Document Type
Article
Publication Date
3-17-2014
Journal / Book Title
Marine Ecology Progress Series
Abstract
In Nova Scotia, Canada, periodic outbreaks of amoebic disease (paramoebiasis) cause mass mortality of sea urchins Strongylocentrotus droebachiensis in subtidal barrens. However, in kelp beds, where sea urchins are cryptic and generally less dense than in barrens, disease outbreaks are not readily observed and the importance of disease in regulating these populations is unknown. To determine whether sea urchin populations in kelp beds are controlled by disease, we analyzed population data from kelp beds at a single location (St. Margarets Bay) across a span of 44 yr (1968 to 2012) to compare changes in size structure and density in relation to the timing of disease outbreaks in adjacent sea urchin aggregations and barrens. We found that sea urchin density, maximum test diameter and percentage of adults decreased following disease outbreaks and increased during intervening periods without disease, indicating that disease regulates the population in kelp beds by limiting survival to adulthood. Our results suggest that disease has replaced predation as a major agent controlling sea urchin populations in Nova Scotian kelp beds.
DOI
10.3354/meps10700
Montclair State University Digital Commons Citation
Feehan, Colette and Scheibling, Robert E., "Disease as a Control of Sea Urchin Populations in Nova Scotian Kelp Beds" (2014). Department of Biology Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works. 169.
https://digitalcommons.montclair.edu/biology-facpubs/169
Published Citation
Feehan CJ, Scheibling RE (2014) Disease as a control of sea urchin populations in Nova Scotian kelp beds. Mar Ecol Prog Ser 500:149-158. https://doi.org/10.3354/meps10700
- Citations
- Citation Indexes: 17
- Usage
- Abstract Views: 2
- Downloads: 2
- Captures
- Readers: 29
- Mentions
- References: 1
Comments
Inter-Research Science Center makes the archives of its journals available as a service to the scientific community. All articles published more than 5 years ago may be accessed freely.