@article{fdi:010068825,
  title = {{T}iming within the reproduction cycle modulates the efficiency of village-based crown-of-thorns starfish removal},
  author = {{D}umas, {P}ascal and {M}outardier, {G}. and {H}am, {J}. and {K}aku, {R}. and {G}ereva, {S}. and {L}efevre, {J}{\'e}r{\^o}me and {A}djeroud, {M}ehdi},
  editor = {},
  language = {{ENG}},
  abstract = {{I}n {P}acific countries, outbreaks of the crown-of-thorns starfish {A}canthaster planci ({COTS}) raise increasing conservation concerns in areas where people heavily depend upon coral reefs for their livelihoods. {S}mall-scale cleanups are often used in an attempt to regulate {COTS} densities, but their efficiency is challenged by knowledge gaps and the difficulty for the communities to frame their decisions in an ecological perspective. {H}ere, we investigated {COTS} reproductive seasonality and its potential impact on removals. {T}he spawning period of {COTS} was documented in two islands of the {V}anuatu archipelago using the gonado-somatic index ({GSI}). {P}eak spawning occurred one month after the 28 degrees {C} threshold was exceeded and was delayed by 2-3 weeks with increasing latitude, theoretically allowing cleanups to be framed within the biological cycle. {W}e demonstrated that subsampiing of two/three arms per starfish provide {GSI} errors <1, a cost-effective strategy to document local spawning patterns. {T}his approach was used during a major cleanup effort that took place during the spawning season, where fishermen removed {COTS} from a 3.8 km fringing reef. {T}he density drastically dropped from 518.8 to 66.7 ind.ha(-1) after participants extirpated >4 tons (13,000 starfish). {A}t the end of the removals, {GSI} was reduced by half when compared to control areas, suggesting that traditional practices may under certain conditions trigger synchronized spawning. {M}ore effectively controlling {COTS} outbreaks will require teaching good ecological practices to avoid potential side-effects, a challenge in countries where a lack of knowledge on {COTS} does not really foster environmental concerns among local communities.},
  keywords = {{A}canthaster planci ; {C}ots ; {C}leanup ; {S}pawning ; {C}oral reefs ; {PACIFIQUE} ; {VANUATU}},
  booktitle = {},
  journal = {{B}iological {C}onservation},
  volume = {204},
  numero = {{B}},
  pages = {237--246},
  ISSN = {0006-3207},
  year = {2016},
  DOI = {10.1016/j.biocon.2016.10.027},
  URL = {https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/fdi:010068825},
}