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Consumption and feeding preference of Paracentrotus lividus (Echinodermata: Echinoidea) on native and non-native macroalgae from northern west coast of Iberia

André C. Cardoso1*, João N. Franco1, 2, Isabel Sousa-Pinto1, 2 and Francisco Arenas2
  • 1 Departamento de Biologia, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade do Porto, Portugal
  • 2 Centro Interdisciplinar de Pesquisa Marine e Ambiental (CIIMAR), Portugal

Herbivory plays a major role in driving patterns of abundance and distribution of primary producers in all systems, including lakes, forests, kelp forests and coral reefs. This biotic interaction exerts a strong control on seaweeds communities of most shallow rocky marine coasts where herbivores such as gastropods and sea urchins play a major role. Using a mesocosm experimental approach we investigate the consumption and feeding preference of one of the most abundant macrograzer species in the Portuguese coast, the Paracentrotus lividus, over different seaweed species occurring on the northern west coast of Iberia. Specifically, we determined the algal biomass consumption and preference by P. lividus on three brown algae: Laminaria ochroleuca, Saccorhiza polyschides and the invasive Undaria pinnatifida and three red algae: Chondrus crispus, Mastocarpus stellatus and the invasive Grateloupia turuturu. Macroalgae nutrient content (carbon and nitrogen), texture and chemical deterrents (polyphenolic content) was also examined and correlated with food preferences. Despite the high variability of algal consumption by P. lividus, our results suggest that among the studied seaweeds this grazer prefer native seghaweeds rather invasive seaweeds, suggesting that non-native seaweeds likely are not under eminent pressure by P. lividus at least in the area of study.

References

Franco, J., Wernberg, T., Bertocci, I., Duarte, P., Jacinto, D., Vasco-Rodrigues, N., & Tuya, F. (2015). Herbivory drives kelp recruits into ‗hiding‘in a warm ocean climate. Mar Ecol Prog Ser, 536, 1-9.

Cacabelos, E., Olabarria, C., Incera, M., & Troncoso, J. S. (2010). Do grazers prefer invasive seaweeds?. Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology, 393(1), 182-187.

Gestoso, I., Olabarria, C., & Troncoso, J. S. (2010). Variability of epifaunal assemblages associated with native and invasive macroalgae. Marine and Freshwater Research, 61(6), 724-731.

Keywords: grazing, Herbivory, sea urchin, seaweeds, Kelps

Conference: IMMR'18 | International Meeting on Marine Research 2018, Peniche, Portugal, 5 Jul - 6 Jul, 2018.

Presentation Type: Poster Presentation

Topic: Biodiversity, Conservation and Coastal Management

Citation: Cardoso A, Franco J, Sousa-Pinto I and Arenas F (2019). Consumption and feeding preference of Paracentrotus lividus (Echinodermata: Echinoidea) on native and non-native macroalgae from northern west coast of Iberia. Front. Mar. Sci. Conference Abstract: IMMR'18 | International Meeting on Marine Research 2018. doi: 10.3389/conf.FMARS.2018.06.00018

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Received: 06 May 2018; Published Online: 07 Jan 2019.

* Correspondence: Dr. André C. Cardoso, Departamento de Biologia, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal, andrecoutocardoso@gmail.com