EDNA confirms lower trophic interactions help to modulate population outbreaks of the notorious crown-of-thorns sea star.

ABSTRACT: Variability in predator-prey interactions can modulate population dynamics with impacts scalable to entire ecosystems. As notorious corallivores, crown-of-thorns sea stars (CoTS; Acanthaster spp.) have caused extensive losses of coral habitat during unexplained population outbreaks across the Indo-Pacific. While predation of adult CoTS may help to suppress their outbreaks, it does not sufficiently explain their profound boom-bust dynamics and so remains equivocal. Factors influencing early postsettlement mortality are generally more impactful on population size, thus lower trophic interactions involving juvenile CoTS may better contribute to outbreak prevention. We evaluated the impact of key predatory decapods that interact with juvenile CoTS in their coral rubble nursery before th

SUBMITTER: Wolfe K 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11929471 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature