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Internal bioerosion by macroborers in Pocillopora spp. in the tropical eastern Pacific

2003; Inter-Research; Volume: 265; Linguagem: Inglês

10.3354/meps265289

1616-1599

Edgardo Londoño‐Cruz, JR Cantera, Gerardo Toro-Farmer, Carlos Orozco,

Marine and coastal plant biology

MEPS Marine Ecology Progress Series Contact the journal Facebook Twitter RSS Mailing List Subscribe to our mailing list via Mailchimp HomeLatest VolumeAbout the JournalEditorsTheme Sections MEPS 265:289-295 (2003) - doi:10.3354/meps265289 Internal bioerosion by macroborers in Pocillopora spp. in the tropical eastern Pacific Edgardo Londoño-Cruz1,2,*, Jaime R. Cantera2, Gerardo Toro-Farmer2, Carlos Orozco2 1Amakusa Marine Biological Laboratory, Kyushu University, Tomioka, Reihoku-cho, Amakusa, Kumamoto-ken 863-2507, Japan 2Universidad del Valle, Departamento de Biología, Apartado Aéreo 25360, Cali, Colombia *Email: edgardo@ambl-ku.jp ABSTRACT: Bioerosion of branched corals was assessed in a fringing reef (Playa Blanca) and a patch reef (Gorgonilla) of Gorgona Island in the tropical eastern Pacific. Cylinder-shaped experimental units (EUs), made from branches of Pocillopora spp., were set 50 cm above the sea bottom for 6, 12 and 18 mo in Playa Blanca (4 zones: Back Reef, Reef-Flat Crest, Reef Front and Reef Slope) and the Gorgonilla patch reef. Borers were represented by bivalves Lithophaga spp. and Gastrochaena ovata, polychaetes, sipunculids and cirripeds (order Acrothoracica). Lithophaga spp. were the main borers and cirripeds were abundant mainly during the first period of exposure. The highest bioerosion rates were recorded in the Gorgonilla patch reef and the Reef Front of Playa Blanca (2.03 and 1.52 kg CaCO3 m-2 yr-1, respectively), while the lowest (0.76 kg CaCO3 m-2 yr-1) were in the Back Reef of Playa Blanca. Bioerosion increased rapidly during the first 12 mo and remained constant thereafter. EU mass was rapidly reduced by 50%. KEY WORDS: Bioerosion · Coral reef · Pocillopora spp. · Macroborers · Colombia · Eastern Pacific Full text in pdf format PreviousNextExport citation RSS - Facebook - Tweet - linkedIn Cited by Published in MEPS Vol. 265. Online publication date: December 31, 2003 Print ISSN: 0171-8630; Online ISSN: 1616-1599 Copyright © 2003 Inter-Research.