@article{fdi:010053797,
  title = {{A}ssociational refuges among corals mediate impacts of a crown-of-thorns starfish {A}canthaster planci outbreak},
  author = {{K}ayal, {M}ohsen and {L}enihan, {H}. {S}. and {P}au, {C}. and {P}enin, {L}. and {A}djeroud, {M}ehdi},
  editor = {},
  language = {{ENG}},
  abstract = {{I}nteractions among coral populations can moderate the impact of coral predator outbreaks, enhancing community resilience and recovery. {T}his study used predator-exclusion cages and neighbour removals in a field experiment to test how indirect interactions between populations of three coral taxa, {A}cropora, {P}ocillopora, and {P}orites, influenced their survival during an outbreak of the crown-of-thorns starfish, {A}canthaster planci, in {M}oorea, {F}rench {P}olynesia. {H}igh densities of corals enhanced survival by generating associational refuges: physical structures that impeded {A}canthaster and protected corals, and by simple density-dependent prey dilution that reduced predation rates. {A}canthaster showed feeding preferences, resulting in varying intensities of predation on corals, which (1) influenced the type and strength of the associational refuge among corals and (2) resulted in significant loss of the competitive dominants to the benefit of the competitive inferiors. {T}he result was a set of indirect positive interactions ({IPI}s) that prevented {A}canthaster from eradicating {A}cropora and may have enhanced {P}orites, a relatively weak competitor among corals. {IPI}s probably play a key role in many ecosystems, especially in coral reefs in which corals act as engineer species, to reduce impacts of perturbations and enhance community resilience. {T}his study illustrates the importance of {IPI}s in community regulation with a new conceptual model.},
  keywords = {{P}redation ; {M}ortality ; {H}abitat complexity ; {I}ndirect positive interaction ; {C}ommunity regulation ; {R}esilience},
  booktitle = {},
  journal = {{C}oral {R}eefs},
  volume = {30},
  numero = {3},
  pages = {827--837},
  ISSN = {0722-4028},
  year = {2011},
  DOI = {10.1007/s00338-011-0763-1},
  URL = {https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/fdi:010053797},
}