.  相似文献   

12.
Cooperative behaviours result in the evolution of cheats: individuals that benefit from the behaviour without sharing the costs required to generate the behaviour. Normally the proportion of cheats is small, as large numbers of cheats will result in the breakdown of the behaviour. Using empirical and simulation‐derived results we demonstrate a cooperative behaviour (aggregation between two species of intertidal snails that provides a benefit by reducing desiccation stress) that shows many characteristics similar to those of a cooperative system with cheats present. In this system, the high rocky shore littorinid Echinolittorina malaccana forages for longer after high water than Echinolittorina radiata, which stops foraging and begins to form aggregations earlier. Nevertheless, E. malaccana, the ‘cheat’ in this system, still occupies an equal proportion of the most beneficial places in aggregations. Computer simulations demonstrate that up to 65% of individual snails can show the behaviour of E. malaccana before the breakdown of this aggregation behaviour begins to occur through aggregations becoming smaller, and hence less effective against desiccation. The high proportion of ‘cheats’ possible in this cooperative behaviour implies that different selective pressures may act on individuals of different species in multi‐species cooperative behaviours to those acting on individuals engaging in single species cooperative behaviours. Social symbiosis appears to be occurring between the species, but it appears that both mutualistic and parasitic symbioses are occurring.  相似文献   

13.
Plankton samples collected in November 2002, February, May and August 2003 were used to examine seasonal variation in tidal exchange of zooplankton biomass, abundance and species composition between Lough Hyne Marine Nature Reserve and the adjacent Atlantic coast. Micro- to mesozooplankton were collected by pump over 24-h sampling periods during spring and neap tides from the narrow channel connecting the semi-enclosed water body to the Atlantic. Sample biomass (dry weight) and total zooplankton abundance peaked in the summer and were lowest in winter, showing a positive relationship with temperature. Zooplankton biomass, total abundance and numbers of holo- and meroplankton revealed import during some diel cycles and export in others. However, the tidal import of these planktonic components was generally dominant, especially during May. The greatest import of numbers of holoplankters and meroplanktonic larvae occurred during May and August, respectively. There was no significant variation in sample biomass between periods of light and dark, but some variation in zooplankton abundance could be explained by this diel periodicity. Significant differences in sample assemblage composition between flood and ebb tide samples were always observed, except during winter neap tides. There was a net import of the copepods Temora longicornis and Oithona helgolandica and the larval stages of Mytilus edulis during spring and summer. Proceraea cornuta and Capitellid trochophores were imported during winter, and a hydrozoan of the genus Obelia during the spring spring tides. Seasonal export from the lough was shown by Pseudopolydora pulchra larvae (autumn and spring), Serpulid trochophores (autumn) and veligers of the bivalve Anomia ephippium (summer). It is suggested that the direction of tidal exchange of meroplanktonic taxa is related to the distribution of the adult populations. Copepod naupliar stages dominated the assemblages except during May spring tides when the copepod Pseudocalanus elongatus made up over 22% of the abundance. The general import of micro- to mesozooplankton may, in part, explain the higher densities of this size-class of zooplankton within the semi-enclosed system of Lough Hyne.  相似文献   

14.
The aim of this study was to investigate the dynamics of abundance, population structure and reproductive variables of the invasive Ponto‐Caspian amphipod Pontogammarus robustoides in its northernmost population, located in the Baltic Sea. Pontogammarus robustoides population variables were studied every month from May to October over 7 years (2002–2008) at two locations in the eastern part of the Gulf of Finland, one site in the north and one in the south. Observations of macrozoobenthos were also conducted once per year in July at 12 sites in this gulf during 2002–2014. This was to monitor the distribution area of P. robustoides and its abundance/biomass in different parts of the Gulf. The results showed that P. robustoides is a widely spread species in the Gulf, preferring to colonize stone‐sandy, vegetated and littoral habitats, from the shore to a depth of 5 m, with water salinity of 0.2–3 ppt. This species co‐exists with other amphipods, such as the Baikalian Gmelinoides fasciatus, the North Atlantic Gammarus tigrinus and the native Gammarus spp. The abundance of P. robustoides varied between the two study sites and among years (2002–2008), reaching a maximum level of 1000 ind.·m?2 for adults and 3000 ind.·m?2 for juveniles. The temperature‐dependent duration of egg development (embryogenesis) in the amphipod and the annual number of generations in P. robustoides populations varied among years. Three generations were recorded in most years and two generations in the coldest years. Clutch size (or fecundity) was dependent on the body length of female and averaged between 33 and 43 eggs per clutch for females ranging in body length from 11.2 to 12.2 mm. A maximum of 75 eggs were observed in a female with a body length of 16 mm. This paper concludes that life‐cycle variables change when P. robustoides spreads from the southern (Ponto‐Caspian region) to northern (Baltic Sea) range areas. In the studied northernmost location, the fecundity and number of generations of this amphipod were 1.5–2‐fold lower compared with the more southern locations. In addition, these variables and P. robustoides abundance were different between the coldest and warmest years at study sites that testify about their distinct dependence on local environmental conditions; further changes in life cycle of this species may be expected together with current climate warming.  相似文献   

15.
Although grazing is considered an essential process controlling epiphyte biomass on seagrass leaves, there is still a lack of fundamental knowledge about the species‐specific consumption rates of the most common grazers in Mediterranean meadows. This study experimentally assessed the effect of Posidonia oceanica‐associated gastropod grazing on early successional biofilm and the species‐specific relationship between biofilm consumption rates and biofilm biomass. Two biofilms on artificial substrata, both developed in situ (in a P. oceanica meadow), one under ambient conditions and the other under nutrient‐enriched conditions, were offered in aquaria assays to nine species of grazers found in P. oceanica meadows. Biofilm consumption rates and their association with biofilm biomass were assessed. It was found that: (i) there was a positive association between biofilm consumption and biofilm biomass up to 20 mg Chl a·m?2 for Bittium reticulatum, Gibbula ardens, Jujubinus exasperatus and Tricolia pullus; (ii) Alvania montagui, B. reticulatum and Jujubinus striatus showed the highest consumption rates and are thus expected to be amongst the leading consumers in early‐successional epiphytic communities; (iii) there was not an increase of consumption rate when a substratum colonized under nutrient‐enriched conditions was offered to any of the nine studied species. This study provides species‐specific consumption rates knowledge that is useful for the assessment of the strength of grazer–epiphyte interactions and trophic fluxes in P. oceanica meadows.  相似文献   

16.
Most of the studies on biological and ecological effects associated with brine discharge into the marine environment are related to the operation of desalination plants, for the production of freshwater. In this study we analysed the biological effects of a brine effluent from a completely different source, produced from the lixiviation of rock salt caves, for the creation of natural gas storage caverns. Lethal and sub-lethal endpoints following exposure to the brine were studied in a range of macrofauna species characteristic of the soft and hard bottom habitats in the vicinity of the discharge area, namely the isopod Eurydice pulchra, the annelids Sabellaria alveolata and Ophelia radiata, the sea-urchin Paracentrotus lividus and the bivalve Mytilus galloprovincialis. In a first series of experiments, brine, with salinity above 300, was diluted in distilled water to a salinity value close to that of the seawater in the discharge area (salinity 36) and, surprisingly, none of the exposed species was able to survive or develop into viable larvae. A second series of experiments exposed the species to brine diluted with seawater, simulating more realistic discharge circumstances. All the tested species at all the measured endpoints (adult survival, larval abnormal development, sperm fertilization success) showed negative biological effects in brine solutes always at a lower salinity than that of a salinity control obtained with concentrated seawater. The sub-lethal experiments with larval development of P. lividus, S. alveolata and M. galloprovincialis, and the fertilization success of P. lividus gave EC50 values for the brine solute with salinity in the range of 40.9–43.5, whereas the EC50 values for the concentrated seawater were in the range of salinity 44.2–49.0. It is hypothesised that differences in the ionic composition of the brine cause the inability of the species to tolerate the exposure to brine.  相似文献   

17.
The growing coastal development, dredging and dumping activities, overfishing and expansion of marine cage culture in Nha Trang Bay (NTB) of Central Vietnam since the beginning of the 2000s have resulted in a dramatic decrease of live coral cover. Surveys conducted in April–May 2013 and the same period in 2014 revealed that with an increase in distance from the outer part of the bay towards the mainland, the rivers’ influxes and dredged areas, coral cover decreased from 75% to 0.6% and species richness from 63 to 5, while the abundance of macroalgae increased from 0% to 56%. These changes correlate with differences in the concentration of suspended sediments on the same gradient. The abundance of the crown‐of‐thorns starfish Acanthaster planci and of the echinoid Diadema setosum significantly increased between the first estimation in 1998 and the survey in 2014, from 0 to 1.7 individuals (ind.) per 100 m?2 and from 50.8 to 94.5 ind. per 100 m?2, respectively, contributing to coral loss and intensive bioerosion of the reef framework in the bay. The large sizes of adult colonies of tabulate Acropora on the remote stations with negligible sedimentation and eutrophication loads were inconsistent with the assumptions that temperature‐induced coral bleaching or cyclones could be the major impacts in Nha Trang Bay. Analysis of the 16‐year thermal history of the bay did not reveal any instances in which the coral thermal bleaching threshold had been exceeded up to the present study. Seasonal upwelling, which occurs annually in the vicinity of Central Vietnam, may contribute to mitigation of thermal anomalies within NTB and to the maintenance of healthy coral communities on the remote reefs with relatively low anthropogenic impact.  相似文献   

18.
Abstract. The sponge communities inhabiting a temperate semi-submerged sea cave were investigated at Lough Hyne Marine Nature Reserve, Co. Cork, Ireland. Thirty-one species of sponge were reported, the majority of which exhibited either an encrusting or massive morphology. Sponge density (averaged over depth) increased with horizontal distance (5  m intervals) into the cave until approximately 30  m, corresponding to the maximum algal intrusion (algal information from Norton et al. , 1971) . Species diversity and richness (averaged over depth) were highest at 10  m horizontal distance from the cave entrance. Variability in sponge density, diversity and richness was observed with increasing vertical depth (0.5  m intervals) at most horizontal intervals sampled (5  m apart). These three variables increased initially with depth, but then decreased towards the seabed. Bray-Curtis Similarity Analysis and Multi-Dimensional Scaling (MDS) showed cave sponge community composition to have greater similarity (50 %) with local loose rock habitats than the nearby cliffs. Similar processes structuring cave and loose rock sponge communities may account for this situation. Information collected from this and previous studies on the biotic (algal communities, other fauna and competition) and abiotic factors (water flow rate, depth, aerial exposure, light, cave morphology, nutrient depletion and humidity) affecting this and other caves is discussed with respect to its influence on the sponges inhabiting different parts of the cave. Although horizontal zonation patterns have been considered analogous to vertical distribution patterns for algal communities (due to similar decreases in light), this was not the case for the studied sponge communities.  相似文献   

19.
Abstract. Settlement panels immersed at Lough Hyne, County Cork, Ireland, at six stations with widely different flow regimes were retrieved at monthly intervals. Between 40 and 62 taxa were identified at each station during the study period. Percentage cover, number of interactions and number of recruits were recorded. Space occupied was found to vary more than 2.5 orders of magnitude between stations and seasons (0.3 – 82 %). Competition for space was most intense during summer, when recruitment was highest. More than 3600 interactions between pairs of species were recorded and competitive matrices are presented for the two stations with the most interactions. Both number of interactions and % cover were significantly higher at sites with greater water flow. The nature and the degree of competition varied between sites, with the most intense competition occurring in the very high flow sites with a large proportion of intra­specific encounters. Colonial species were more evident at the sites with high flow. Certain solitary species (notably Anomia ephippium and Pomatoceros spp.) were successful competitors in encounters with cheilostomatid bryozoans. Solitary species may prevent space monopolisation by the faster-growing bryozoans. 'Typical' early successional species, notably bryozoans such as Celleporella hyalina and Microporella ciliata, were more abundant at the more disturbed sites, implying either a larger adult population and/or preferential settlement of these species at such sites.  相似文献   

20.
Predation and competition are highly influential factors determining space use in foraging animals, and ultimately contribute to the spatial heterogeneity observed within habitats. Here we investigated the influence of competition and predation on space and resource use via continuous video transect observations – a tool that has not previously been employed for this purpose. This study therefore also evaluates video data as a pragmatic tool to study community interactions in the deep sea. Observations were compiled from 15 video transects spanning five submarine canyons in the Bay of Biscay, France. Substrate choice, positioning on the coral, echinoid aggregate size, and the presence/absence of predators (e.g. fish and decapods) as well as competitors (both inter‐ and intra‐specific) were recorded. Two dominant co‐existing echinoid taxa, echinothurids and Cidaris cidaris (3188 total observations), were observed in the study. For the echinothurids, no significant trends were detected in the inter‐ and intra‐specific competition data. For Cidaris cidaris, significant shifts in substrate use were correlated to the presence of inter‐specific competitors (echinothurids), whereby an increase in dead coral substrate usage was observed. Highly significant patterns were detected amongst echinoids near fish and decapod predators. A shift to the base of the coral infra‐structure was correlated to the presence of fish, and fewer individuals were observed in the open areas of the reef and a greater number were found in the mid and top sections of the coral when in the presence of decapods. Aggregates formed irrespective of the presence of predators. Aggregations are likely to form for feeding and reproduction rather than for defensive purposes; and migration along the coral infra‐structure may be a predator‐driven behaviour as echinoids seek refuge from predators. Predation risk might play a stronger – or more detectable – role in structuring echinoid space and resource use in deep‐sea coral habitats. In addition, the study successfully detected patterns in the video data thereby demonstrating its potential usefulness for similar ecological studies on other deep‐dwelling megabenthos.  相似文献   

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