BRAZILIAN JOURNAL OF OCEANOGRAPHY, 56(3):239-247, 2008 FEEDING PREFERENCE OF THE SEA URCHIN LYTECHINUS VARIEGATUS (LAMARCK, 1816) ON SEAWEEDS Camilla Ferreira Souza, Aline Santos de Oliveira and Renato Crespo Pereira* Universidade Federal Fluminense Departamento de Biologia Marinha (Caixa Postal 100644, 24001-970 Niterói, RJ, Brasil) *Corresponding author: [email protected] A B S T R A C T Seaweeds exhibit different strategies to minimize the damage caused by herbivores and also to influence the feeding preference of these consumers. This study evaluated the feeding preference of the sea urchin Lytechinus variegatus through multiple-choice experiments using the seaweeds Caulerpa racemosa, Dictyota menstrualis, Osmundaria obtusiloba, Plocamium brasiliense, Sargassum sp., and Ulva sp. In order to verify the importance of morphological and chemical aspects on this feeding preference, two assay-types were carried out using live and powdered macroalgae, respectively. Two different methods were employed to analyze the results obtained: comparison between biomass losses versus autogenic changes, and inclusion of autogenic values in biomass loss through herbivory. In both experiments a clear differential consumption of certain species of seaweeds by L. variegatus was observed, in the following decreasing order of preference: C. racemosa ≈ Ulva sp. > O. obtusiloba ≈ Sargassum sp. > P. brasiliense > D. menstrualis. It was also verified that both methods of analysis used yielded similar results. According to the results obtained, feeding preference of L. variegatus is probably established by the defensive chemicals produced by P. brasiliense and D. menstrualis, and by morphological aspects of C. racemosa, Ulva sp., O. obtusiloba and Sargassum sp. R E S U M O As macroalgas apresentam diversos tipos de estratégias para minimizar os danos gerados por herbívoros que influenciam a preferência alimentar dos consumidores. Este estudo avaliou a preferência alimentar do ouriço-do-mar Lytechinus variegatus em experimentos de múltipla escolha utilizando as macroalgas bentônicas Caulerpa racemosa, Dictyota menstrualis, Osmundaria obtusiloba, Plocamium brasiliense, Sargassum sp., e Ulva sp. Para verificar a importância dos aspectos morfológicos e químicos na preferência, os ensaios foram realizados com algas vivas e em pó, respectivamente. Foram utilizados dois métodos distintos de análise de dados: comparação entre a perda de biomassa e as mudanças por autogenia, e a incorporação dos valores de autogenia à perda de biomassa por herbivoria. Em ambos os experimentos observou-se uma clara preferência de L. variegatus por certas espécies de macroalgas em relação a outras, em ordem decrescente de preferência: C. racemosa ≈ Ulva sp. > O. obtusiloba ≈ Sargassum sp. > P. brasiliense > D. menstrualis. Além disso, constatou-se que os dois métodos de análise produziram resultados muito similares. De acordo com os resultados, a preferência alimentar de L. variegatus é provavelmente condicionada pela química defensiva produzida por P. brasiliense e D. menstrualis e aspectos morfológicos presentes em C. racemosa, Ulva sp., O. obtusiloba e Sargassum sp. Descriptors: Lytechinus variegatus, Feeding preference, Herbivory, Seaweeds, Chemical defenses, Morphological defenses. Descritores: Lytechinus variegatus, Preferência alimentar, Herbivoria, Macroalgas marinhas, Defesas químicas, Defesas morfológicas. INTRODUCTION processes and environmental aspects such as competition, herbivory, light intensity, temperature, The feeding preference of marine herbivores salinity, water motion and nutrient availability for seaweeds is directly related to the particular (LOBBAN; HARRISON, 1994; DAWES, 1998). characteristics of each species (e.g. VAÏTILINGON et Moreover, variations in these parameters directly al., 2003; COX; MURRAY, 2006). Such affect the growth and the distribution of seaweeds characteristics can be influenced by biological (LOBBAN; HARRISON, 1994; DAWES, 1998) and 240 BRAZILIAN JOURNAL OF OCEANOGRAPHY, 56(3), 2008 can act indirectly on their susceptibility to herbivores, herbivory (OGDEN, 1976; VADAS, 1977; AYLING, modifying the amount of available nutrients and 1978; MCCONNELL et al., 1982; HARROLD; defensive chemistry (DUFFY; HAY, 1990). REED, 1985; BEDDINGFILED; McCLINTOCK, Herbivory exerts an important effect on the 1999; COX; MURRAY, 2006). In fact, determining an abundance and distribution of seaweeds in diverse organism’s food choice facilitates predictions about marine benthic communities (CARPENTER, 1986; natural diets and food selectivity (COX; MURRAY, HAY, 1997). In this way, a variety of strategies was 2006). However, hierarchical feeding preferences developed by seaweeds to minimize the damages established in the laboratory for benthic marine inflicted by herbivores, including chemical and invertebrates are known for only a few species, structural/morphologic defenses, or occurrence in including Strongylocentrotus spp. (VADAS, 1977), association with other unpalatable organisms (HAY; Tegula spp. (WATANABE, 1984; STEINBERG, FENICAL, 1988; DUFFY; HAY, 1990). Such 1985), Pachygrapsus transversus (BARRY; EHRET, strategies are also important in the establishment of the 1993; PEREIRA et al., 2002), and Haliotis rubra feeding preferences of consumers (VAÏTILINGON et (McSHANE et al., 1995). al., 2003; COX; MURRAY, 2006). In fact, Lytechinus variegatus, commonly known as understanding which factors affect the feeding the green or variegated sea urchin, is a regular urchin preference of herbivores is fundamental to predict the that inhabits the warm waters of the Western Atlantic effect of herbivores on seaweed communities, as well Ocean. It inhabits waters from North Carolina and as the evolution of plant-herbivore interactions Bermuda southward to the Caribbean and Brazil (POORE; HILL, 2006). (HENDLER et al., 1995). The present study had as its Seaweeds exhibit an enormous variety of objective to evaluate the feeding preference of the sea sizes, forms and textures, exhibiting from delicate urchin L. variegatus in relation to six different filaments to extensive stems, all the way to seaweed taxa, through multiple-choice experiments, incrustating forms (LITTLER; LITTLER, 1980; and to determine the preponderant factors in LEWIS et al., 1987; HAY, 1997). However, although establishing that preference. it is clear that some structural/morphological characteristics reduce the susceptibility of certain MATERIALS AND METHODS seaweeds to some herbivores, such correlations are many times confused due to the action of chemical Collection of the Organisms defenses, calling for more studies (PAUL; HAY, 1986). Some seaweeds can modify their morphology Two seaweed species belonging to each to prevent the complete action of the herbivore. For division of macroalgae were evaluated: Plocamium example, Padina species (Phaeophyta) living in brasiliense and Osmundaria obtusiloba (Rhodophyta), habitats with high herbivory pressure occur as Dictyota menstrualis and Sargassum sp. (Phaeophyta), prostrate turfs in the substratum, a morphology Ulva sp. and Caulerpa racemosa (Chlorophyta). These relatively more resistant to herbivore action (LEWIS, algae were collected at Praia Rasa (Búzios, RJ – 1986; LEWIS et al., 1987). southeastern Brazil). The specimens of the sea urchin In addition, seaweeds produce a great Lytechinus variegatus were collected in the sublittoral number and variety of secondary metabolites, region at Itaipu Beach (Niterói, RJ - Brazil), and including terpenes, aromatic compounds, acetogenins, carried to the laboratory in containers with seawater. amino acid-derived substances, and polyphenols Specimens of L. variegatus were kept in a (BLUNT et al., 2005, 2006), being mainly known for recirculating laboratory aquarium at constant their defensive function against herbivory (HAY; temperature (20oC), salinity (35) and aeration during FENICAL, 1988, PAUL et al., 2001). For example, the acclimation period, during which Ulva sp. was Laurencia species produce more than 570 secondary offered as food. metabolites, mainly halogenated compounds (BLUNT et al., 2005, 2006; FENICAL, 1975), some of them efficient against herbivory (PAUL et al., 2001). Morphological/structural and Chemical Characteristics Regular echinoids are known to be generalist of the Seaweeds Assayed herbivores feeding on marine plants and/or algae (LAWRENCE, 1975). For the majority of sea urchin According to the literature, the species, food choice occurs in terms of their feeding morphological/structural attributes - Table 1 preferences and of food availability (COBB; (LITTLER; LITTLER, 2000) and the presence of LAWRENCE, 2005). Feeding preference in tropical secondary metabolites (BLUNT et al., 2005, 2006) of sea urchins is usually characterized by avoidance of the seaweeds offered as food to L. variegatus differ certain food items that possess structural aspects markedly among the species assayed. and/or chemical defenses that difficult or inhibit SOUZA ET AL.: FEEDING PREFERENCE OF LYTECHINUS VARIEGATUS 241 Table 1. Characteristics of the seaweeds offered to L. variegatus in multiple-choice feeding experiments. Division Algae Main characteristics Chlorophyta Ulva sp. Thalli thin, sheet-like, as clusters of strap-shaped blades. Caulerpa racemosa Frond erect possessing small, often crowded, bead-like branchlets. Phaeophyta Dictyota menstrualis Thalli bushy, erect, and branching regularly dichotomous. Sargassum sp. Thalli erect, tough, leathery, and sparsely branched. Rhodophyta Plocamium brasiliense