Dataset Information

Removal of corallivorous snails as a proactive tool for the conservation of acroporid corals.

ABSTRACT: Corallivorous snail feeding is a common source of tissue loss for the threatened coral, Acropora palmata, accounting for roughly one-quarter of tissue loss in monitored study plots over seven years. In contrast with larger threats such as bleaching, disease, or storms, corallivory by Coralliophila abbreviata is one of the few direct sources of partial mortality that may be locally managed. We conducted a field experiment to explore the effectiveness and feasibility of snail removal. Long-term monitoring plots on six reefs in the upper Florida Keys were assigned to one of three removal treatments: (1) removal from A. palmata only, (2) removal from all host coral species, or (3) no-removal controls. During the initial removal in June 2011, 436 snails were removed from twelve 150 m(2) plots. Snails were removed three additional times during a seven month "removal phase", then counted at five surveys over the next 19 months to track recolonization. At the conclusion, snails were collected, measured and sexed. Before-After-Control-Impact analysis revealed that both snail abundance and feeding scar prevalence were reduced in removal treatments compared to the control, but there was no difference between removal treatments. Recolonization by snails to baseline abundance is estimated to be 3.7 years and did not differ between removal treatments. Recolonization rate was significantly correlated with baseline snail abundance. Maximum snail size decreased from 47.0 mm to 34.6 mm in the removal treatments. The effort required to remove snails from A. palmata was 30 diver minutes per 150 m(2) plot, compared with 51 min to remove snails from all host corals. Since there was no additional benefit observed with removing snails from all host species, removals can be more efficiently focused on only A. palmata colonies and in areas where C. abbreviata abundance is high, to effectively conserve A. palmata in targeted areas.

SUBMITTER: Williams DE

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4250068 | biostudies-literature | 2014

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Removal of corallivorous snails as a proactive tool for the conservation of acroporid corals.

Williams Dana E DE Miller Margaret W MW Bright Allan J AJ Cameron Caitlin M CM

PeerJ 20141127

Corallivorous snail feeding is a common source of tissue loss for the threatened coral, Acropora palmata, accounting for roughly one-quarter of tissue loss in monitored study plots over seven years. In contrast with larger threats such as bleaching, disease, or storms, corallivory by Coralliophila abbreviata is one of the few direct sources of partial mortality that may be locally managed. We conducted a field experiment to explore the effectiveness and feasibility of snail removal. Long-term mo ...[more]

PMID: 25469321

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Project description:Corals are associated with diverse microbial assemblages; however, the spatial-temporal dynamics of intra-species microbial interactions are poorly understood. The coral-associated microbial community varies substantially between tissue and mucus microhabitats; however, the factors controlling the occurrence, abundance, and distribution of microbial taxa over time have rarely been explored for different coral compartments simultaneously. Here, we test (1) differentiation in microbiome diversity and composition between coral compartments (surface mucus and tissue) of two Acropora hosts (A. tenuis and A. millepora) common along inshore reefs of the Great Barrier Reef, as well as (2) the potential linkage between shifts in individual coral microbiome families and underlying host and environmental parameters. Amplicon based 16S ribosomal RNA gene sequencing of 136 samples collected over 14 months, revealed significant differences in bacterial richness, diversity and community structure among mucus, tissue and the surrounding seawater. Seawater samples were dominated by members of the Synechococcaceae and Pelagibacteraceae bacterial families. The mucus microbiome of Acropora spp. was dominated by members of Flavobacteriaceae, Synechococcaceae and Rhodobacteraceae and the tissue was dominated by Endozoicimonaceae. Mucus microbiome in both Acropora species was primarily correlated with seawater parameters including levels of chlorophyll a, ammonium, particulate organic carbon and the sum of nitrate and nitrite. In contrast, the correlation of the tissue microbiome to the measured environmental (i.e., seawater parameters) and host health physiological factors differed between host species, suggesting host-specific modulation of the tissue-associated microbiome to intrinsic and extrinsic factors. Furthermore, the correlation between individual coral microbiome members and environmental factors provides novel insights into coral microbiome-by-environment dynamics and hence has potential implications for current reef restoration and management efforts (e.g. microbial monitoring and observatory programs).

Project description:Phylogenomic studies can provide insights into speciation, adaptation, and extinction, while providing a roadmap for conservation. Hawaiian tree snails are a model system for an adaptive radiation facing an extinction crisis. In the last 5 years, nearly all populations of Hawaiian tree snails across the 30 remaining species in the subfamily Achatinellinae (Achatinellidae) have declined from hundreds or thousands in the wild down to undetectable levels. Nearly 100 species historically occurred across dramatic environmental gradients on five of the Hawaiian Islands, but habitat loss, overcollection, and predation by invasive species have decimated populations. As such, this system offers the opportunity to integrate efforts to conserve evolutionary potential into conservation planning for a rapidly declining subfamily. Here, we used genome-wide, restriction-site associated DNA sequencing (RADseq), along with mitochondrial genome reconstruction, to resolve evolutionary relationships to inform conservation efforts. Phylogenetic analysis of nearly 400k genome-wide SNPs from 59 populations and 25 species across six genera in the family Achatinellidae, was generally concordant with taxonomy, geography, and mtDNA with several notable exceptions; mtDNA was unable to resolve some deeper nodes (e.g., the monophyly of Achatinella), while SNP data did not resolve as many shallow nodes. Both phylogenetic and coalescent analysis revealed deep divergences between populations within Achatinella mustelina that were consistent with species-level differences. Given cryptic species-level divergence within populations that are geographically proximate, they are at higher risk of extirpation from invasive predators and climate change than previously assumed. This study clarifies evolutionary relationships within this model system for adaptive radiation, forming the basis for conservation strategies such as translocation, captive rearing, and hybridization trials to prevent the loss of capacity to adapt to rapidly changing environmental conditions.

Dataset Information

Removal of corallivorous snails as a proactive tool for the conservation of acroporid corals.

Publications

Removal of corallivorous snails as a proactive tool for the conservation of acroporid corals.

Similar Datasets

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