11

Emily KellyCenter for Marine Biodiversity and Conservation, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California San Diego

Russell SparksDivision of Aquatic Resources, Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources

Ivor WilliamsCoral Reef Ecosystem Division, National Marine Fisheries Service, NOAA

Jennifer SmithCenter for Marine Biodiversity and Conservation, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California San Diego

Herbivore Enhancement as a Tool for Reef Restoration

How can we help restore reefs that have undergone or are undergoing a coral to algal phase shift?

Can we develop management strategies to reduce algal abundance and facilitate coral recovery?

Eric Brown, CRAMP,DAR and HCRI 2008

• How much of algal production is being consumed?

• By whom?

• What are targets for herbivore species and biomass for the future?

Can we balance the budget?Evaluation of the success of the Kahekili

Herbivore Fisheries Management Area (KHFMA)

Can we balance the budget?

Benthic community composition

Standing stock of algae

Growth rates of dominant algae

Abundance/biomass of herbivores

Consumption rates of herbivores on different algae

Daily production Daily consumption< / > / =

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Benthic community composition

Standing stock of algae

Growth rates of dominant algae

Abundance/biomass of herbivores

Consumption rates of herbivores on different algae

Daily production Daily consumption

Benthic community composition

Standing stock of algae

Growth rates of dominant algae

Daily production

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Benthic composition

Standing stock biomass

Algal growth

macroalgae

turf

< / > / =

Benthic community composition

Standing stock of algae

Growth rates of dominant algae

Abundance/biomass of herbivores

Consumption rates of herbivores on different algae

Daily production Daily consumption

Benthic community composition

Standing stock of algae

Growth rates of dominant algae

Daily production

Turf: 24.36 g / m2

Macro: 13.31 g / m2

Turf: 3.77 g/m2/dMacro: .14 g/g/d

Turf: 45.57%Macro: 4.72%

Turf: 1.72 g / m2 / dMacro: 1.89 g / m2 / d

< / > / =

Turf: 24.36 g / m2

Macro: 13.31 g / m2

Turf: 3.77 g/m2/dMacro: .14 g/g/d

Turf: 45.57%Macro: 4.72%

Turf: 1.72 g / m2 / dMacro: 1.89 g / m2 / d

Benthic community composition

Standing stock of algae

Growth rates of dominant algae

Abundance/biomass of herbivores

Consumption rates of herbivores on different algae

Daily production Daily consumption

Abundance/biomass of herbivores

Consumption rates of herbivores on different algae

Daily consumption

Fish biomass

Fish consumption

Photo: Don McLeish

< / > / =

Turf: 24.36 g / m2

Macro: 13.31 g / m2

Turf: 3.77 g/m2/dMacro: .14 g/g/d

Turf: 45.57%Macro: 4.72%

Turf: 1.72 g / m2 / dMacro: 1.89 g / m2 / d

Benthic community composition

Standing stock of algae

Growth rates of dominant algae

Abundance/biomass of herbivores

Consumption rates of herbivores on different algae

Daily production Daily consumption

Abundance/biomass of herbivores

Consumption rates of herbivores on different algae

Daily consumption

Turf: 8.68 bites / min / g herbMacro: 0.36 bites / min / g herb

Total biomass:14.25 g / m2

Turf: 1.60 g / m2 / dMacro: 0.47 g / m2 / d

Benthic community composition

Standing stock of algae

Growth rates of dominant algae

Abundance/biomass of herbivores

Consumption rates of herbivores on different algae

Daily production Daily consumption>Consumption: 2.07 g/m2/day

Algae production:3.62 g/m2/day

Turf: 24.36 g / m2

Macro: 13.31 g / m2

Turf: 3.77 g/m2/dMacro: .14 g/g/d

Turf: 45.57%Macro: 4.72%

Turf: 8.68 bites / min / g herbMacro: 0.36 bites / min / g herb

Total biomass:14.25 g / m2

Benthic community composition

Standing stock of algae

Growth rates of dominant algae

Abundance/biomass of herbivores

Consumption rates of herbivores on different algae

Daily production Daily consumption>Consumption: 2.07 g/m2/day

Algae production:3.62 g/m2/day

• Different species of herbivores have difference preferences for macroalgae, which can be targeted for a given reef

• All species dominantly graze turf algae • Increasing biomass over time may shift the balance of production and

consumption

Conclusions

Emily will be at the Coral Reef Systems booth Wednesday 12:30-4:30

Mahalo / Thank youFunding provided by:

Center for Marine Biodiversity and ConservationNSF IGERTHawaii Coral Reef Initiative Edna Bailey Sussman Foundation FellowshipExplorer’s Fund, Explorers ClubWomen Divers Hall of Fame Conservation ScholarshipWWW Foundation / The Rhodes FamilyUrsula and David FairchildEloise and Russ DuffElaine Antoniuk

Thank you:

Smith LabSandin LabCoral Reef SystemsMeghan Dailer, UHDarla White, DARPenny DockryCurrie Saray DugasAaron HartmannMariana LunaMolly GleasonSamantha ClementsKevin Moses