Journal article
Crown-of-thorns starfish complete their larval phase eating only nitrogen-fixing Trichodesmium cyanobacteria
Science advances, Vol.10(29)
07/2024
PMID: 39018391
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Source: InCites
Abstract
Cyanobacteria of the genus Trichodesmium form extensive blooms that supply new N to nutrient-poor marine ecosystems. Yet little is known about what eats Trichodesmium . In this laboratory study, we show that one of the greatest threats to coral reefs, predatory crown-of-thorns starfish (CoTS), Acanthaster sp., completes their larval phase feeding solely on Trichodesmium . We observed Trichodesmium erythraeum CMP1985 in the stomachs of larvae using florescence microscopy and traced the assimilation of nitrogen from labeled trichomes into larval tissues using stable isotopes. Some larvae fed T. erythraeum were morphologically ready to become benthic juveniles after 19 days. Given that Trichodesmium can be food for CoTS, reported increases in Trichodesmium could be a driving factor in the heightened frequency of CoTS population irruptions that have devastated coral reefs in past decades. Future studies could test this through investigating the diets of wild larvae and incorporating Trichodesmium abundance into models of CoTS population dynamics.
Details
- Title
- Crown-of-thorns starfish complete their larval phase eating only nitrogen-fixing Trichodesmium cyanobacteria
- Creators
- Benjamin Mos - The University of QueenslandDirk Erler - Southern Cross UniversityCorinne Lawson - Southern Cross UniversitySymon A. Dworjanyn - Southern Cross University
- Publication Details
- Science advances, Vol.10(29)
- Publisher
- American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)
- Grants
- Unravelling the history of nitrogen cycling within the central Great Barrier Reef, DP170100734, Australian Research Council
- Grant note
- This work was supported by the Australian Research Council (ARC) via an ARC Discovery Indigenous grant IN2000100026 (B.M. and S.A.D.), ARC Discovery Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Award IN2000100026 (B.M.), and ARC Discovery grant DP170100734 (D.E.).
- Identifiers
- 991013209802102368
- Copyright
- Copyright © 2024 The Authors, some rights reserved; exclusive licensee American Association for the Advancement of Science. No claim to original U.S. Government Works. Distributed under a Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial License 4.0 (CC BY-NC).
- Academic Unit
- Faculty of Science and Engineering; National Marine Science Centre; Science
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Journal article