Food Preference of the Sea Urchin Tripneustes Gratilla (Linnaeus, 1758) In Tropical Seagrass Habitats at Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania

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dc.contributor.authorLyimo, Thomas J.
dc.contributor.authorMamboya, Florence
dc.contributor.authorHamisi, Mariam
dc.contributor.authorLugomela, Charles
dc.date.accessioned2016-06-18T18:17:22Z
dc.date.available2016-06-18T18:17:22Z
dc.date.issued2011
dc.description.abstractThe sea urchin Tripneustes gratilla is the most well-known seagrass grazer in the Western Indian Ocean and a few cases of overgrazing have been reported. However, few studies on their feeding preference have been performed in this region. In this study, the food items in the gut contents of T. gratilla collected from seagrass beds and in a bare sediment in intertidal areas of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, were analysed and compared to their availability in the surrounding environment. A total of 59 micro and macro-algae species were identified from the environment and the guts of T. gratilla, of which 48 were found in both gut contents and the environment. Gut contents of T. gratilla collected from mono specific seagrass habitats were dominated by the species in which they were found. In a mixture of four different seagrass species, Syringodium isoetifolium was preferred (with electivity indices (E*) of +0.36) while Cymodocea rotundata, Halodule uninervis and Thalassia hemprichii were slightly avoided (E* = - 0.24, -0.22 and -0.22, respectively). We concluded that T. gratilla generally feeds on available seagrass species. However, in the presence of different types of seagrasses it showed preference to S. isoetifolium possibly due to presence of high epiphyte load which may increase its palatability.en_US
dc.identifier.citationLyimo, T.J., Mamboya, F., Hamisi, M. and Lugomela, C., 2011. Food preference of the sea urchin Tripneustes gratilla (Linnaeus, 1758) in tropical seagrass habitats at Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Journal of Ecology and the Natural Environment, 3(13), pp.415-423.en_US
dc.identifier.issn2006 - 9847
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11810/2588
dc.language.isoenen_US
dc.subjectTripneustes gratillaen_US
dc.subjectSeagrassen_US
dc.subjectMacroalgaen_US
dc.subjectMicroalgaeen_US
dc.subjectFood preferenceen_US
dc.subjectHerbivoryen_US
dc.subjectDar es Salaamen_US
dc.titleFood Preference of the Sea Urchin Tripneustes Gratilla (Linnaeus, 1758) In Tropical Seagrass Habitats at Dar Es Salaam, Tanzaniaen_US
dc.typeJournal Article, Peer Revieweden_US
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