Table of Contents

• Coverage
• Dataset Description
  • Methods & Sampling
  • Data Processing Description
• Data Files
• Related Publications
• Parameters
• Instruments
• Deployments
• Project Information
• Funding

Researchers examined the effects of vermetids on the growth and survival of three species of coral in  Moorea, French Polynesia as well as the relationship between the proportion of dead coral and the number of vermetids.

Related Datasets:

• Shima et al 2010 experimental: https://www.bco-dmo.org/dataset/726082
• Shima et al 2010 survey: https://www.bco-dmo.org/dataset/726107 (current page)

Divers surveyed covariance between dead reef substrate in 103 22.36 x 22.36 cm quadrats placed hapharzardly on monotypic patches of coral (Montipora, Porites lobata, Porites rus, Pocillopora). They counted the number of live Ceraesignum (formerly Dendropoma) maximum (>5mm in aperature diameter) in the quadrat and visually estimated the proportion of dead coral.

BCO-DMO Processing:

• added conventional header with dataset name, PI name, version date

Description from NSF abstract:
Ecological surprises are most likely to be manifest in diverse communities where many interactions remain uninvestigated. Coral reefs harbor much of the world's biodiversity, and recent studies by the investigators suggest that one overlooked, but potentially important, biological interaction involves vermetid gastropods. Vermetid gastropods are nonmobile, tube-building snails that feed via an extensive mucus net. Vermetids reduce coral growth by up to 80%, and coral survival by as much as 60%. Because effects vary among coral taxa, vermetids may substantially alter the structure of coral communities as well as the community of fishes and invertebrates that inhabit the coral reef.

The investigators will conduct a suite of experimental and observational studies that: 1) quantify the effects of four species of vermetids across coral species to assess if species effects and responses are concordant or idiosyncratic; 2) use meta-analysis to compare effects of vermetids relative to other coral stressors and determine the factors that influence variation in coral responses; 3) determine the role of coral commensals that inhabit the branching coral, Pocillopora, and evaluate how the development of the commensal assemblage modifies the deleterious effects of vermetids; 4) determine how vermetid mucus nets affect the local environment of corals and evaluate several hypotheses about proposed mechanisms; and 5) assess the long-term implications of vermetids on coral communities and the fishes and invertebrates that depend on the coral.

Note: The Principal Investigator, Dr. Craig W. Osenberg, was at the University of Florida at the time the NSF award was granted. Dr. Osenberg moved to the University of Georgia during the summer of 2014 (current contact information).