表一、海生所 103 學年專題討論(二) 摘要表
IMB 103 Seminar (II) Abstract form
報告日期/Date： 2015 年/year 03 月/month 11 日/day
班別/學生姓名：Parinya Limvviriyakul (林文龍)
Class/Name: Seminar (II)
題目 Title：Symbiotic crabs maintain coral health by clearing sediments
作者 Author(s): Hannah L. Stewart, Sally J. Holbrook,
Russell J. Schmitt, Andrew J. Brooks
期刊 Journal name: Coral Reefs
期頁數 Issue and page nos: 25: 609–615
摘要 Abstract:
Abstract Stony corals are the foundation of coral reef ecosystems and
form associations with other reef species. Many of these associations may be
ecologically important and play a role in maintaining the health and diversity of
reef systems, rendering it critical to understand the influence of symbiotic
organisms in mediating responses to perturbation. This study demonstrates the
importance of an association with trapeziid crabs in reducing adverse effects of
sediments deposited on corals. In a field experiment, mortality rates of two
species of branching corals were significantly lowered by the presence of crabs.
All outplanted corals with crabs survived whereas 45–80% of corals without
crabs died within a month. For surviving corals that lacked crabs, growth was
slower and tissue bleaching and sediment load were higher. Laboratory
experiments revealed that corals with crabs shed substantially more of the
sediments deposited on coral surfaces, but also that crabs were most effective at
removing grain sizes that were most damaging to coral tissues. The mechanism
underlying this symbiotic relationship has not been recognized previously, and
its role in maintaining coral health is likely to become even more critical as reefs
worldwide experience increasing sedimentation.