Laugan Miller

Jim Spickard

Research Methods

3/24/19

Causes and consequences of sea urchin abundance and diversity in Kenyan coral reef lagoons

This research takes place in Kenyan Coral reef lagoons. The purpose of this study was to look at the main predators of sea urchins, the effect of predation on sea-urchin community structure, and the effect that an increase in sea urchin populations as well as a decrease in finfish populations would have on lagoonal substrate. This research looked at 6 different reef sites, two of which are protected. At these reefs, fish and sea urchin abundance was looked at as well as other factors. Finfish populations we 4X denser in protected areas and sea urchins larger than 100X denser. predation rates on sea urchins were 4 times lower in unprotected reefs, because their predators were not protected and were being fished. But then the artile said Balistad was the only fish that had a higher population in protected areas than in non-protected. Balistad populations were negatively correlated with sea urchin populations. The decrease in top invertebrate eating carnivores had a negative effect on the entire ecosystem of the coral reef. I would like to get the full document to look at how this reflects on other coral reefs with sea urchins and the relationship between top predator populations and sea urchin populations.

McClanahan, T. R., and S. H. Shafir. “Causes and Consequences of Sea Urchin Abundance and Diversity in Kenyan Coral Reef Lagoons.” SpringerLink, Springer-Verlag, link.springer.com/article/10.1007/BF00317561.