Mass mortality of the echinoid Diadema antillarum Philippi in Jamaica

Hughes, T.P., Keller, B.D., Jackson, J.B.C., and Boyle, M.J. (1985) Mass mortality of the echinoid Diadema antillarum Philippi in Jamaica. Bulletin of Marine Science, 36. pp. 377-384.

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Abstract

[Extract] During the summer of 1983 Jamaican populations of the ubiquitous spiny sea urchin, Diadema antillarum Philippi, suffered mass mortalities. The die-off spread around most of the ocastline of Jamaica wihtin about 8 weeks, causing local mortality rates close to 100%. Diadema antillarum is a major herbivore (Randall et al., 1964; Ogden et al., 1973; Sammarco et al., 1974; Carpenter, 1981), whose feeding activities cause considerable amounts of bioerosion (Steam and Scoffin, 1977) and affect coral settlement (Sommarco, 1980; 1982). Therefore, the drastic decline of Diadema populations could result in far reaching changes in overall reef community structure and dynamics. Here we describe the outbreak and course of the urchin die-off along part of the north coast of Jamaica, and give a brief outline of its effect on the reef ecology so far.

Item ID: 25774
Item Type: Article (Research - C1)
ISSN: 1553-6955
Date Deposited: 11 Jul 2013 04:02
FoR Codes: 06 BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES > 0602 Ecology > 060205 Marine and Estuarine Ecology (incl Marine Ichthyology) @ 100%
SEO Codes: 96 ENVIRONMENT > 9608 Flora, Fauna and Biodiversity > 960802 Coastal and Estuarine Flora, Fauna and Biodiversity @ 100%
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