Benthic meiofaunal community response to the cascading effects of herbivory within an algal halo system of the Great Barrier Reef.

ABSTRACT: Benthic fauna play a crucial role in organic matter decomposition and nutrient cycling at the sediment-water boundary in aquatic ecosystems. In terrestrial systems, grazing herbivores have been shown to influence below-ground communities through alterations to plant distribution and composition, however whether similar cascading effects occur in aquatic systems is unknown. Here, we assess the relationship between benthic invertebrates and above-ground fish grazing across the 'grazing halos' of Heron Island lagoon, Australia. Grazing halos, which occur around patch reefs globally, are caused by removal of seagrass or benthic macroalgae by herbivorous fish that results in distinct bands of unvegetated sediments surrounding patch reefs. We found that benthic algal canopy height significantly

SUBMITTER: Ollivier QR 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5841801 | biostudies-literature | 2018

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature