Damselfishes alleviate the impacts of sediments on host corals.

ABSTRACT: Mutualisms play a critical role in ecological communities; however, the importance and prevalence of mutualistic associations can be modified by external stressors. On coral reefs, elevated sediment deposition can be a major stressor reducing the health of corals and reef resilience. Here, we investigated the influence of severe sedimentation on the mutualistic relationship between small damselfishes (Pomacentrus moluccensis and Dascyllus aruanus) and their coral host (Pocillopora damicornis). In an aquarium experiment, corals were exposed to sedimentation rates of approximately 100 mg cm^-2 d^-1, with and without fishes present, to test whether: (i) fishes influence the accumulation of sediments on coral hosts, and (ii) fishes moderate partial colo

SUBMITTER: Chase TJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7211878 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature