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Dispersion Patterns of Three Caribbean Species of Sea Urchins: Diadema antillarum, Tripneustes ventricosus, and Eucidaris tribuloides

Nancy Eufemia Dalman1,*, James D. Gorham1, Timothy J. Hernandez1, Kendall L. Maze1, Richard M. Settele1, Logan J. Young1, and Jill G. Schulze2

1University of North Georgia, Dahlonega, GA 30597, USA. 2University of North Georgia - Oconee, Watkinsville, GA 30677, USA. *Corresponding author.

Caribbean Naturalist, No. 59 (2019)

Abstract
Slow-growing corals can quickly be overtaken by fast-growing algae. As marine grazers, sea urchins play a vital role in maintaining coral health by reducing algal growth. In order to better understand population dynamics of sea urchins, we investigated dispersion patterns of 3 common Caribbean echinoid species: Diadema antillarum, Tripneustes ventricosus, and Eucidaris tribuloides from 2016 to 2018. All 3 species showed significant shifts in dispersion patterns over time; additionally, D. antillarum was absent in 2017 and T. ventricosus was absent in 2018. The urchin habitat changed from mixed coral rubble and seagrasses to one dominated by seagrass beds over this same time period. The fluxes in urchin populations may be due to alterations in habitat and food availability and could indicate larger changes in coral reef-associated ecosystems.

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