Seasonal growth and calcification of three species of crustose coralline algae in Moorea, French Polynesia - Laboratoire d'Excellence CORAIL
Article Dans Une Revue Marine Ecology Progress Series Année : 2024

Seasonal growth and calcification of three species of crustose coralline algae in Moorea, French Polynesia

Résumé

Crustose coralline algae (CCA) play a critical role in the ecology and resilience of coral reefs by contributing to reef carbonate production and facilitating coral recruitment. However, little is known about their rates of in situ growth and calcification, particularly at the species level. To investigate the spatial and seasonal dynamics of CCA growth and calcification, we deployed CCA fragments embedded within epoxy rings at 3 mo intervals over 15 mo across 2 reef habitats in Moorea (French Polynesia). We studied 3 species differing in their microhabitat preferences (exposed, subcryptic and cryptic). Annual net calcification rates were highest in the exposed species Porolithon cf. onkodes (0.51 g CaCO 3 cm -2 yr -1 ), intermediate in the subcryptic species Neogoniolithon cf. megalocystum (0.16 g CaCO 3 cm -2 yr -1 ) and lowest in the cryptic species Lithophyllum sp. (0.03 g CaCO 3 cm -2 yr -1 ). Growth and/or calcification rates differed between time intervals for all species. However, no consistent seasonal pattern was observed. P. cf. onkodes and N. cf. megalocystum had higher marginal growth rates at the fore reef habitat relative to the back reef habitat. This difference coincided with a lower occurrence of epiphytes on their crusts in the fore reef, suggesting that species interaction may be an important spatial driver of CCA growth. Our results show that CCA growth and calcification is species-specific and spatially and temporally variable. They highlight the need to consider subcryptic and cryptic CCA in reef carbonate budgets and provide important baseline information to understand how CCA communities are responding to environmental changes.
Fichier principal
Vignette du fichier
m739p031.pdf (3.23 Mo) Télécharger le fichier
Origine Publication financée par une institution
licence

Dates et versions

hal-04704663 , version 1 (21-09-2024)

Licence

Identifiants

Citer

Camille Vizon, Laura Lagourgue, Claude E Payri, Maggy M Nugues. Seasonal growth and calcification of three species of crustose coralline algae in Moorea, French Polynesia. Marine Ecology Progress Series, 2024, 739, pp.31-48. ⟨10.3354/meps14626⟩. ⟨hal-04704663⟩
0 Consultations
0 Téléchargements

Altmetric

Partager

More