Demographic consequences of disease in a habitat-forming seaweed and impacts on interactions between natural enemies

Diseases affecting natural ecosystems are increasing in frequency and severity, but unless obviously catastrophic, the consequences of disease outbreaks are often overlooked, relative to other ecological processes (e.g., predation, competition). Disease can have profound effects on individuals and c...

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Main Authors: Campbell, Alexandra H., Vergés, Adriana, Steinberg, Peter D.
Other Authors: Advanced Environmental Biotechnology Centre (AEBC)
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: 2018
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Online Access:https://hdl.handle.net/10356/87610
http://hdl.handle.net/10220/46767
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Institution: Nanyang Technological University
Language: English
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spelling sg-ntu-dr.10356-876102020-09-26T21:58:52Z Demographic consequences of disease in a habitat-forming seaweed and impacts on interactions between natural enemies Campbell, Alexandra H. Vergés, Adriana Steinberg, Peter D. Advanced Environmental Biotechnology Centre (AEBC) Nanyang Environment and Water Research Institute Delisea Pulchra Fecundity DRNTU::Engineering::Environmental engineering Diseases affecting natural ecosystems are increasing in frequency and severity, but unless obviously catastrophic, the consequences of disease outbreaks are often overlooked, relative to other ecological processes (e.g., predation, competition). Disease can have profound effects on individuals and can also strongly influence interactions between infected hosts and their natural enemies. We investigated whether a novel bleaching disease affected the survival or performance of a habitat‐forming red seaweed, Delisea pulchra. In addition, we investigated bidirectional, multipartite interactions between this seaweed host, its pathogens, and consumers. Although we found no negative impacts of disease on survival of D. pulchra, bleaching had substantial, negative consequences for affected individuals, including a dramatic drop in fecundity and a significant decrease in size. In the first direct demonstration of bacterial disease‐mediated herbivory of seaweeds, herbivores generally preferred to consume bleached tissue in feeding trials, and we also found higher densities of herbivores on bleached than co‐occurring, healthy algae at sites where herbivores were abundant. In a conceptually reciprocal test of the effects of herbivores on infection, we showed that simulated herbivory increased susceptibility to bleaching when algae were also exposed to cultures of a bacterial pathogen. Given the high proportions of D. pulchra affected by bleaching during peak periods, the impacts of this disease are likely to have important implications at the population level. This work highlights complex interactions between habitat‐forming organisms and their natural enemies and further emphasizes the need to consider disease in ecological research. Published version 2018-12-03T06:58:30Z 2019-12-06T16:45:36Z 2018-12-03T06:58:30Z 2019-12-06T16:45:36Z 2014 Journal Article Campbell, A. H., Vergés, A., & Steinberg, P. D. (2014). Demographic consequences of disease in a habitat-forming seaweed and impacts on interactions between natural enemies. Ecology, 95(1), 142-152. doi:10.1890/13-0213.1 0012-9658 https://hdl.handle.net/10356/87610 http://hdl.handle.net/10220/46767 10.1890/13-0213.1 en Ecology © 2014 Ecological Society of America. This paper was published in Ecology and is made available as an electronic reprint (preprint) with permission of Ecological Society of America. The published version is available at: [http://dx.doi.org/10.1890/13-0213.1]. One print or electronic copy may be made for personal use only. Systematic or multiple reproduction, distribution to multiple locations via electronic or other means, duplication of any material in this paper for a fee or for commercial purposes, or modification of the content of the paper is prohibited and is subject to penalties under law. 11 p. application/pdf
institution Nanyang Technological University
building NTU Library
country Singapore
collection DR-NTU
language English
topic Delisea Pulchra
Fecundity
DRNTU::Engineering::Environmental engineering
spellingShingle Delisea Pulchra
Fecundity
DRNTU::Engineering::Environmental engineering
Campbell, Alexandra H.
Vergés, Adriana
Steinberg, Peter D.
Demographic consequences of disease in a habitat-forming seaweed and impacts on interactions between natural enemies
description Diseases affecting natural ecosystems are increasing in frequency and severity, but unless obviously catastrophic, the consequences of disease outbreaks are often overlooked, relative to other ecological processes (e.g., predation, competition). Disease can have profound effects on individuals and can also strongly influence interactions between infected hosts and their natural enemies. We investigated whether a novel bleaching disease affected the survival or performance of a habitat‐forming red seaweed, Delisea pulchra. In addition, we investigated bidirectional, multipartite interactions between this seaweed host, its pathogens, and consumers. Although we found no negative impacts of disease on survival of D. pulchra, bleaching had substantial, negative consequences for affected individuals, including a dramatic drop in fecundity and a significant decrease in size. In the first direct demonstration of bacterial disease‐mediated herbivory of seaweeds, herbivores generally preferred to consume bleached tissue in feeding trials, and we also found higher densities of herbivores on bleached than co‐occurring, healthy algae at sites where herbivores were abundant. In a conceptually reciprocal test of the effects of herbivores on infection, we showed that simulated herbivory increased susceptibility to bleaching when algae were also exposed to cultures of a bacterial pathogen. Given the high proportions of D. pulchra affected by bleaching during peak periods, the impacts of this disease are likely to have important implications at the population level. This work highlights complex interactions between habitat‐forming organisms and their natural enemies and further emphasizes the need to consider disease in ecological research.
author2 Advanced Environmental Biotechnology Centre (AEBC)
author_facet Advanced Environmental Biotechnology Centre (AEBC)
Campbell, Alexandra H.
Vergés, Adriana
Steinberg, Peter D.
format Article
author Campbell, Alexandra H.
Vergés, Adriana
Steinberg, Peter D.
author_sort Campbell, Alexandra H.
title Demographic consequences of disease in a habitat-forming seaweed and impacts on interactions between natural enemies
title_short Demographic consequences of disease in a habitat-forming seaweed and impacts on interactions between natural enemies
title_full Demographic consequences of disease in a habitat-forming seaweed and impacts on interactions between natural enemies
title_fullStr Demographic consequences of disease in a habitat-forming seaweed and impacts on interactions between natural enemies
title_full_unstemmed Demographic consequences of disease in a habitat-forming seaweed and impacts on interactions between natural enemies
title_sort demographic consequences of disease in a habitat-forming seaweed and impacts on interactions between natural enemies
publishDate 2018
url https://hdl.handle.net/10356/87610
http://hdl.handle.net/10220/46767
_version_ 1681056885239709696