Changes in abundance of coral-reef bottom components related to mass mortality of the sea urchin Diadema antillarum

This photograph documents a batwing coral crab (Carpilius corallinus) preying on the sea urchin (Diadema antillarum) on a coral reef site enhanced with artificial shelter and staghorn coral. This interaction illustrates an interaction that to be better understood to develop a restoration strategy that harnesses positive ecological processes.

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Responses of Two Coral Reef Toadfishes (Batrachoididae) to the Demise of Their Primary Prey, the Sea Urchin Diadema antillarum

Copeia ◽

10.2307/1445655 ◽

1987 ◽

Vol 1987 (3) ◽

pp. 637 ◽

Cited By ~ 42

Author(s):

D. Ross Robertson

Keyword(s):

Coral Reef ◽

Sea Urchin ◽

Diadema Antillarum

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Diagnostic Methods for the Comprehensive Health Assessment of the Long-Spined Sea Urchin, Diadema antillarum

EDIS ◽

10.32473/edis-vm244-2020 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 2020 (3) ◽

Author(s):

Ruth Francis-Floyd

Keyword(s):

Veterinary Medicine ◽

Coral Reef ◽

Sea Urchin ◽

Health Assessment ◽

Diagnostic Methods ◽

Large Animal ◽

Diadema Antillarum ◽

Comprehensive Health ◽

Coral Reef Ecosystems ◽

Diagnostic Work

This 55-page document contains a wealth of information on the long-spined sea urchin, which is an important animal in coral reef ecosystems. The publication discusses diagnostic methods for Diadema antillarum and provides reporting forms for laboratory and diagnostic work. Written by Ruth Francis-Floyd, Jan Landsberg, Roy Yanong, Yasu Kiryu, Shirley Baker, Deborah Pouder, William Sharp, Gabriel Delgado, Nicole Stacy, Tom Waltzek, Heather Walden, Roxanna Smolowitz, and Greg Beck, and published by the UF/IFAS Veterinary Medicine—Large Animal Clinical Sciences Department, May 2020.

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Lack of recovery of the long-spined sea urchin Diadema antillarum Philippi in Puerto Rico 33 years after the Caribbean-wide mass mortality

PeerJ ◽

10.7717/peerj.8428 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 8 ◽

pp. e8428 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Evan Tuohy ◽

Christina Wade ◽

Ernesto Weil

Keyword(s):

Puerto Rico ◽

Sea Urchin ◽

Habitat Complexity ◽

Mass Mortality ◽

Population Characteristics ◽

Depth Interval ◽

Population Densities ◽

Diadema Antillarum ◽

Extrinsic Factors ◽

General Decline

Caribbean populations of the long-spined black sea urchin Diadema antillarum Philippi were decimated by a disease-induced mass mortality in the early 1980’s. The present study provides an updated status of the D. antillarum recovery and population characteristics in La Parguera Natural Reserve, Puerto Rico. The last detailed study to assess population recovery in 2001, indicated a slow, and modest recovery, albeit densities remained far below pre-mass mortality levels. Population densities were assessed along three depth intervals in six reef localities and one depth in three lagoonal sea-grass mounds using ten 20 m2 (10 × 2 m) belt-transects at each depth interval. Most of these were previously surveyed in 2001. All individuals encountered along the belt transects were sized in situ with calipers and rulers to characterize the size (age) structure of each population and get insight into the urchin’s population dynamics and differences across localities in the area. Habitat complexity (rugosity) was assessed in all depth intervals. No significant differences in population densities between reef zones (inner shelf and mid-shelf) were observed, but significantly higher densities were found on shallow habitats (<5 m depth; 2.56 ± 1.6 ind/m2) compared to intermediate (7–12 m; 0.47 ± 0.8 ind/m2) and deep (>12 m; 0.04 ± 0.08 ind/m2) reef habitats in almost all sites surveyed. Habitat complexity had the greatest effect on population densities at all levels (site, zone and depth) with more rugose environments containing significantly higher densities and wider size structures. Comparison between survey years revealed that D. antillarum populations have not increased since 2001, and urchins seem to prefer shallower, more complex and productive areas of the reef. Populations were dominated by medium to large (5–9 cm in test diameter) individuals and size-frequency distributions indicated that smaller juveniles were virtually absent compared to 2001, which could reflect a recruitment-limited population and explain in part, the lack of increase in population densities. The limited temporal scale of this study, high horizontal movement of individuals along the complex, shallower reef and inshore habitats could also explain the general decline in mean densities. Other extrinsic factors affecting reproductive output and/or succesful recruitment and survival of juveniles likely contribute to the high variablility in population densities observed over time.

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The effects of metals on embryo-larval and adult life stages of the sea urchin, Diadema antillarum

Aquatic Toxicology ◽

10.1016/j.aquatox.2005.05.016 ◽

2005 ◽

Vol 74 (3) ◽

pp. 254-263 ◽

Cited By ~ 42

Author(s):

G.K. Bielmyer ◽

K.V. Brix ◽

T.R. Capo ◽

M. Grosell

Keyword(s):

Sea Urchin ◽

Adult Life ◽

Life Stages ◽

Diadema Antillarum

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Apparent stability of a low-density Diadema antillarum regime for Puerto Rican coral reefs

ICES Journal of Marine Science ◽

10.1093/icesjms/fsy093 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 75 (6) ◽

pp. 2193-2201 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Ruber Rodríguez-Barreras ◽

Alfredo Montañez-Acuña ◽

Abimarie Otaño-Cruz ◽

Scott D Ling

Keyword(s):

Puerto Rico ◽

Sea Urchin ◽

Coral Cover ◽

Live Coral ◽

Low Density ◽

Limited Evidence ◽

Diadema Antillarum ◽

Benthic Habitats ◽

Stable Regime ◽

Apparent Stability

Abstract Caribbean reefs have suffered decline in coral cover in recent decades due to recurrent anthropogenic and natural stressors. The regional collapse of the sea urchin Diadema antillarum, combined with overfishing, has contributed to a phase-shift of coral reef communities towards fleshy macroalgal dominance. Here, we examine the population dynamics of D. antillarum at five sites in Puerto Rico from 2011 to 2016 and determine trends between the sea urchin and local benthic habitats. The sea urchin population exhibited low but stable densities (with slight, but non-significant trend of increase), yet showed variability between sites. Large urchins (>60 mm test diam.) were the most abundant across sites and through time, followed by medium urchins (41–60 mm test diam.), whereas small individuals (<40 mm) were rare, indicating recruitment-limitation. Spatial and temporal differences in benthic habitats were not related to local D. antillarum abundances. Macroalgae cover declined at all sites over the 6 years, ranging 5–86%, whereas live coral cover also decreased across all sites (ranging 4–38%). Diadema antillarum populations in Puerto Rico appear stable with limited evidence for recovery trends back to pre-mass mortality densities. Full population recovery may take longer than expected; however, evidence indicates that the contemporary low-density D. antillarum population represents a novel stable regime.

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