Spatial distribution of the upside-down jellyfish Cassiopea sp. within fringing coral reef environments of the Northern Red Sea: implications for its life cycle |
| |
Authors: | Wolfgang Niggl Christian Wild |
| |
Institution: | 1. Coral Reef Ecology Group (CORE), GeoBio-Center and Department of Earth and Environmental Science, Ludwig-Maximilians Universit?t, Richard-Wagner-Str. 10, 80333, München, Germany
|
| |
Abstract: | The zooxanthellate mangrove jellyfish Cassiopea sp. represents a prominent invasive species and a potential bioindicator for nutrient monitoring in coral reefs. However,
information about its spatial distribution in combination with abundance, habitat specificity and life cycle elements is barely
available. This study, therefore, presents the results of field surveys conducted within four different benthic habitat types
(coral reef, seagrass meadow, reef-sand transition and sand flat) in the Northern Red Sea. Cassiopea sp. exhibited a highly patchy distribution within the entire study area with mean abundance of 1.6 ± 0.3 animals m−2 and benthic coverage of 3.2%. Within coral reef habitats, maximum abundance of up to 31 animals m−2 and benthic coverage of up to 20% were detected. Additionally, this study revealed that 65% of all observed Cassiopea specimens were associated with the commensalistic crustacean mysid Idiomysis
tsurnamali. Cassiopea abundance and size as well as association patterns with mysids differed between most of the surveyed habitats. In summary,
the findings of the present study (1) characterize Cassiopea as one of the key organisms in investigated benthic habitats, (2) indicate active habitat selection by the jellyfish and
(3) may hint to an unexplored life cycle of Cassiopea with central role of seagrass meadows providing cues for larval settlement and metamorphosis in the absence of mangroves. |
| |
Keywords: | |
本文献已被 SpringerLink 等数据库收录! |
|