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Seaweed survival after consumption by the greenbeak parrotfish,Scarus trispinosus |
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| Authors: | Tâmega F T S Figueiredo M A O Ferreira C E L Bonaldo R M |
| Institution: | 1.Programa de Pós-Graduação em Botânica, Museu Nacional, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 20940-040, Brazil ;2.Divisão de Biotecnologia Marinha, Instituto de Estudos do Mar Almirante Paulo Moreira, Arraial do Cabo, RJ, 28930-000, Brazil ;3.Instituto de Pesquisas Jardim Botânico do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 22460-230, Brazil ;4.Departamento de Biologia Marinha, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Niterói, RJ, 24001-970, Brazil ;5.Departamento de Ecologia, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, 05509-900, Brazil ; |
| Abstract: | We assessed the survival of seaweed (macroalgae and cyanobacteria) after consumption by the greenbeak parrotfish, Scarus trispinosus, in northeastern Brazil. Samples of S. trispinosus feces were collected, inoculated on filter paper, and kept in the laboratory and field for 60 and 30 d, respectively. Comparisons of samples inoculated with feces to those without (controls) revealed a marked increase in the abundance and diversity of seaweed in samples inoculated with feces in both laboratory and field experiments. These results were consistent between summer and winter, although the seaweed species differed. A total of one cyanobacterium and 16 macroalgal taxa (nine rhodophytes, five heterokontophytes, and two chlorophytes) were recorded in the inoculated samples. Rhodophyta also presented the highest abundance across treatments, possibly because of their higher resistance to parrotfish digestion, greater ingestion, or both. The survival of cyanobacteria and macroalgae after consumption by S. trispinosus suggests that parrotfishes may contribute to seaweed dispersion on tropical reefs. |
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