Effects of larvae density and food concentration on Crown-of-Thorns seastar (Acanthaster cf. solaris) development in an automated flow-through system.

ABSTRACT: Coral-eating Crown-of-Thorns Sea stars (Acanthaster spp.) are major contributors to coral reef loss in the Indo-Pacific region. A release from food limitation of their planktotrophic larvae through enhanced pelagic productivity is one of the main hypothesis explaining population outbreaks ('nutrient limitation hypothesis'). To improve the understanding of these outbreaks we developed an automated flow- through larvae rearing system that maintained food (microalgae) at set levels over the course of four 15d experiments. This resulted in stable food concentrations in experimental tanks. Increased algae concentrations had a significant positive effect on larval development and size at 10 and 15 days post fertilization (dpf). Larvae densities had no effect at 10 dpf. At 15 dpf greater larvae d

SUBMITTER: Uthicke S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5766623 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature