Polyp loss and mass occurrence of sea urchins on bamboo corals in the deep sea: an indirect effect of fishing impact?

I horridus i on dead compared to partly dead coral, and on sponges vs. live coral vs. coral fragments. Keywords: cold-water corals; Dermechinus horridus; echinoid; ecosystem state shifts; Isididae; longline fishing; octocoral; polyp bailout; resilience; vulnerable marine ecosystem EN cold-water corals Dermechinus horridus echinoid ecosystem state shifts Isididae longline fishing octocoral polyp bailout resilience vulnerable marine ecosystem 1 5 5 02/03/22 20220201 NES 220201 The ability of corals to detach their polyps (leaving behind a naked skeleton) in times of stress, allows polyps to escape from a local source of hostility (Sammarco 1982). In the process, the sea urchins may damage the polyps and stress the colony, which starts to release polyps (bailout) at the tip/base and locations near the sea urchin. Second, it may be a colony stress response to sea urchin perching on the coral branches, leading to polyp bailout. [Extracted from the article]