Reef-basel herbivores and the distribution of two seagrasses (Syringodium filiforme and Thalassia testudinum) in the San Blas Islands (Western Caribbean)
Reef-basel herbivores and the distribution of two seagrasses (Syringodium filiforme and Thalassia testudinum) in the San Blas Islands (Western Caribbean)
复制标题
巴塞尔礁食草动物和圣布拉斯群岛（西加勒比海）两种海草（丝状丁香藻和睾丸海藻）的分布
DOI：
--
复制
发表时间：
1981
期刊：
影响因子：
--
通讯作者：
G. Tribble
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
G. Tribble
两种海草，海牛草(Syringodium Filiforme)和龟草(Thalassia TeStudum)，主要分布在西加勒比海圣布拉斯群岛与Ukkup Tupo接壤的地区。这些海草占据了从礁向外延伸的三个同心带：近礁龟草带、中间海牛草带和礁外龟草带。1980年1月至3月期间的摄食实验表明，珊瑚礁附近没有海牛草是与珊瑚礁相关的食草动物捕食的结果，主要是白天活动的鱼类和夜间活动的海胆(Diadema Antillarum)。鱼类对海牛草的捕食大约是海胆捕食的6倍；因此，草食性鱼类似乎限制了研究区域海牛草在礁石附近的分布。放牧最重的地方，海牛草带的内界离礁石最远。实验期间吃的海牛草的量是海龟草消耗量的五倍，这有力地表明海牛是首选的食物。这是首次有选择性地在海草上放牧的证据。
Two seagrasses, manatee grass (Syringodium filiforme) and turtle grass (Thalassia testudinum), predominated in the areas bordering Ukkup Tupo, San Blas Islands, Western Caribbean. These seagrasses occupied the following three concentric zones extending outward from the reef: a near-reef turtle grass zone, an intermediate manatee grass zone and an off-reef turtle grass zone. Feeding experiments between January and March 1980 indicate that the absence of manatee grass close to the reef resulted from grazing by reef-associated herbivores, mainly day-active fishes and night-active sea urchins (Diadema antillarum). Grazing on manatee grass by fishes was approximately six times greater than grazing by sea urchins; thus, it appears that herbivorous fishes restrict the near-reef distribution of manatee grass at the study area. Where grazing was heaviest, the inner boundary of the manatee grass zone was farthest from the reef. The volume of manatee grass grazed during experiments was five times the volume of turtle grass consumed, strongly suggesting that the former species is a preferred food item. This is the first evidence for selective grazing on seagrasses.