caa a22 4500 445820063 CHVBK 20180317145241.0 cr unu---uuuuu 170323e20110601xx s 000 0 eng 10.1007/s00338-010-0704-4 doi (NATIONALLICENCE)springer-10.1007/s00338-010-0704-4 Spatial variation in the effects of grazing on epilithic algal turfs on the Great Barrier Reef, Australia [Elektronische Daten] [R. Bonaldo, D. Bellwood] Of all benthic components on tropical reefs, algal turfs are the most widespread and the main source of primary productivity. We compared the importance of grazing by herbivores on algal turfs on two zones with marked differences in terms of benthic composition, herbivore biomass and grazing pressure, the inner flat and crest, of an inshore reef on the Great Barrier Reef, Australia. A combination of herbivore exclusion cages and transplants of coral rubble covered by algal turfs between reef zones was used to examine changes in algal turfs over a 4-day experimental period. In situ crest turfs had lower algal height, sediment loads and particulate content than reef flat turfs. Caged samples on the crest exhibited an increase in all three variables. In contrast, in situ and caged treatments on the flat presented algal turfs with similar values for the three analysed variables, with high algal height and heavy particulate and sediment loads. In the absence of cages, reef flat turfs transplanted to the crest had decreased algal height, total particulate material and particulate inorganic content, while the opposite was found in crest turf samples transplanted to the flat. Our results highlight the dynamic nature of algal turfs and the clear differences in the relative importance of herbivory in shaping turf length and sediment load between the reef crest and inner flat. Springer-Verlag, 2010 Herbivory nationallicence Epilithic algal matrix nationallicence Benthic community nationallicence Coral Reef nationallicence Sediment nationallicence Bonaldo R. Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, and School of Marine and Tropical Biology, James Cook University, 4811, Townsville, QLD, Australia aut Bellwood D. Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, and School of Marine and Tropical Biology, James Cook University, 4811, Townsville, QLD, Australia aut Coral Reefs Springer-Verlag 30/2(2011-06-01), 381-390 0722-4028 30:2<381 2011 30 338 https://doi.org/10.1007/s00338-010-0704-4 text/html Onlinezugriff via DOI 1 research-article jats NATIONALLICENCE 856 40 https://doi.org/10.1007/s00338-010-0704-4 text/html Onlinezugriff via DOI NATIONALLICENCE 700 1- Bonaldo R. Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, and School of Marine and Tropical Biology, James Cook University, 4811, Townsville, QLD, Australia aut NATIONALLICENCE 700 1- Bellwood D. Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, and School of Marine and Tropical Biology, James Cook University, 4811, Townsville, QLD, Australia aut NATIONALLICENCE 773 0- Coral Reefs Springer-Verlag 30/2(2011-06-01), 381-390 0722-4028 30:2<381 2011 30 338 Metadata rights reserved Springer special CC-BY-NC licence nationallicence BK010053 XK010053 XK010000 NATIONALLICENCE NATIONALLICENCE NL-springer