Abstract
Understanding early life histories of keystone marine herbivores can broaden insight into population dynamics and ecosystem functioning. Settlement, defined as the transitional process from planktonic larva to benthic juvenile, is not well understood for the long-spined sea urchin Diadema antillarum despite outsized herbivory effects on Caribbean coral reefs. Recent advances in aquaculture methods have enabled experimental investigation of larval ontogeny and cue-mediated settlement dynamics otherwise difficult to understand through field observations. In this study, the morphological attributes preceding metamorphosis of feeding larvae were characterized and factors influencing development of these attributes were examined. Simple access to the nutritious microalgae Rhodomonas lens led to metamorphic competence, defined here by presence of a large rudiment, or imaginal disc, and either internal or external podia with suction rings at the terminal tips. Subsequent exposure to a suite of individual cues revealed highest settlement to two calcareous algae, Halimeda sp. and crustose coralline algae, at 58.0% (± 3.7 SE) and 46.0% (± 5.1 SE), respectively, and zero settlement to a sterile seawater negative control. Significantly higher settlement to a ceramic tile overgrown with biofilm compared to separate sterile tile and isolated biofilm treatments revealed a synergistic relationship between a structural and biochemical cue. Microalgae exposure further enhanced settlement, but only when a strongly inductive primary cue was present. Together, these results provide insight into active habitat selection and factors likely influencing D. antillarum recruitment potential. Findings can be applied to improve both population dynamics models and aquaculture production methods.
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Acknowledgements
We thank partners at the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission for broodstock collection and staff from The Florida Aquarium for broodstock system maintenance, husbandry, and technical support.
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This work was supported by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration [award number NA20NMF4630304]; the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation [grant ID 0302.20.068850]; the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary Foundation [award number 22–02-J-439]; and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission [agreement no. 21009]. These sponsors had no role in study design; in the collection, analysis, and interpretation of data; in the writing of this report; or in the decision to submit this article for publication.
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All authors contributed to the study conception, design, and data collection. Material preparation and formal analysis were performed by ARP. The first manuscript draft was written by ARP and all authors provided edits on previous versions. All authors read and approved the final manuscript. Funding acquisition was performed by JP.
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Pilnick, A.R., Petrosino, A., Hassan, M.M. et al. Cue selection and ontogeny reveal larval settlement dynamics of the long-spined sea urchin Diadema antillarum, a keystone coral reef herbivore. Mar Biol 170, 139 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00227-023-04290-5
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00227-023-04290-5