Publications des scientifiques de l'IRD

Lorrain Anne, Houlbrèque Fanny, Benzoni Francesca, Barjon L., Tremblay-Boyer L., Menkès Christophe, Gillikin D. P., Payri Claude, Jourdan Hervé, Boussarie G., Verheyden A., Vidal Eric. (2017). Seabirds supply nitrogen to reefbuilding corals on remote Pacific islets. Scientific Reports - Nature, 7, p. art. 3721 [11 p.]. ISSN 2045-2322.

Titre du document
Seabirds supply nitrogen to reefbuilding corals on remote Pacific islets
Année de publication
2017
Type de document
Article référencé dans le Web of Science WOS:000403413700083
Auteurs
Lorrain Anne, Houlbrèque Fanny, Benzoni Francesca, Barjon L., Tremblay-Boyer L., Menkès Christophe, Gillikin D. P., Payri Claude, Jourdan Hervé, Boussarie G., Verheyden A., Vidal Eric
Source
Scientific Reports - Nature, 2017, 7, p. art. 3721 [11 p.] ISSN 2045-2322
Seabirds concentrate nutrients from large marine areas on their nesting islands playing an important ecological role in nutrient transfer between marine and terrestrial ecosystems. Here we investigate the role of guano on corals reefs across scales by analyzing the stable nitrogen isotopic (delta N-15) values of the scleractinian coral Pocillopora damicornis on fringing reefs around two Pacific remote islets with large seabird colonies. Marine stations closest to the seabird colonies had higher nitrate + nitrite concentrations compared to more distant stations. Coral and zooxanthellae delta N-15 values were also higher at these sites, suggesting that guano-derived nitrogen is assimilated into corals and contributes to their nitrogen requirements. The spatial extent of guano influence was however restricted to a local scale. Our results demonstrate that seabird-derived nutrients not only spread across the terrestrial ecosystem, but also affect components of the adjacent marine ecosystem. Further studies are now needed to assess if this nutrient input has a positive or negative effect for corals. Such studies on remote islets also open fresh perspectives to understand how nutrients affect coral reefs isolated from other anthropogenic stressors.
Plan de classement
Ecologie, systèmes aquatiques [036]
Description Géographique
PACIFIQUE ; NOUVELLE CALEDONIE ; CHESTERFIELD ; MER DE CORAIL ; ENTRECASTEAUX
Localisation
Fonds IRD [F B010070253]
Identifiant IRD
fdi:010070253
Contact