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    The role of turtles as coral reef macroherbivores

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    Type
    Article
    Authors
    Goatley, Christopher H. R.
    Hoey, Andrew
    Bellwood, David R.
    KAUST Department
    Red Sea Research Center (RSRC)
    Date
    2012-06-29
    Permanent link to this record
    http://hdl.handle.net/10754/325306
    
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    Abstract
    Herbivory is widely accepted as a vital function on coral reefs. To date, the majority of studies examining herbivory in coral reef environments have focused on the roles of fishes and/or urchins, with relatively few studies considering the potential role of macroherbivores in reef processes. Here, we introduce evidence that highlights the potential role of marine turtles as herbivores on coral reefs. While conducting experimental habitat manipulations to assess the roles of herbivorous reef fishes we observed green turtles (Chelonia mydas) and hawksbill turtles (Eretmochelys imbricata) showing responses that were remarkably similar to those of herbivorous fishes. Reducing the sediment load of the epilithic algal matrix on a coral reef resulted in a forty-fold increase in grazing by green turtles. Hawksbill turtles were also observed to browse transplanted thalli of the macroalga Sargassum swartzii in a coral reef environment. These responses not only show strong parallels to herbivorous reef fishes, but also highlight that marine turtles actively, and intentionally, remove algae from coral reefs. When considering the size and potential historical abundance of marine turtles we suggest that these potentially valuable herbivores may have been lost from many coral reefs before their true importance was understood. © 2012 Goatley et al.
    Citation
    Goatley CHR, Hoey AS, Bellwood DR (2012) The Role of Turtles as Coral Reef Macroherbivores. PLoS ONE 7: e39979. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0039979.
    Publisher
    Public Library of Science (PLoS)
    Journal
    PLoS ONE
    DOI
    10.1371/journal.pone.0039979
    PubMed ID
    22768189
    PubMed Central ID
    PMC3386948
    ae974a485f413a2113503eed53cd6c53
    10.1371/journal.pone.0039979
    Scopus Count
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    Articles; Red Sea Research Center (RSRC)

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