Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-2plfb Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-24T15:03:13.189Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Long term trends in population dynamics and reproduction in Holothuria atra (Aspidochirotida) in the southern Great Barrier Reef; the importance of asexual and sexual reproduction

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  03 April 2012

Benjamin V. Thorne ,
Hampus Eriksson  and
Maria Byrne
Benjamin V. Thorne*
Affiliation:
Schools of Medical and Biological Sciences, University of Sydney, Australia
Hampus Eriksson
Affiliation:
Schools of Medical and Biological Sciences, University of Sydney, Australia Department of Systems Ecology, Stockholm University, 106 91 Stockholm, Sweden
Maria Byrne
Affiliation:
Schools of Medical and Biological Sciences, University of Sydney, Australia
*
Correspondence should be addressed to: B.V. Thorne, Schools of Medical and Biological Sciences, University of Sydney, Australia email: [email protected]
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Population density and the presence of fission products of Holothuria (Halodeima) atra were investigated in surveys taken over 5 years (2006–2010) in the Capricorn Bunker Group, Southern Great Barrier Reef. These surveys were undertaken to document population density over time and assess the potential that asexual reproduction contributes to population maintenance. Over the 5 years a low incidence of fission was evident year-round, with an increase in July and August (13 and 27% of the population, respectively). There was a positive correlation between population density and the presence of fission products across all surveys. Although density fluctuated, there was no significant difference between months or sites. Despite the potential increase that might be expected from fission followed by regeneration, density fluctuated around a mean of 0.77 ind. m−2. Examination of gonads of the small (asexual and sexual reproduction) and large (sexual only) morphs of H. atra indicated a difference in reproductive pattern. Many small morphs lacked gonads during winter and, when they developed gonads, the gonad index (GI) was low. The GI pattern of the small morph indicated that they spawned in summer. In comparison the large morph had conspicuous gonads through the year. The GI of the large morph was high in winter and summer indicating greater, more prolonged spawning activity in these individuals.

Keywords

population dynamicsasexual reproductionsexual reproductionHolothuroideaHolothuria atra
Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom , Volume 93 , Issue 4 , June 2013 , pp. 1067 - 1072
Copyright
Copyright © Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom 2012 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

Chao, S.M., Chen, C.P. and Alexander, P.S. (1993) Fission and its effect on population structure of Holothuria atra (Echinodermata: Holothuroidea) in Taiwan. Marine Biology 116, 109–115.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Chao, S.M., Chen, C.P. and Alexander, P.S. (1994) Reproduction and growth of Holothuria atra (Echinodermata: Holothuroidea) at two contrasting sites in southern Taiwan. Marine Biology 119, 565–570.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Conand, C. (1989) Aspidochirote holothurians of the lagoon of New Caledonia: biology, ecology and exploitation. PhD thesis. Paris: ORSTROM, pp. 201–207.Google Scholar
Conand, C. (1993) Reproductive biology of the holothurians from the major communities of the New Caledonian Lagoon. Marine Biology 116, 439–450.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Conand, C. (1996) Asexual reproduction by fission in Holothuria atra: variability of some parameters in populations from the tropical Indo-Pacific. Oceanologica Acta 19, 209–216.Google Scholar
Conand, C. (2004) Monitoring a fissiparous population of Holothuria atra on a fringing reef on Reunion Island (Indian Ocean). SPC Bêche-de-mer Information Bulletin 20, 22–25.Google Scholar
Conand, C. (2008) Population status, fisheries and trade of sea cucumbers in Africa and the Indian Ocean. In Toral-Granda, V., Lovatelli, A. and Vasconcellos, M. (eds) Sea cucumbers: a global review of fisheries and trade. FAO Fisheries and Aquaculture Technical Paper, no. 516, Rome, FAO, pp. 143–193.Google Scholar
Conand, C. and De Ridder, C. (1990) Reproduction asexuée par scission chez Holothuria atra (Holothuroidea) dans des populations de platiers récifaux. In De Ridder, C., Dubois, P., Lahaye, M.C. and Jangoux, M. (eds) Echinoderm Research. Rotterdam, The Netherlands: A.A. Balkema, pp. 71–76.Google Scholar
Dissanayake, D.C.T. and Steffanson, G. (2010) Reproductive biology of the commercial sea cucumber Holothuria atra (Holothuridea: Aspidochirotida) in the northwestern coastal waters of Sri Lanka. Invertebrate Reproduction and Development 54, 65–76.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ebert, T.A. (1978) Growth and size of the tropical sea cucumber Holothuria (Halodeima) atra Jager at Enewetak Atoll, Marshall Islands. Pacific Science 32, 183–191.Google Scholar
Hammond, L.S., Birtles, R.A. and Reichelt, R.E. (1985) Holothuroid assemblages on coral reefs across the central section of the Great Barrier Reef. In Proceedings of the Fifth International Coral Reef Congress, Tahiti, no. 5, pp. 285–290.Google Scholar
Harriot, V. (1980) The ecology of holothurian fauna of Heron Reef and Moreton Bay. MSc thesis. University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia.Google Scholar
Harriott, V. (1982) Sexual and asexual reproduction of Holothuria atra Jaeger at Heron Island Reef, Great Barrier Reef. Australian Museum Memoir 16, 53–66.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Harriott, V. (1985) Reproductive biology of three congeneric sea cucumbers species, Holothuria atra, H. impatiens and H. edulis, at Heron Island Reef, Great Barrier Reef. Australian Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research 36, 51–57.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kinch, J., Purcell, S., Uthicke, S. and Friedman, K. (2008) Population status, fisheries and trade of sea cucumbers in the Western Central Pacific. In Toral-Granda, V., Lovatelli, A. and Vasconcellos, M. (eds) Sea cucumbers: a global review of fisheries and trade. FAO Fisheries and Aquaculture Technical Paper, no. 516, Rome, FAO, pp. 7–55.Google Scholar
Klinger, T.A. and Johnson, C.R. (1998) Spatial and temporal distribution of feeding of Aspidochirotida (Holothuroidea) on Heron Island, Great Barrier Reef. In Mooi, R. and Telford, M. (eds) Echinoderms: San Francisco. Rotterdam, The Netherlands: A.A. Balkema, pp. 467–471.Google Scholar
Lee, J., Byrne, M. and Uthicke, S. (2008a) Asexual reproduction by fission of a population of Holothuria hilla (Lesson 1830) at One Tree Island, Great Barrier Reef, Australia. SPC Bêche-de-mer Information Bulletin 27, 17–23.Google Scholar
Lee, J., Byrne, M. and Uthicke, S. (2008b) The influence of population density on fission and growth of Holothuria atra in natural mesocosms. Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology 365, 126–135.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mangion, P., Taddei, D., Frouin, P. and Conand, C. (2004) Feeding rate and impact of sediment reworking by two deposit feeders Holothuria leucospilota and Holothuria atra on a fringing reef (Reunion Island, Indian Ocean). In Heinzeller, T. and Neblisick, J.H. (eds) Echinoderms. Leiden, The Netherlands: A.A. Balkema, pp. 31–320.Google Scholar
Marsh, A.A. and Watts, S.A. (2007) Biochemical and energy requirements of gonad development. In Lawrence, J. (ed.) The biology and ecology of edible urchins. Amsterdam, The Netherlands: Elsevier Science, pp. 35–53.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mladenov, P.V. (1996) Environmental factors influencing asexual reproductive processes in echinoderms. Oceanologica Acta 19, 227–235.Google Scholar
NOAA (2011) Monthly sea surface temperatures on Heron Island, Great Barrier Reef. Available at: http://coralreefwatch.noaa.gov/satellite/vs/graphs_multi_yr/vs_ts_multiyr_HeronIsland_GBR.png (accessed 1 December 2011).Google Scholar
Purcell, S.W. (2010) Managing sea cucumber fisheries with an ecosystem approach. FAO Fisheries and Aquaculture Technical Paper No. 520. Rome: FAO.Google Scholar
Purcell, S.W., Mercier, A., Conand, C., Hamel, J.F., Toral-Granda, V., Lovatelli, A. and Uthicke, S. (2011) Sea cucumber fisheries: global analysis of stocks, management measures and drivers of overfishing. Fish and Fisheries, DOI: 10.1111/j.1467-2979.2011.00443.x.Google Scholar
Ramofafia, C., Byrne, M. and Batteglene, S. (2003) Reproduction of the commercial sea cucumber Holothuria scabra in Solomon Islands. Marine Biology 142, 281–288.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Rowe, F.W.E. and Gates, J. (1995) Echinodermata. In Wells, A. (ed.) Zoological catalogue of Australia 33. Melbourne, Victoria: CSIRO, pp. 1–510.Google Scholar
Schneider, K.S., Silverman, J., Woolsey, E., Eriksson, H., Byrne, M. and Caldeira, K. (2012) Potential influence of sea cucumbers on coral reef CaCO3 budget: a case study at One Tree Reef. Journal of Geophysical Research 116, DOI:10.1029/2011JG001755.Google Scholar
Skillings, D.J., Bird, C.E. and Toonen, R.J. (2010) Gateways to Hawai'i: genetic population structure of the tropical sea cucumber Holothuria atra. Journal of Marine Biology 2011, 1–16.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Uthicke, S. (1994) Distribution patterns and growth of two reef flat holothurian Holothuria atra and Stichopus chloronotus. In David, D., Guille, A., Feral, J.P. and Roux, M. (eds) Echinoderms through time. Proceedings of the Eighth International Echinoderm Conference. Rotterdam, The Netherlands: A.A. Balkema, pp. 569–576.Google Scholar
Uthicke, S. (1997) Seasonality of asexual reproduction in Holothuria (Halodema) atra, H. (H.) edulis and Stichopus chloronotus (Holothuroidea: Aspidochirotida) on the Great Barrier Reef. Marine Biology 129, 435–441.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Uthicke, S. (1998) Respiration of Holothuria (Halodeima) atra, Holothuria (Halodeima) edulis and Stichopus chloronotus: intact individuals and products of asexual reproduction. In Mooi, R. and Telford, M. (eds) Echinoderms: San Francisco. Rotterdam, The Netherlands: A.A. Balkema, pp. 531–536.Google Scholar
Uthicke, S. (1999) Sediment bioturbation and impact of feeding activity of Holothuria (Halodeima) atra and Stichopus chloronotus, two sediment feeding holothuroids, at Lizard Island, Great Barrier Reef. Bulletin of Marine Science 64, 129–141.Google Scholar
Uthicke, S. (2001a) Influence of asexual reproduction on the structure and the dynamics of Holothuria (Halodeima) atra and Stichopus chloronotus populations of the Great Barrier Reef. Marine and Freshwater Research 52, 205–215.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Uthicke, S. (2001b) Interactions between sediment-feeders and microalgae on coral reefs: grazing losses versus production enhancement. Marine Ecology Progress Series 210, 125–138.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Uthicke, S. (2001c). Nutrient regeneration by abundant coral reef holothuroids. Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology 265, 153–170.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Uthicke, S. and Benzie, J.A.H. (2000) Effect of bêche-de-mer fishing on densities and size structure of Holothuria nobilis (Echinodermata: Holothuroidea) populations on the Great Barrier Reef. Coral Reefs 19, 271–276.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Uthicke, S., Benzie, J.A.H. and Ballment, E. (1998) Genetic structure of fissiparous populations of Holothuria (Halodeima) atra on the Great Barrier Reef. Marine Biology 132, 141–151.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Uthicke, S., Byrne, M. and Conand, C. (2010) Genetic barcoding of commercial bêche-de-mer species (Echinodermata: Holothuroidea). Molecular Ecology Resources 10, 634–646.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Uthicke, S., Conand, C. and Benzie, J.A.H. (2001) Population genetics of the fissiparous holothurians Stichopus chloronotus and Holothuria atra (Aspidochirotida): a comparison between Torres Strait and La Réunion. Marine Biology 139, 257–265.Google Scholar
Uthicke, S., Schaffelke, B. and Byrne, M. (2009) A boom–bust phylum? Ecological and evolutionary consequences of density variations in echinoderms. Ecological Monographs 79, 3–24.CrossRefGoogle Scholar