التفاصيل البيبلوغرافية
| العنوان: |
Natural Prey Preferences and Spatial Variability of Predation Pressure by Cyphoma gibbosum (Mollusca: Gastropoda) on Octocoral Communities off La Parguera, Puerto Rico. |
| المؤلفون: |
Lucas, Matthew Q., Rodriguez, Luis R., Sanabria, Duane J., Weil, Ernesto |
| المصدر: |
ISRN Otolaryngology; 2014, p1-13, 13p |
| مصطلحات موضوعية: |
PREDATION, GASTROPODA, THREE-dimensional imaging, COMPARATIVE studies, HABITATS |
| مصطلحات جغرافية: |
PUERTO Rico |
| مستخلص: |
This study evaluated the natural prey preferences and spatial variability of predation pressure (PP = proportion of colonies with snails and/or clear predation signs) by the gastropod Cyphoma gibbosum on octocoral communities off the La Parguera Natural Reserve, Puerto Rico. All octocoral colonies were checked for presence of C. gibbosum and/or clear predation signs in four permanent band-transects (2 x 10 m), along three depth intervals (0-5, 7-12, >15 m deep) in each of six reefs along an inshore offshore gradient. Results indicate that C. gibbosum preys on at least 16 species, six of which (Briareum asbestinum, Gorgonia ventalina, Pseudoterogorgia americana, P. acerosa, Plexaura flexuosa, and Pseudoplexaura porosa) consistently showed significantly higher (K-W, P < 0.05) (17-37%) PP compared to all other species. Plexaura flexuosa, P. americana, and P. porosa had significantly higher PP (11-38%) among inner and mid-shelf reefs, and G. ventalina had higher PP in shelf-edge reefs (16-20%). A combination of differential spatial distributions and octocoral species abundances seems to explain the observed patterns of predation by C. gibbosum. Prey preference and higher abundances of 3-dimensional octocorals providing increased refuge or microhabitats utilized for mating or egg-deposition could be driving the spatial distribution of C. gibbosum and the observed differential predation pressure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
|
Copyright of ISRN Otolaryngology is the property of Hindawi Limited and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) |
| قاعدة البيانات: |
Complementary Index |
Full Text Finder