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Iqbal MM, Nishimura M, Tsukamoto Y, Yoshizawa S. Changes in microbial community structure related to biodegradation of eelgrass (Zostera marina). THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 930:172798. [PMID: 38688366 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.172798] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2024] [Revised: 04/21/2024] [Accepted: 04/24/2024] [Indexed: 05/02/2024]
Abstract
Seagrass meadows produce organic carbon and deposit it on the seabed through the decaying process. Microbial activity is closely related to the process of eelgrass death and collapse. We investigated the microbial community structure of eelgrass during the eelgrass decomposition process by using a microcosm containing raw seawater and excised eelgrass leaves collected from a Zostera marina bed in Futtsu, Chiba Prefecture, Japan. The fast-growing microbes (i.e., Alphaproteobacteria, Gammaproteobacteria, and Flavobacteriia) rapidly adhered to the eelgrass leaf surface and proliferated in the first two weeks but gradually decreased the relative abundance as the months moved on. On the other hand, the slow-growing microbes (i.e., Cytophagia, Anaerolineae, Thaumarchaeota, and Actinobacteria) became predominant over the eelgrass surface late in the culture experiment (120, 180 days). The fast-growing groups of Gammaproteobacteria and Flavobacteriia appear to be closely related to the initial decomposition of eelgrass, especially the rapid decomposition of leaf-derived biopolymers. Changes in nitrogen content due to the bacterial rapid consumption of readily degradable organic carbon induced changes in the community structure at the early stage of eelgrass decomposition. In addition, shifts in the C/N ratio were driven by microbial community changes during later decomposition phases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Md Mehedi Iqbal
- Atmosphere and Ocean Research Institute, The University of Tokyo, 5-1-5 Kashiwanoha, Kashiwa, Chiba 277-8564, Japan; Department of Natural Environmental Studies, Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, The University of Tokyo, 5-1-5 Kashiwanoha, Kashiwa, Chiba 277-8563, Japan.
| | - Masahiko Nishimura
- Atmosphere and Ocean Research Institute, The University of Tokyo, 5-1-5 Kashiwanoha, Kashiwa, Chiba 277-8564, Japan
| | - Yuya Tsukamoto
- Atmosphere and Ocean Research Institute, The University of Tokyo, 5-1-5 Kashiwanoha, Kashiwa, Chiba 277-8564, Japan
| | - Susumu Yoshizawa
- Atmosphere and Ocean Research Institute, The University of Tokyo, 5-1-5 Kashiwanoha, Kashiwa, Chiba 277-8564, Japan; Department of Natural Environmental Studies, Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, The University of Tokyo, 5-1-5 Kashiwanoha, Kashiwa, Chiba 277-8563, Japan.
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2
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Clements CS, Pratte ZA, Stewart FJ, Hay ME. Biodiversity of macroalgae does not differentially suppress coral performance: The other side of a biodiversity issue. Ecology 2024:e4329. [PMID: 38772876 DOI: 10.1002/ecy.4329] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2023] [Revised: 02/16/2024] [Accepted: 04/13/2024] [Indexed: 05/23/2024]
Abstract
Hundreds of studies now document positive relationships between biodiversity and critical ecosystem processes, but as ecological communities worldwide shift toward new species configurations, less is known regarding how the biodiversity of undesirable species will shape the functioning of ecosystems or foundation species. We manipulated macroalgal species richness in experimental field plots to test whether and how the identity and diversity of competing macroalgae affected the growth, survival, and microbiome of a common coral in Mo'orea, French Polynesia. Compared to controls without algal competitors, coral growth was significantly suppressed across three macroalgal monocultures, a polyculture of the same three macroalgae, and plots containing inert seaweed mimics; coral mortality was limited and did not differ significantly among treatments. One macroalga suppressed coral growth significantly less than the other two, but none differed from the inert mimic in terms of coral suppression. The composition, dispersion, and diversity of coral microbiomes in treatments with live macroalgae or inert plastic mimics did not differ from controls experiencing no competition. Microbiome composition differed between two macroalgal monocultures and a monoculture versus plastic mimics, but no other microbiome differences were observed among macroalgal or mimic treatments. Together, these findings suggest that algal diversity does not alter harmful impacts of macroalgae on coral performance, which could be accounted for by physical structure alone in these field experiments. While enhancing biodiversity is a recognized strategy for promoting desirable species, it would be worrisome if biodiversity also enhanced the negative impacts of undesirable species. We documented no such effects in this investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cody S Clements
- School of Biological Sciences and Center for Microbial Dynamics and Infection, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Zoe A Pratte
- Department of Microbiology and Cell Biology, Montana State University, Bozeman, Montana, USA
| | - Frank J Stewart
- Department of Microbiology and Cell Biology, Montana State University, Bozeman, Montana, USA
| | - Mark E Hay
- School of Biological Sciences and Center for Microbial Dynamics and Infection, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
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3
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Campbell JE, Kennedy Rhoades O, Munson CJ, Altieri AH, Douglass JG, Heck KL, Paul VJ, Armitage AR, Barry SC, Bethel E, Christ L, Christianen MJA, Dodillet G, Dutton K, Fourqurean JW, Frazer TK, Gaffey BM, Glazner R, Goeke JA, Grana-Valdes R, Jenkins VJ, Kramer OAA, Linhardt ST, Martin CW, Martinez Lopez IG, McDonald AM, Main VA, Manuel SA, Marco-Méndez C, O'Brien DA, O'Shea OR, Patrick CJ, Peabody C, Reynolds LK, Rodriguez A, Rodriguez Bravo LM, Sang A, Sawall Y, Smith K, Smulders FOH, Sun U, Thompson JE, van Tussenbroek B, Wied WL. Herbivore effects increase with latitude across the extent of a foundational seagrass. Nat Ecol Evol 2024; 8:663-675. [PMID: 38366132 DOI: 10.1038/s41559-024-02336-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2023] [Accepted: 01/15/2024] [Indexed: 02/18/2024]
Abstract
Climate change is altering the functioning of foundational ecosystems. While the direct effects of warming are expected to influence individual species, the indirect effects of warming on species interactions remain poorly understood. In marine systems, as tropical herbivores undergo poleward range expansion, they may change food web structure and alter the functioning of key habitats. While this process ('tropicalization') has been documented within declining kelp forests, we have a limited understanding of how this process might unfold across other systems. Here we use a network of sites spanning 23° of latitude to explore the effects of increased herbivory (simulated via leaf clipping) on the structure of a foundational marine plant (turtlegrass). By working across its geographic range, we also show how gradients in light, temperature and nutrients modified plant responses. We found that turtlegrass near its northern boundary was increasingly affected (reduced productivity) by herbivory and that this response was driven by latitudinal gradients in light (low insolation at high latitudes). By contrast, low-latitude meadows tolerated herbivory due to high insolation which enhanced plant carbohydrates. We show that as herbivores undergo range expansion, turtlegrass meadows at their northern limit display reduced resilience and may be under threat of ecological collapse.
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Affiliation(s)
- Justin E Campbell
- Institute of Environment, Coastlines and Oceans Division, and Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International University, Miami, FL, USA.
- Smithsonian Marine Station, Fort Pierce, FL, USA.
| | - O Kennedy Rhoades
- Institute of Environment, Coastlines and Oceans Division, and Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International University, Miami, FL, USA
- Smithsonian Marine Station, Fort Pierce, FL, USA
- Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Calvin J Munson
- Institute of Environment, Coastlines and Oceans Division, and Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International University, Miami, FL, USA
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA, USA
| | - Andrew H Altieri
- Department of Environmental Engineering Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Panama City, Republic of Panama
| | - James G Douglass
- The Water School, Florida Gulf Coast University, Fort Myers, FL, USA
| | - Kenneth L Heck
- Dauphin Island Sea Lab and University of South Alabama, Dauphin Island, AL, USA
| | | | - Anna R Armitage
- Department of Marine Biology, Texas A&M University at Galveston, Galveston, TX, USA
| | - Savanna C Barry
- UF|IFAS Nature Coast Biological Station, University of Florida, Cedar Key, FL, USA
| | - Enrique Bethel
- Smithsonian Marine Station, Fort Pierce, FL, USA
- The Centre for Ocean Research and Education (CORE), Gregory Town, Bahamas
| | - Lindsey Christ
- International Field Studies, Inc., Forfar Field Station, Blanket Sound, Bahamas
| | - Marjolijn J A Christianen
- Aquatic Ecology and Water Quality Management Group, Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Grace Dodillet
- Smithsonian Marine Station, Fort Pierce, FL, USA
- CSA Ocean Sciences Inc., Stuart, FL, USA
| | | | - James W Fourqurean
- Institute of Environment, Coastlines and Oceans Division, and Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International University, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Thomas K Frazer
- College of Marine Science, University of South Florida, St. Petersburg, FL, USA
| | - Bethany M Gaffey
- Smithsonian Marine Station, Fort Pierce, FL, USA
- Florida Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, School of Forest, Fisheries, and Geomatics Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Rachael Glazner
- Smithsonian Marine Station, Fort Pierce, FL, USA
- Department of Marine Biology, Texas A&M University at Galveston, Galveston, TX, USA
| | - Janelle A Goeke
- Institute of Environment, Coastlines and Oceans Division, and Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International University, Miami, FL, USA
- Smithsonian Marine Station, Fort Pierce, FL, USA
- Department of Marine Biology, Texas A&M University at Galveston, Galveston, TX, USA
| | - Rancel Grana-Valdes
- Institute of Environment, Coastlines and Oceans Division, and Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International University, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Victoria J Jenkins
- Smithsonian Marine Station, Fort Pierce, FL, USA
- Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi, Corpus Christi, TX, USA
| | | | - Samantha T Linhardt
- Dauphin Island Sea Lab and University of South Alabama, Dauphin Island, AL, USA
| | - Charles W Martin
- Dauphin Island Sea Lab and University of South Alabama, Dauphin Island, AL, USA
| | - Isis G Martinez Lopez
- Smithsonian Marine Station, Fort Pierce, FL, USA
- Instituto de Ciencias del Mar y Limnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Puerto Morelos, Mexico
| | - Ashley M McDonald
- UF|IFAS Nature Coast Biological Station, University of Florida, Cedar Key, FL, USA
- Soil and Water Sciences Department, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Vivienne A Main
- Smithsonian Marine Station, Fort Pierce, FL, USA
- Department of Plant and Soil Sciences, College of Agriculture, Food and Environment, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA
| | - Sarah A Manuel
- Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Government of Bermuda, 'Shorelands', Hamilton Parish, Bermuda
| | - Candela Marco-Méndez
- Dauphin Island Sea Lab and University of South Alabama, Dauphin Island, AL, USA
- CEAB (CSIC), Girona, Spain
| | - Duncan A O'Brien
- Smithsonian Marine Station, Fort Pierce, FL, USA
- The Centre for Ocean Research and Education (CORE), Gregory Town, Bahamas
| | - Owen R O'Shea
- The Centre for Ocean Research and Education (CORE), Gregory Town, Bahamas
| | - Christopher J Patrick
- Coastal and Ocean Processes Section, Virginia Institute of Marine Sciences, William & Mary, Gloucester Point, VA, USA
| | - Clare Peabody
- Institute of Environment, Coastlines and Oceans Division, and Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International University, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Laura K Reynolds
- Soil and Water Sciences Department, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Alex Rodriguez
- Dauphin Island Sea Lab and University of South Alabama, Dauphin Island, AL, USA
| | | | - Amanda Sang
- Smithsonian Marine Station, Fort Pierce, FL, USA
- The Water School, Florida Gulf Coast University, Fort Myers, FL, USA
| | - Yvonne Sawall
- Bermuda Institute of Ocean Sciences (BIOS), St. George's, Bermuda
| | - Khalil Smith
- Smithsonian Marine Station, Fort Pierce, FL, USA
- Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Government of Bermuda, 'Shorelands', Hamilton Parish, Bermuda
| | - Fee O H Smulders
- Aquatic Ecology and Water Quality Management Group, Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Uriah Sun
- Smithsonian Marine Station, Fort Pierce, FL, USA
| | - Jamie E Thompson
- Smithsonian Marine Station, Fort Pierce, FL, USA
- Department of Marine Biology, Texas A&M University at Galveston, Galveston, TX, USA
| | - Brigitta van Tussenbroek
- Instituto de Ciencias del Mar y Limnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Puerto Morelos, Mexico
| | - William L Wied
- Institute of Environment, Coastlines and Oceans Division, and Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International University, Miami, FL, USA
- Smithsonian Marine Station, Fort Pierce, FL, USA
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4
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Feng Z, Marsland R, Rocks JW, Mehta P. Emergent competition shapes top-down versus bottom-up control in multi-trophic ecosystems. PLoS Comput Biol 2024; 20:e1011675. [PMID: 38330086 PMCID: PMC10852287 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1011675] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2023] [Accepted: 11/10/2023] [Indexed: 02/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Ecosystems are commonly organized into trophic levels-organisms that occupy the same level in a food chain (e.g., plants, herbivores, carnivores). A fundamental question in theoretical ecology is how the interplay between trophic structure, diversity, and competition shapes the properties of ecosystems. To address this problem, we analyze a generalized Consumer Resource Model with three trophic levels using the zero-temperature cavity method and numerical simulations. We derive the corresponding mean-field cavity equations and show that intra-trophic diversity gives rise to an effective "emergent competition" term between species within a trophic level due to feedbacks mediated by other trophic levels. This emergent competition gives rise to a crossover from a regime of top-down control (populations are limited by predators) to a regime of bottom-up control (populations are limited by primary producers) and is captured by a simple order parameter related to the ratio of surviving species in different trophic levels. We show that our theoretical results agree with empirical observations, suggesting that the theoretical approach outlined here can be used to understand complex ecosystems with multiple trophic levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhijie Feng
- Department of Physics, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Robert Marsland
- Department of Physics, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Jason W Rocks
- Department of Physics, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Pankaj Mehta
- Department of Physics, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
- Biological Design Center, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
- Faculty of Computing and Data Science, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
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5
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Paxton AB, McGonigle C, Damour M, Holly G, Caporaso A, Campbell PB, Meyer-Kaiser KS, Hamdan LJ, Mires CH, Taylor JC. Shipwreck ecology: Understanding the function and processes from microbes to megafauna. Bioscience 2024; 74:12-24. [PMID: 38313562 PMCID: PMC10831220 DOI: 10.1093/biosci/biad084] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2022] [Revised: 08/28/2023] [Accepted: 09/01/2023] [Indexed: 02/06/2024] Open
Abstract
An estimated three million shipwrecks exist worldwide and are recognized as cultural resources and foci of archaeological investigations. Shipwrecks also support ecological resources by providing underwater habitats that can be colonized by diverse organisms ranging from microbes to megafauna. In the present article, we review the emerging ecological subdiscipline of shipwreck ecology, which aims to understand ecological functions and processes that occur on shipwrecks. We synthesize how shipwrecks create habitat for biota across multiple trophic levels and then describe how fundamental ecological functions and processes, including succession, zonation, connectivity, energy flow, disturbance, and habitat degradation, manifest on shipwrecks. We highlight future directions in shipwreck ecology that are ripe for exploration, placing a particular emphasis on how shipwrecks may serve as experimental networks to address long-standing ecological questions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Avery B Paxton
- National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science, National Ocean Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Beaufort, North Carolina, United States
| | - Christopher McGonigle
- School of Geography and Environmental Science, Ulster University, Coleraine, Northern Ireland
| | - Melanie Damour
- Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, New Orleans, Louisiana, United States
| | - Georgia Holly
- Edinburgh Marine Archaeology, School of History, Classics, and Archaeology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom
| | - Alicia Caporaso
- Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, New Orleans, Louisiana, United States
| | - Peter B Campbell
- Cranfield Forensic Institute, Cranfield University, Defence Academy of the United Kingdom, Shrivenham, England, United Kingdom
| | | | - Leila J Hamdan
- School of Ocean Science and Engineering, University of Southern Mississippi, Ocean Springs, Mississippi, United States
| | - Calvin H Mires
- Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, Massachusetts, United States
| | - J Christopher Taylor
- National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science, National Ocean Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Beaufort, North Carolina, United States
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6
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Muller A, Dubois SF, Boyé A, Becheler R, Droual G, Chevalier M, Pasquier M, Roudaut L, Fournier‐Sowinski J, Auby I, Nunes FLD. Environmental filtering and biotic interactions act on different facets of the diversity of benthic assemblages associated with eelgrass. Ecol Evol 2023; 13:e10159. [PMID: 38034328 PMCID: PMC10682608 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.10159] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2022] [Revised: 05/15/2023] [Accepted: 05/19/2023] [Indexed: 12/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Eelgrass supports diverse benthic communities that ensure a variety of ecosystem functions. To better understand the ecological processes that shape community composition in eelgrass at local and regional scales, taxonomic and functional α- and β-diversity were quantified for communities inhabiting five meadows in France. The extent to which environmental factors affected local and regional benthic communities was quantified by considering their direct and indirect effects (through morphological traits of eelgrass) using piecewise structural equation modeling (pSEM). Communities supported by eelgrass had higher species abundances, as well as taxonomic and functional diversity compared to nearby bare sediments. No significant differences were found between communities from the center relative to the edges of meadows, indicating that both habitats provide similar benefits to biodiversity. The presence of a few abundant species and traits suggests moderate levels of habitat filtering and close associations of certain species with eelgrass. Nevertheless, high turnover of a large number of rare species and traits was observed among meadows, resulting in meadows being characterized by their own distinct communities. High turnover indicates that much of the community is not specific to eelgrass, but rather reflects local species pools. pSEM showed that spatial variation in community composition (β-diversity) was primarily affected by environmental conditions, with temperature, current velocity, and tidal amplitude being the most significant explanatory variables. Local richness and abundance (α-diversity) were affected by both environment and morphological traits. Importantly, morphological traits of Zostera marina were also influenced by environmental conditions, revealing cascading effects of the environment on assemblages. In sum, the environment exerted large effects on community structure at both regional and local scales, while plant traits were only pertinent in explaining local diversity. This complex interplay of processes acting at multiple scales with indirect effects should be accounted for in conservation efforts that target the protection of biodiversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandre Muller
- IFREMER Centre de Bretagne, DYNECOLaboratoire d'Ecologie Benthique CôtièrePlouzanéFrance
| | - Stanislas F. Dubois
- IFREMER Centre de Bretagne, DYNECOLaboratoire d'Ecologie Benthique CôtièrePlouzanéFrance
| | - Aurélien Boyé
- IFREMER Centre de Bretagne, DYNECOLaboratoire d'Ecologie Benthique CôtièrePlouzanéFrance
| | - Ronan Becheler
- IFREMER Centre de Bretagne, DYNECOLaboratoire d'Ecologie Benthique CôtièrePlouzanéFrance
| | - Gabin Droual
- IFREMER Centre de Bretagne, DYNECOLaboratoire d'Ecologie Benthique CôtièrePlouzanéFrance
- DECOD (Ecosystem Dynamics and Sustainability), IFREMER, INRAEInstitut Agrocampus OuestNantesFrance
| | - Mathieu Chevalier
- IFREMER Centre de Bretagne, DYNECOLaboratoire d'Ecologie Benthique CôtièrePlouzanéFrance
| | - Marine Pasquier
- IFREMER Centre de Bretagne, DYNECOLaboratoire d'Ecologie Benthique CôtièrePlouzanéFrance
| | - Loïg Roudaut
- IFREMER Centre de Bretagne, DYNECOLaboratoire d'Ecologie Benthique CôtièrePlouzanéFrance
| | - Jérôme Fournier‐Sowinski
- CNRS, Centre d'Écologie et des Sciences de la Conservation (CESCO)Station de Biologie Marine MNHNConcarneauFrance
| | - Isabelle Auby
- IFREMER, Laboratoire Environnement Ressources d'ArcachonArcachonFrance
| | - Flávia L. D. Nunes
- IFREMER Centre de Bretagne, DYNECOLaboratoire d'Ecologie Benthique CôtièrePlouzanéFrance
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7
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Jiang Z, He J, Fang Y, Lin J, Liu S, Wu Y, Huang X. Effects of herbivore on seagrass, epiphyte and sediment carbon sequestration in tropical seagrass bed. MARINE ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2023; 190:106122. [PMID: 37549560 DOI: 10.1016/j.marenvres.2023.106122] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2023] [Revised: 07/10/2023] [Accepted: 07/31/2023] [Indexed: 08/09/2023]
Abstract
Herbivores strongly affect the ecological structure and functioning in seagrass bed ecosystems, but may exhibit density-dependent effects on primary producers and carbon sequestration. This study examined the effects of herbivorous snail (Cerithidea rhizophorarum) density on snail intraspecific competition and diet, dominant seagrass (Thalassia hemprichii) and epiphyte growth metrics, and sediment organic carbon (SOC). The growth rates of the herbivorous snail under low density (421 ind m-2) and mid density (842 ind m-2) were almost two times of those at extremely high density (1684 ind m-2), indicating strong intraspecific competition at high density. Herbivorous snails markedly reduced the epiphyte biomass on seagrass leaves. Additionally, the seagrass contribution to herbivorous snail as food source under high density was about 1.5 times of that under low density, while the epiphyte contribution under low density was 3 times of that under high density. A moderate density of herbivorous snails enhanced leaf length, carbon, nitrogen, total phenol and flavonoid contents of seagrasses, as well as surface SOC content and activities of polyphenol oxidase and β-glucosidase. However, high density of herbivorous snails decreased leaf glucose, fructose, detritus carbon, and total phenols contents of seagrasses, as well as surface SOC content and activities of polyphenol oxidase and β-glucosidase. Therefore, the effects of herbivorous snail on seagrass, epiphyte and SOC were density-dependent, and moderate density of herbivorous snail could be beneficial for seagrasses to increase productivity. This provided theoretical guidance for enhancing carbon sink in seagrass bed and its better conservation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhijian Jiang
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510301, PR China; Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory, Guangzhou, 511458, PR China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, PR China; Sanya National Marine Ecosystem Research Station, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sanya, 572000, China; Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Biotechnology of Hainan Province, Sanya Institute of Oceanology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Sanya, 572100, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Marine Biology Applications, Guangzhou, 510301, China
| | - Jialu He
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510301, PR China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, PR China; Guangdong Center for Marine Development Research, Guangzhou, 510220, China
| | - Yang Fang
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510301, PR China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, PR China
| | - Jizhen Lin
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510301, PR China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, PR China
| | - Songlin Liu
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510301, PR China; Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory, Guangzhou, 511458, PR China; Sanya National Marine Ecosystem Research Station, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sanya, 572000, China; Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Biotechnology of Hainan Province, Sanya Institute of Oceanology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Sanya, 572100, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Marine Biology Applications, Guangzhou, 510301, China
| | - Yunchao Wu
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510301, PR China; Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory, Guangzhou, 511458, PR China; Sanya National Marine Ecosystem Research Station, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sanya, 572000, China; Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Biotechnology of Hainan Province, Sanya Institute of Oceanology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Sanya, 572100, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Marine Biology Applications, Guangzhou, 510301, China
| | - Xiaoping Huang
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510301, PR China; Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory, Guangzhou, 511458, PR China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, PR China; Sanya National Marine Ecosystem Research Station, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sanya, 572000, China; Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Biotechnology of Hainan Province, Sanya Institute of Oceanology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Sanya, 572100, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Marine Biology Applications, Guangzhou, 510301, China.
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8
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Wang J, Ma LX, Dong YW. Coping with harsh heat environments: molecular adaptation of metabolic depression in the intertidal snail Echinolittorina radiata. Cell Stress Chaperones 2023; 28:477-491. [PMID: 36094737 PMCID: PMC10469152 DOI: 10.1007/s12192-022-01295-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2022] [Revised: 09/01/2022] [Accepted: 09/01/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Harsh thermal environments in the rocky intertidal zone pose serious physiological and molecular challenges to the inhabitants. Metabolic depression is regarded as an energy-conserving feature of intertidal species. To understand the molecular mechanism of metabolic depression, we investigated physiological and transcriptomic responses in the intertidal snail Echinolittorina radiata. The metabolic rate and expression of most genes were insensitive to temperatures ranging from 33 to 45 °C and then increased with further heating to 52 °C. Different from other genes, the genes involved in heat shock response (HSR) and oxidative stress response (OSR) (e.g., genes encoding heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) and cytochrome P450 protein (CYP450)) kept upregulating during metabolic depression. These high levels of HSR and OSR genes should be important for surviving the harsh thermal environments on the rocky shore. In the population experiencing more frequent moderate heat events, the depression breadth was larger, and the change in magnitude of upregulation was insensitive for HSR genes (e.g., HSP70s) but heat-sensitive for OSR genes (e.g., CYP450s) at the temperature of 37 to 45 °C. These findings indicate that both the thermal sensitivity of HSR and OSR genes and the insensitivity of metabolic genes are crucial for surviving extreme intertidal environments, and different populations of the same species rely on various physiological mechanisms to differing extents to deal with heat stress. The cellular stress response is not a "one size fits all" response across populations largely depending on local thermal regimes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie Wang
- The Key Laboratory of Mariculture, Ministry of Education, Fisheries College, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, 266003, People's Republic of China
- Function Laboratory for Marine Fisheries Science and Food Production Processes, Pilot National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology (Qingdao), Qingdao, 266003, People's Republic of China
| | - Lin-Xuan Ma
- The Key Laboratory of Mariculture, Ministry of Education, Fisheries College, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, 266003, People's Republic of China
| | - Yun-Wei Dong
- The Key Laboratory of Mariculture, Ministry of Education, Fisheries College, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, 266003, People's Republic of China.
- Function Laboratory for Marine Fisheries Science and Food Production Processes, Pilot National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology (Qingdao), Qingdao, 266003, People's Republic of China.
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9
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Carroll EW, Freestone AL. Habitat isolation interacts with top-down and bottom-up processes in a seagrass ecosystem. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0289174. [PMID: 37494351 PMCID: PMC10370773 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0289174] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2023] [Accepted: 07/12/2023] [Indexed: 07/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Habitat loss is accelerating at unprecedented rates, leading to the emergence of smaller, more isolated habitat remnants. Habitat isolation adversely affects many ecological processes independently, but little is known about how habitat isolation may interact with ecosystem processes such as top-down (consumer-driven) and bottom-up (resource-driven) effects. To investigate the interactive influence of habitat isolation, resource availability and consumer distribution and impact on community structure, we tested two hypotheses using invertebrate and algal epibionts on temperate seagrasses, an ecosystem of ecological and conservation importance. First, we hypothesized that habitat isolation will change the structure of the seagrass epibiont community, and isolated patches of seagrass will have lower epibiont biomass and different epibiont community composition than contiguous meadows. Second, we hypothesized that habitat isolation would mediate top-down (i.e., herbivory) and bottom-up (i.e., nutrient enrichment) control for algal epibionts. We used observational studies in natural seagrass patches and experimental artificial seagrass to examine three levels of habitat isolation. We further manipulated top-down and bottom-up processes in artificial seagrass through consumer reductions and nutrient additions, respectively. We indeed found that habitat isolation of seagrass patches decreased epibiont biomass and modified epibiont community composition. This pattern was largely due to dispersal limitation of invertebrate epibionts that resulted in a decline in their abundance and richness in isolated patches. Further, habitat isolation reduced consumer abundances, weakening top-down control of algal epibionts in isolated seagrass patches. Nutrient additions, however, reversed this pattern, and allowed a top-down effect on algal richness to emerge in isolated habitats, demonstrating a complex interaction between patch isolation and top-down and bottom-up processes. Habitat isolation may therefore shape the relative importance of central processes in ecosystems, leading to changes in community composition and food web structure in marine habitats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth W Carroll
- Department of Biology, Holy Family University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Amy L Freestone
- Department of Biology, Temple University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America
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10
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Rosalina D, Jamil K, Rombe KH, Surachmat A, Sabilah AA, Sari SP, Wahda AN. Estimation of Seagrass Beds Changes in the Barugaiya Village Waters over a Period of 5 Years 2019-2023. Pak J Biol Sci 2023; 26:266-278. [PMID: 37859557 DOI: 10.3923/pjbs.2023.266.278] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2023]
Abstract
<b>Background and Objective:</b> Barugaiya Village is one of the villages located in Selayar Islands Regency, South Sulawesi, which has seagrass beds that are spread almost evenly in its waters. Environmental changes are in the form of declining water quality and damage to coastal ecosystems, one of which is seagrass. Therefore, it is necessary to observe changes in the area of seagrass beds in the waters of Barugaiya Village so that it is known how much seagrass has actually been in the area in the last 5 years. <b>Materials and Methods:</b> Observations were made from March to May, 2023 in the waters of Barugaiya Village, Selayar Islands Regency, South Sulawesi. The method used is seagrass classification using Sentinel-2A images corrected by the water column with the Lyzenga algorithm to reduce the effect of depth. <b>Results:</b> The distribution area of seagrass in Barugaiya Village for the 2019-2023 period was 111.03, 107.16, 103.81, 102.54 and 99.70 ha, respectively. Every year there is a decrease in seagrass area, the rate of decline is around 0.02% each year (1.27-3.87 ha). The change in area over the past 5 years has decreased by 0.11% (11.33 ha). <b>Conclusion:</b> Therefore, long-term monitoring of seagrass beds in the waters of Barugaiya Village which are experiencing a decline is needed so that effective management strategies can be identified.
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11
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Iqbal MM, Nishimura M, Haider MN, Yoshizawa S. Microbial communities on eelgrass ( Zostera marina) thriving in Tokyo Bay and the possible source of leaf-attached microbes. Front Microbiol 2023; 13:1102013. [PMID: 36687565 PMCID: PMC9853538 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.1102013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2022] [Accepted: 12/15/2022] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Zostera marina (eelgrass) is classified as one of the marine angiosperms and is widely distributed throughout much of the Northern Hemisphere. The present study investigated the microbial community structure and diversity of Z. marina growing in Futtsu bathing water, Chiba prefecture, Japan. The purpose of this study was to provide new insight into the colonization of eelgrass leaves by microbial communities based on leaf age and to compare these communities to the root-rhizome of Z. marina, and the surrounding microenvironments (suspended particles, seawater, and sediment). The microbial composition of each sample was analyzed using 16S ribosomal gene amplicon sequencing. Each sample type was found to have a unique microbial community structure. Leaf-attached microbes changed in their composition depending on the relative age of the eelgrass leaf. Special attention was given to a potential microbial source of leaf-attached microbes. Microbial communities of marine particles looked more like those of eelgrass leaves than those of water samples. This finding suggests that leaf-attached microbes were derived from suspended particles, which could allow them to go back and forth between eelgrass leaves and the water column.
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Affiliation(s)
- Md Mehedi Iqbal
- Atmosphere and Ocean Research Institute, The University of Tokyo, Kashiwa, Chiba, Japan,Department of Natural Environmental Studies, Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Kashiwa, Chiba, Japan,*Correspondence: Md Mehedi Iqbal,
| | - Masahiko Nishimura
- Atmosphere and Ocean Research Institute, The University of Tokyo, Kashiwa, Chiba, Japan
| | - Md. Nurul Haider
- Faculty of Fisheries, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh, Bangladesh
| | - Susumu Yoshizawa
- Atmosphere and Ocean Research Institute, The University of Tokyo, Kashiwa, Chiba, Japan,Department of Natural Environmental Studies, Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Kashiwa, Chiba, Japan,Susumu Yoshizawa,
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12
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Iqbal MM, Nishimura M, Sano M, Yoshizawa S. Particle-attached Microbes in Eelgrass Vegetation Areas Differ in Community Structure Depending on the Distance from the Eelgrass Bed. Microbes Environ 2023; 38:ME23013. [PMID: 37661422 PMCID: PMC10522840 DOI: 10.1264/jsme2.me23013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2023] [Accepted: 06/01/2023] [Indexed: 09/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Zostera marina (eelgrass) is a submerged flowering plant often found in the coastal areas of Japan. Large amounts of suspended particles form in highly productive environments, such as eelgrass beds, and the behavior of these particles is expected to affect the surrounding microbial community. We investigated the microbial community structure of suspended particles in three eelgrass fields (Ikuno-Shima Is., Mutsu Bay, and Nanao Bay) and inferred the formation and dynamics of suspended particles from a microbial community structure ana-lysis. Seawater samples were collected directly above each eelgrass bed (eelgrass-covering) and from locations dozens of meters away from the eelgrass bed (bare-ground). In consideration of the two different lifestyles of marine microbes, microbial communities were obtained from particle-attached (PA) and free-living (FL) states. Differences in microbial diversity and community structures were observed between PA and FL in all eelgrass beds. The FL microbial community was similar between the two sampling points (eelgrass-covering and bare-ground), whereas a significant difference was noted in the microbial community structure of suspended particles between the two sampling points. This difference appeared to be due to the supply of organic matter from the eelgrass sea ground and leaf-attached detritus produced by microbial activity. In addition, the classes Flavobacteriia, Alphaproteobacteria, and Gammaproteobacteria were abundant in the PA and FL fractions. Furthermore, many sequences of the key groups (e.g., Planctomycetes and Verrucomicrobia) were exclusively detected in the PA fraction, in which they may circulate nutrients. The present results provide insights into the microbial communities of suspended particles and provide the first step towards understanding their biogeochemical impact on the eelgrass bed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Md Mehedi Iqbal
- Atmosphere and Ocean Research Institute, The University of Tokyo, 5–1–5 Kashiwanoha, Kashiwa, Chiba 277–8564, Japan
- Department of Natural Environmental Studies, Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, The University of Tokyo, 5–1–5 Kashiwanoha, Kashiwa, Chiba 277–8563, Japan
| | - Masahiko Nishimura
- Atmosphere and Ocean Research Institute, The University of Tokyo, 5–1–5 Kashiwanoha, Kashiwa, Chiba 277–8564, Japan
| | - Masayoshi Sano
- Atmosphere and Ocean Research Institute, The University of Tokyo, 5–1–5 Kashiwanoha, Kashiwa, Chiba 277–8564, Japan
| | - Susumu Yoshizawa
- Atmosphere and Ocean Research Institute, The University of Tokyo, 5–1–5 Kashiwanoha, Kashiwa, Chiba 277–8564, Japan
- Department of Natural Environmental Studies, Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, The University of Tokyo, 5–1–5 Kashiwanoha, Kashiwa, Chiba 277–8563, Japan
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13
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Norris GS, Gerwing TG, Hamilton DJ, Barbeau MA. Using successional drivers to understand spatiotemporal dynamics in intertidal mudflat communities. Ecosphere 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.4268] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Gregory S. Norris
- Biology Department University of New Brunswick Fredericton New Brunswick Canada
| | - Travis G. Gerwing
- Biology Department University of Victoria Victoria British Columbia Canada
| | - Diana J. Hamilton
- Biology Department Mount Allison University Sackville New Brunswick Canada
| | - Myriam A. Barbeau
- Biology Department University of New Brunswick Fredericton New Brunswick Canada
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14
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Abstract
Sustaining biodiversity and ecosystems in the long term depends on their adjustment to a rapidly changing climate. By characterizing the structure of the marine plant eelgrass and associated communities at 50 sites across its broad range, we found that eelgrass growth form and biomass retain a legacy of Pleistocene range shifts and genetic bottlenecks that in turn affect the biomass of algae and invertebrates that fuel coastal food webs. The ecosystem-level effects of this ancient evolutionary legacy are comparable to or stronger than effects of current environmental forcing, suggesting that this economically important ecosystem may be unable to keep pace with rapid global change. Distribution of Earth’s biomes is structured by the match between climate and plant traits, which in turn shape associated communities and ecosystem processes and services. However, that climate–trait match can be disrupted by historical events, with lasting ecosystem impacts. As Earth’s environment changes faster than at any time in human history, critical questions are whether and how organismal traits and ecosystems can adjust to altered conditions. We quantified the relative importance of current environmental forcing versus evolutionary history in shaping the growth form (stature and biomass) and associated community of eelgrass (Zostera marina), a widespread foundation plant of marine ecosystems along Northern Hemisphere coastlines, which experienced major shifts in distribution and genetic composition during the Pleistocene. We found that eelgrass stature and biomass retain a legacy of the Pleistocene colonization of the Atlantic from the ancestral Pacific range and of more recent within-basin bottlenecks and genetic differentiation. This evolutionary legacy in turn influences the biomass of associated algae and invertebrates that fuel coastal food webs, with effects comparable to or stronger than effects of current environmental forcing. Such historical lags in phenotypic acclimatization may constrain ecosystem adjustments to rapid anthropogenic climate change, thus altering predictions about the future functioning of ecosystems.
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15
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Unsworth RKF, Cullen-Unsworth LC, Jones BLH, Lilley RJ. The planetary role of seagrass conservation. Science 2022; 377:609-613. [PMID: 35926055 DOI: 10.1126/science.abq6923] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
Seagrasses are remarkable plants that have adapted to live in a marine environment. They form extensive meadows found globally that bioengineer their local environments and preserve the coastal seascape. With the increasing realization of the planetary emergency that we face, there is growing interest in using seagrasses as a nature-based solution for greenhouse gas mitigation. However, seagrass sensitivity to stressors is acute, and in many places, the risk of loss and degradation persists. If the ecological state of seagrasses remains compromised, then their ability to contribute to nature-based solutions for the climate emergency and biodiversity crisis remains in doubt. We examine the major ecological role that seagrasses play and how rethinking their conservation is critical to understanding their part in fighting our planetary emergency.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard K F Unsworth
- Seagrass Ecosystem Research Group, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Swansea University, Singleton Park, Swansea SA2 8PP, Wales, UK.,Project Seagrass, The Yard, Bridgend Industrial Estate, Bridgend CF31 3EB, Wales, UK
| | - Leanne C Cullen-Unsworth
- Seagrass Ecosystem Research Group, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Swansea University, Singleton Park, Swansea SA2 8PP, Wales, UK.,Project Seagrass, The Yard, Bridgend Industrial Estate, Bridgend CF31 3EB, Wales, UK
| | - Benjamin L H Jones
- Project Seagrass, The Yard, Bridgend Industrial Estate, Bridgend CF31 3EB, Wales, UK.,Department of Ecology, Environment and Plant Sciences, Stockholm University, SE-106 91 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Richard J Lilley
- Project Seagrass, The Yard, Bridgend Industrial Estate, Bridgend CF31 3EB, Wales, UK
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16
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Wang J, Cheng ZY, Dong YW. Demographic, physiological, and genetic factors linked to the poleward range expansion of the snail Nerita yoldii along the shoreline of China. Mol Ecol 2022; 31:4510-4526. [PMID: 35822322 DOI: 10.1111/mec.16610] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2021] [Revised: 05/23/2022] [Accepted: 07/04/2022] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
Species range shift is one of the most significant consequences of climate change in the Anthropocene. A comprehensive study, including demographic, physiological, and genetic factors linked to poleward range expansion, is crucial for understanding how the expanding population occupies the new habitat. In the present study, we investigated the demographic, physiological, and genetic features of the intertidal gastropod Nerita yoldii, which has extended its northern limit by ~200 km over the former biogeographic break of the Yangtze River Estuary during recent decades. The neutral SNPs data showed that the new marginal populations formed a distinct cluster established by a few founders. Demographic modelling analysis revealed that the new marginal populations experienced a strong genetic bottleneck followed by recent demographic expansion. Successful expansion that overcame the founder effect might be attributed to its high capacity of rapid population growth and multiple introductions. According to the non-neutral SNPs under diversifying selection, there were high levels of heterozygosity in the new marginal populations, which might be beneficial for adapting to the novel thermal conditions. The common garden experiment showed that the new marginal populations have evolved divergent transcriptomic and physiological responses to heat stress, allowing them to occupy and survive in the novel environment. Lower transcriptional plasticity was observed in the new marginal populations. These results suggest a new biogeographic pattern of N. yoldii has formed with the occurrence of demographic, physiologic, and genetic changes, and emphasize the roles of adaptation of marginal populations during range expansion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie Wang
- The Key Laboratory of Mariculture, Ministry of Education, Fisheries College, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, PR China.,Function Laboratory for Marine Fisheries Science and Food Production Processes, Pilot National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao, PR China
| | - Zhi-Yuan Cheng
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Science, College of Marine and Earth Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, PR China
| | - Yun-Wei Dong
- The Key Laboratory of Mariculture, Ministry of Education, Fisheries College, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, PR China.,Function Laboratory for Marine Fisheries Science and Food Production Processes, Pilot National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao, PR China
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17
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Current water quality guidelines across North America and Europe do not protect lakes from salinization. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2022; 119:2115033119. [PMID: 35193976 PMCID: PMC8892338 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2115033119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The salinity of freshwater ecosystems is increasing worldwide. Given that most freshwater organisms have no recent evolutionary history with high salinity, we expect them to have a low tolerance to elevated salinity caused by road deicing salts, agricultural practices, mining operations, and climate change. Leveraging the results from a network of experiments conducted across North America and Europe, we showed that salt pollution triggers a massive loss of important zooplankton taxa, which led to increased phytoplankton biomass at many study sites. We conclude that current water quality guidelines established by governments in North America and Europe do not adequately protect lake food webs, indicating an immediate need to establish guidelines where they do not exist and to reassess existing guidelines. Human-induced salinization caused by the use of road deicing salts, agricultural practices, mining operations, and climate change is a major threat to the biodiversity and functioning of freshwater ecosystems. Yet, it is unclear if freshwater ecosystems are protected from salinization by current water quality guidelines. Leveraging an experimental network of land-based and in-lake mesocosms across North America and Europe, we tested how salinization—indicated as elevated chloride (Cl−) concentration—will affect lake food webs and if two of the lowest Cl− thresholds found globally are sufficient to protect these food webs. Our results indicated that salinization will cause substantial zooplankton mortality at the lowest Cl− thresholds established in Canada (120 mg Cl−/L) and the United States (230 mg Cl−/L) and throughout Europe where Cl− thresholds are generally higher. For instance, at 73% of our study sites, Cl− concentrations that caused a ≥50% reduction in cladoceran abundance were at or below Cl− thresholds in Canada, in the United States, and throughout Europe. Similar trends occurred for copepod and rotifer zooplankton. The loss of zooplankton triggered a cascading effect causing an increase in phytoplankton biomass at 47% of study sites. Such changes in lake food webs could alter nutrient cycling and water clarity and trigger declines in fish production. Current Cl− thresholds across North America and Europe clearly do not adequately protect lake food webs. Water quality guidelines should be developed where they do not exist, and there is an urgent need to reassess existing guidelines to protect lake ecosystems from human-induced salinization.
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18
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Norberg J, Blenckner T, Cornell SE, Petchey OL, Hillebrand H. Failures to disagree are essential for environmental science to effectively influence policy development. Ecol Lett 2022; 25:1075-1093. [PMID: 35218290 PMCID: PMC9542146 DOI: 10.1111/ele.13984] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2021] [Accepted: 01/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
While environmental science, and ecology in particular, is working to provide better understanding to base sustainable decisions on, the way scientific understanding is developed can at times be detrimental to this cause. Locked‐in debates are often unnecessarily polarised and can compromise any common goals of the opposing camps. The present paper is inspired by a resolved debate from an unrelated field of psychology where Nobel laureate David Kahneman and Garry Klein turned what seemed to be a locked‐in debate into a constructive process for their fields. The present paper is also motivated by previous discourses regarding the role of thresholds in natural systems for management and governance, but its scope of analysis targets the scientific process within complex social‐ecological systems in general. We identified four features of environmental science that appear to predispose for locked‐in debates: (1) The strongly context‐dependent behaviour of ecological systems. (2) The dominant role of single hypothesis testing. (3) The high prominence given to theory demonstration compared investigation. (4) The effect of urgent demands to inform and steer policy. This fertile ground is further cultivated by human psychological aspects as well as the structure of funding and publication systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jon Norberg
- Department of Ecology, Environment and Plant Sciences, Stockholm University, Sweden
| | | | | | - Owen L Petchey
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Helmut Hillebrand
- Institute for Chemistry and Biology of Marine Environments [ICBM], Carl-von-Ossietzky University, Oldenburg, Germany
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19
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Thomsen MS, Altieri AH, Angelini C, Bishop MJ, Bulleri F, Farhan R, Frühling VMM, Gribben PE, Harrison SB, He Q, Klinghardt M, Langeneck J, Lanham BS, Mondardini L, Mulders Y, Oleksyn S, Ramus AP, Schiel DR, Schneider T, Siciliano A, Silliman BR, Smale DA, South PM, Wernberg T, Zhang S, Zotz G. Heterogeneity within and among co-occurring foundation species increases biodiversity. Nat Commun 2022; 13:581. [PMID: 35102155 PMCID: PMC8803935 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-28194-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2021] [Accepted: 01/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Habitat heterogeneity is considered a primary causal driver underpinning patterns of diversity, yet the universal role of heterogeneity in structuring biodiversity is unclear due to a lack of coordinated experiments testing its effects across geographic scales and habitat types. Furthermore, key species interactions that can enhance heterogeneity, such as facilitation cascades of foundation species, have been largely overlooked in general biodiversity models. Here, we performed 22 geographically distributed experiments in different ecosystems and biogeographical regions to assess the extent to which variation in biodiversity is explained by three axes of habitat heterogeneity: the amount of habitat, its morphological complexity, and capacity to provide ecological resources (e.g. food) within and between co-occurring foundation species. We show that positive and additive effects across the three axes of heterogeneity are common, providing a compelling mechanistic insight into the universal importance of habitat heterogeneity in promoting biodiversity via cascades of facilitative interactions. Because many aspects of habitat heterogeneity can be controlled through restoration and management interventions, our findings are directly relevant to biodiversity conservation. Species interactions that can enhance habitat heterogeneity such as facilitation cascades of foundation species have been overlooked in biodiversity models. This study conducted 22 geographically distributed experiments in different ecosystems and biogeographical regions to assess the extent to which biodiversity is explained by three axes of habitat heterogeneity in facilitation cascades.
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20
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Namba M, Nakaoka M. Increased salinity stress changes plant productivity and biomass by altering the top‐down controls in eelgrass beds. Ecosphere 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.3852] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Mizuho Namba
- Graduate School of Environmental Science Hokkaido University Sapporo Japan
- Muroran Marine Station Field Science Center for Northern Biosphere Hokkaido University Muroran Japan
| | - Masahiro Nakaoka
- Akkeshi Marine Station Field Science Center for Northern Biosphere Hokkaido University Akkeshi Japan
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21
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Garrido M, Hansen SK, Yaari R, Hawlena H. A model selection approach to structural equation modelling: A critical evaluation and a road map for ecologists. Methods Ecol Evol 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/2041-210x.13742] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Mario Garrido
- Jacob Blaustein Center for Scientific Cooperation The Jacob Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research Ben‐Gurion University of the Negev Midreshet Ben‐Gurion Israel
| | - Scott K. Hansen
- The Department of Environmental Hydrology and Microbiology The Zuckerberg Institute for Water Research (ZIWR) The Jacob Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research Ben‐Gurion University of the Negev Midreshet Ben‐Gurion Israel
| | - Rami Yaari
- The Biostatistics and Biomathematics Unit Sheba Medical Center Tel Hashomer Israel
| | - Hadas Hawlena
- Mitrani Department of Desert Ecology The Swiss Institute for Dryland Environmental and Energy Research The Jacob Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research Ben‐Gurion University of the Negev Midreshet Ben‐Gurion Israel
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22
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Pérez de Rosas AR, Restelli MF, García BA. Spatio‐temporal genetic structure in populations of the Chagas’ disease vector
Triatoma infestans
from Argentina. J ZOOL SYST EVOL RES 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/jzs.12552] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Alicia Raquel Pérez de Rosas
- Instituto de Investigaciones en Ciencias de la Salud (INICSA) Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET) and Cátedra de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular Facultad de Ciencias Médicas Universidad Nacional de Córdoba Córdoba Argentina
| | - María Florencia Restelli
- Instituto de Investigaciones en Ciencias de la Salud (INICSA) Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET) and Cátedra de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular Facultad de Ciencias Médicas Universidad Nacional de Córdoba Córdoba Argentina
| | - Beatriz Alicia García
- Instituto de Investigaciones en Ciencias de la Salud (INICSA) Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET) and Cátedra de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular Facultad de Ciencias Médicas Universidad Nacional de Córdoba Córdoba Argentina
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Iqbal MM, Nishimura M, Haider MN, Sano M, Ijichi M, Kogure K, Yoshizawa S. Diversity and Composition of Microbial Communities in an Eelgrass (Zostera marina) Bed in Tokyo Bay, Japan. Microbes Environ 2021; 36. [PMID: 34645731 PMCID: PMC8674447 DOI: 10.1264/jsme2.me21037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Zostera marina (eelgrass) is a widespread seagrass species that forms diverse and productive habitats along coast lines throughout much of the northern hemisphere. The present study investigated the microbial consortia of Z. marina growing at Futtsu clam-digging beach, Chiba prefecture, Japan. The following environmental samples were collected: sediment, seawater, plant leaves, and the root-rhizome. Sediment and seawater samples were obtained from three sampling points: inside, outside, and at the marginal point of the eelgrass bed. The microbial composition of each sample was analyzed using 16S ribosomal gene amplicon sequencing. Microbial communities on the dead (withered) leaf surface markedly differed from those in sediment, but were similar to those in seawater. Eelgrass leaves and surrounding seawater were dominated by the bacterial taxa Rhodobacterales (Alphaproteobacteria), whereas Rhodobacterales were a minor group in eelgrass sediment. Additionally, we speculated that the order Sphingomonadales (Alphaproteobacteria) acts as a major degrader during the decomposition process and constantly degrades eelgrass leaves, which then spread into the surrounding seawater. Withered eelgrass leaves did not accumulate on the surface sediment because they were transported out of the eelgrass bed by wind and residual currents unique to the central part of Tokyo Bay.
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Affiliation(s)
- Md Mehedi Iqbal
- Atmosphere and Ocean Research Institute, The University of Tokyo.,Department of Natural Environmental Studies, Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, The University of Tokyo
| | | | - Md Nurul Haider
- Atmosphere and Ocean Research Institute, The University of Tokyo.,Department of Fisheries Technology, Faculty of Fisheries, Bangladesh Agricultural University
| | - Masayoshi Sano
- Atmosphere and Ocean Research Institute, The University of Tokyo.,National Institute of Polar Research
| | - Minoru Ijichi
- Atmosphere and Ocean Research Institute, The University of Tokyo
| | - Kazuhiro Kogure
- Atmosphere and Ocean Research Institute, The University of Tokyo
| | - Susumu Yoshizawa
- Atmosphere and Ocean Research Institute, The University of Tokyo.,Department of Natural Environmental Studies, Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, The University of Tokyo
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24
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Ma X, Olsen JL, Reusch TBH, Procaccini G, Kudrna D, Williams M, Grimwood J, Rajasekar S, Jenkins J, Schmutz J, Van de Peer Y. Improved chromosome-level genome assembly and annotation of the seagrass, Zostera marina (eelgrass). F1000Res 2021; 10:289. [PMID: 34621505 PMCID: PMC8482049 DOI: 10.12688/f1000research.38156.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Seagrasses (Alismatales) are the only fully marine angiosperms.
Zostera marina (eelgrass) plays a crucial role in the functioning of coastal marine ecosystems and global carbon sequestration. It is the most widely studied seagrass and has become a marine model system for exploring adaptation under rapid climate change. The original draft genome (v.1.0) of the seagrass
Z.
marina (L.) was based on a combination of Illumina mate-pair libraries and fosmid-ends. A total of 25.55 Gb of Illumina and 0.14 Gb of Sanger sequence was obtained representing 47.7× genomic coverage. The assembly resulted in ~2000 unordered scaffolds (L50 of 486 Kb), a final genome assembly size of 203MB, 20,450 protein coding genes and 63% TE content. Here, we present an upgraded chromosome-scale genome assembly and compare v.1.0 and the new v.3.1, reconfirming previous results from Olsen et al. (2016), as well as pointing out new findings. Methods: The same high molecular weight DNA used in the original sequencing of the Finnish clone was used. A high-quality reference genome was assembled with the MECAT assembly pipeline combining PacBio long-read sequencing and Hi-C scaffolding. Results: In total, 75.97 Gb PacBio data was produced. The final assembly comprises six pseudo-chromosomes and 304 unanchored scaffolds with a total length of 260.5Mb and an N50 of 34.6 MB, showing high contiguity and few gaps (~0.5%). 21,483 protein-encoding genes are annotated in this assembly, of which 20,665 (96.2%) obtained at least one functional assignment based on similarity to known proteins. Conclusions: As an important marine angiosperm, the improved
Z. marina genome assembly will further assist evolutionary, ecological, and comparative genomics at the chromosome level. The new genome assembly will further our understanding into the structural and physiological adaptations from land to marine life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao Ma
- Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University - Center for Plant Systems Biology, VIB, Ghent, 9052, Belgium
| | - Jeanine L Olsen
- Groningen Institute of Evolutionary Life Sciences, Groningen, 9747 AG, The Netherlands
| | - Thorsten B H Reusch
- GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel, Marine Evolutionary Ecology, Kiel, 24105, Germany
| | - Gabriele Procaccini
- Department of Integrative Marine Ecology, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Napoli, 80123, Italy
| | - Dave Kudrna
- Department of Energy Joint Genome Institute, Lawrence Berkeley National Lab, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | | | - Jane Grimwood
- HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology, Huntsville, AL, USA
| | - Shanmugam Rajasekar
- Arizona Genomics Institute, School of Plant Sciences, University of Arizona Tucson, Tucson, AZ, 85721, USA
| | - Jerry Jenkins
- HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology, Huntsville, AL, USA
| | - Jeremy Schmutz
- Department of Energy Joint Genome Institute, Lawrence Berkeley National Lab, Berkeley, CA, USA.,HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology, Huntsville, AL, USA
| | - Yves Van de Peer
- Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University - Center for Plant Systems Biology, VIB, Ghent, 9052, Belgium.,Department of Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa.,College of Horticulture, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210014, China
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25
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Walker JB, Grosholz ED, Long JD. Predicting burrowing crab impacts on salt marsh plants. Ecosphere 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.3803] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Janet B. Walker
- Biology Department San Diego State University 5500 Campanile Drive San Diego California 92182 USA
- Department of Environmental Science and Policy University of California, Davis One Shields Avenue Davis California 95616 USA
- Southern California Coastal Water Research Project 3535 Harbor Blvd, Suite 110 Costa Mesa California 92626 USA
| | - Edwin D. Grosholz
- Department of Environmental Science and Policy University of California, Davis One Shields Avenue Davis California 95616 USA
| | - Jeremy D. Long
- Biology Department San Diego State University 5500 Campanile Drive San Diego California 92182 USA
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26
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Eger AM, Best RJ, Baum JK. Dominance determines fish community biomass in a temperate seagrass ecosystem. Ecol Evol 2021; 11:10489-10501. [PMID: 34367591 PMCID: PMC8328455 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.7854] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2020] [Revised: 05/31/2021] [Accepted: 06/10/2021] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
Biodiversity and ecosystem function are often correlated, but there are multiple hypotheses about the mechanisms underlying this relationship. Ecosystem functions such as primary or secondary production may be maximized by species richness, evenness in species abundances, or the presence or dominance of species with certain traits. Here, we combine surveys of natural fish communities (conducted in July and August 2016) with morphological trait data to examine relationships between biodiversity and ecosystem function (quantified as fish community biomass) across 14 subtidal eelgrass meadows in the Northeast Pacific (54°N, 130°W). We employ both taxonomic and functional trait measures of diversity to investigate whether ecosystem function is best predicted by species diversity (complementarity hypothesis) or by the presence or dominance of species with particular trait values (selection or dominance hypotheses). After controlling for environmental variation, we find that fish community biomass is maximized when taxonomic richness and functional evenness are low, and in communities dominated by species with particular trait values, specifically those associated with benthic habitats and prey capture. While previous work on fish communities has found that species richness is often positively correlated with ecosystem function, our results instead highlight the capacity for regionally prevalent and locally dominant species to drive ecosystem function in moderately diverse communities. We discuss these alternate links between community composition and ecosystem function and consider their divergent implications for ecosystem valuation and conservation prioritization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aaron M. Eger
- Department of BiologyUniversity of VictoriaVictoriaBCCanada
- Present address:
School of Biological, Earth, and Environmental SciencesUniversity of New South WalesSydneyNSWAustralia
| | - Rebecca J. Best
- School of Earth and SustainabilityNorthern Arizona UniversityFlagstaffAZUSA
| | - Julia K. Baum
- Department of BiologyUniversity of VictoriaVictoriaBCCanada
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27
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Duncan RJ, Andrew ME, Forchhammer MC. Snow mediates climatic impacts on Arctic herbivore populations. Polar Biol 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s00300-021-02871-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
AbstractArctic ecosystems are particularly vulnerable to impacts of climate change; however, the complex relationships between climate and ecosystems make incorporating effects of climate change into population management difficult. This study used structural equation modelling (SEM) and a 24-year multifaceted monitoring data series collected at Zackenberg, North-East Greenland, to untangle the network of climatic and local abiotic and biotic drivers, determining their direct and indirect effects on two herbivores: musk ox (Ovibos moschatus) and collared lemming (Dicrostonyx groenlandicus). Snow conditions were determined to be the central driver within the system, mediating the effects of climate on herbivore abundance. Under current climate change projections, snow is expected to decrease in the region. Snow had an indirect negative effect on musk ox, as decreased snow depth led to an earlier start to the Arctic willow growing season, shown to increase fecundity and decrease mortality. Musk ox are therefore expected to be more successful under future conditions, within a certain threshold. Snow had both positive and negative effects on lemming, with lemming expected to ultimately be less successful under climate change, as reduction in snow increases their vulnerability to predation. Through their capacity to determine effects of climatic and local drivers within a hierarchy, and the relative strength and direction of these effects, SEMs were demonstrated to have the potential to be valuable in guiding population management.
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28
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Eriksson BK, Yanos C, Bourlat SJ, Donadi S, Fontaine MC, Hansen JP, Jakubavičiūtė E, Kiragosyan K, Maan ME, Merilä J, Austin ÅN, Olsson J, Reiss K, Sundblad G, Bergström U, Eklöf JS. Habitat segregation of plate phenotypes in a rapidly expanding population of three‐spined stickleback. Ecosphere 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.3561] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Britas Klemens Eriksson
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life‐Sciences, GELIFES University of Groningen Nijenborgh 7 Groningen9747 AGThe Netherlands
| | - Casey Yanos
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life‐Sciences, GELIFES University of Groningen Nijenborgh 7 Groningen9747 AGThe Netherlands
| | - Sarah J. Bourlat
- Zoological Research Museum Alexander Koenig Adenauerallee 160 Bonn53113Germany
| | - Serena Donadi
- Department of Aquatic Resources Swedish University of Agricultural Science Drottningholm Sweden
| | - Michael C. Fontaine
- MIVEGEC CNRS IRD Univ. Montpellier Montpellier France
- Centre de Recherche en Ecologie et Evolution de la Santé (CREES) Montpellier France
| | | | | | - Karine Kiragosyan
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life‐Sciences, GELIFES University of Groningen Nijenborgh 7 Groningen9747 AGThe Netherlands
| | - Martine E. Maan
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life‐Sciences, GELIFES University of Groningen Nijenborgh 7 Groningen9747 AGThe Netherlands
| | - Juha Merilä
- Ecological Genetics Research Unit, Organismal and Evolutionary Biology Research Programme Faculty Biological & Environmental Sciences University of Helsinki PO Box 65 HelsinkiFI‐00014Finland
- Research Division of Ecology & Biodiversity University of Hong Kong Hong Kong Hong Kong, SAR China
| | - Åsa N. Austin
- Department of Ecology, Environment and Plant Sciences Stockholm University Sweden
| | - Jens Olsson
- Department of Aquatic Resources Swedish University of Agricultural Science Drottningholm Sweden
| | - Katrin Reiss
- Faculty for Biosciences and Aquaculture Nord University Bodø8049Norway
| | - Göran Sundblad
- Department of Aquatic Resources Swedish University of Agricultural Science Drottningholm Sweden
| | - Ulf Bergström
- Department of Aquatic Resources Swedish University of Agricultural Science Drottningholm Sweden
| | - Johan S. Eklöf
- Department of Ecology, Environment and Plant Sciences Stockholm University Sweden
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29
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Seagrass and Oyster Reef Restoration in Living Shorelines: Effects of Habitat Configuration on Invertebrate Community Assembly. DIVERSITY 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/d13060246] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Restoration projects provide a valuable opportunity to experimentally establish foundational habitats in different combinations to test relative effects on community assembly. We evaluated the development of macroinvertebrate communities in response to planting of eelgrass (Zostera marina) and construction of reefs intended to support the Olympia oyster (Ostrea lurida) in the San Francisco Estuary. Plots of each type, alone or interspersed, were established in 2012 in a pilot living shorelines project, and quarterly invertebrate monitoring was conducted for one year prior to restoration, and three years post-restoration using suction sampling and eelgrass shoot collection. Suction sampling revealed that within one year, oyster reefs supported unique invertebrate assemblages as compared to pre-restoration conditions and controls (unmanipulated mudflat). The eelgrass invertebrate assemblage also shifted, becoming intermediate between reefs and controls. Interspersing both types of habitat structure led eelgrass invertebrate communities to more closely resemble those of oyster reefs alone, though the eelgrass assemblage maintained some distinction (primarily by supporting gammarid and caprellid amphipods). Eelgrass shoot collection documented some additional taxa known to benefit eelgrass growth through consumption of epiphytic algae; however, even after three years, restored eelgrass did not establish an assemblage equivalent to natural beds, as the eelgrass sea hare (Phyllaplysia taylori) and eelgrass isopod (Pentidotea resecata) remained absent or very rare. We conclude that the restoration of two structurally complex habitat types within tens of meters maximized the variety of invertebrate assemblages supported, but that close interspersion dampened the separately contributed distinctiveness. In addition, management intervention may be needed to overcome the recruitment limitation of species with important roles in maintaining eelgrass habitat.
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30
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Abstract
Seagrasses are marine flowering plants that provide critical ecosystem services in coastal environments worldwide. Marine fungi are often overlooked in microbiome and seagrass studies, despite terrestrial fungi having critical functional roles as decomposers, pathogens, or endophytes in global ecosystems. Here, we characterize the distribution of fungi associated with the seagrass Zostera marina, using leaves, roots, and rhizosphere sediment from 16 locations across its full biogeographic range. Using high-throughput sequencing of the ribosomal internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region and 18S rRNA gene, we first measured fungal community composition and diversity. We then tested hypotheses of neutral community assembly theory and the degree to which deviations suggested that amplicon sequence variants (ASVs) were plant selected or dispersal limited. Finally, we identified a core mycobiome and investigated the global distribution of differentially abundant ASVs. We found that the fungal community is significantly different between sites and that the leaf mycobiome follows a weak but significant pattern of distance decay in the Pacific Ocean. Generally, there was evidence for both deterministic and stochastic factors contributing to community assembly of the mycobiome, with most taxa assembling through stochastic processes. The Z. marina core leaf and root mycobiomes were dominated by unclassified Sordariomycetes spp., unclassified Chytridiomycota lineages (including Lobulomycetaceae spp.), unclassified Capnodiales spp., and Saccharomyces sp. It is clear from the many unclassified fungal ASVs and fungal functional guilds that knowledge of marine fungi is still rudimentary. Further studies characterizing seagrass-associated fungi are needed to understand the roles of these microorganisms generally and when associated with seagrasses. IMPORTANCE Fungi have important functional roles when associated with land plants, yet very little is known about the roles of fungi associated with marine plants, like seagrasses. In this study, we report the results of a global effort to characterize the fungi associated with the seagrass Zostera marina across its full biogeographic range. Although we defined a putative global core fungal community, it is apparent from the many fungal sequences and predicted functional guilds that had no matches to existing databases that general knowledge of seagrass-associated fungi and marine fungi is lacking. This work serves as an important foundational step toward future work investigating the functional ramifications of fungi in the marine ecosystem.
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31
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Raymond WW, Hughes BB, Stephens TA, Mattson CR, Bolwerk AT, Eckert GL. Testing the generality of sea otter‐mediated trophic cascades in seagrass meadows. OIKOS 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/oik.07681] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Wendel W. Raymond
- College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, Univ. of Alaska Fairbanks Fairbanks AK USA
| | - Brent B. Hughes
- College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, Univ. of Alaska Fairbanks Fairbanks AK USA
- Dept of Biology, Sonoma State Univ. Rohnert Park CA USA
| | - Tiffany A. Stephens
- College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, Univ. of Alaska Fairbanks Fairbanks AK USA
| | - Catherine R. Mattson
- College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, Univ. of Alaska Fairbanks Fairbanks AK USA
| | - Ashley T. Bolwerk
- College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, Univ. of Alaska Fairbanks Fairbanks AK USA
| | - Ginny L. Eckert
- College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, Univ. of Alaska Fairbanks Fairbanks AK USA
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32
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Wang X, Yan J, Bai J, Shao D, Cui B. Effects of interactions between macroalgae and seagrass on the distribution of macrobenthic invertebrate communities at the Yellow River Estuary, China. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2021; 164:112057. [PMID: 33515816 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2021.112057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2019] [Revised: 08/20/2020] [Accepted: 01/06/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Algae-dominance in seagrass beds has been well recognized, however, the competitive relationship between seagrass and macroalgae along land-sea gradients and their ecological effects has received little attention. In this study, a field survey was conducted at the Yellow River Estuary to investigate the effects of macroalgal proliferation on seagrass and macrobenthic invertebrate communities. Our results suggested that strong competitive interaction existed between the two primary producers, and the positive or negative effects of macroalgae on seagrass growth varied along land-sea gradient. Furthermore, the dominant controlling factors on the biomass, density and diversity of macrobenthic invertebrate communities were found to vary accordingly, i.e., from features of the primary producers in the nearshore where macroalgae suppressed seagrass growth to hydrodynamic disturbance in the offshore where macroalgae facilitated seagrass growth. Our study emphasizes the importance to integrate interspecific competition into ecosystem-based management of seagrass ecosystem, and provides references for additional ecological indicators.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinyan Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Water Environment Simulation & School of Environment, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China; Yellow River Estuary Wetland Ecosystem Observation and Research Station, Ministry of Education, Shandong, China
| | - Jiaguo Yan
- State Key Laboratory of Water Environment Simulation & School of Environment, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China; Yellow River Estuary Wetland Ecosystem Observation and Research Station, Ministry of Education, Shandong, China
| | - Junhong Bai
- State Key Laboratory of Water Environment Simulation & School of Environment, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China; Yellow River Estuary Wetland Ecosystem Observation and Research Station, Ministry of Education, Shandong, China
| | - Dongdong Shao
- State Key Laboratory of Water Environment Simulation & School of Environment, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China; Yellow River Estuary Wetland Ecosystem Observation and Research Station, Ministry of Education, Shandong, China; Tang Scholar, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China.
| | - Baoshan Cui
- State Key Laboratory of Water Environment Simulation & School of Environment, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China; Yellow River Estuary Wetland Ecosystem Observation and Research Station, Ministry of Education, Shandong, China
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33
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Urrutia-Cordero P, Langenheder S, Striebel M, Eklöv P, Angeler DG, Bertilsson S, Csitári B, Hansson LA, Kelpsiene E, Laudon H, Lundgren M, Osman OA, Parkefelt L, Hillebrand H. Functionally reversible impacts of disturbances on lake food webs linked to spatial and seasonal dependencies. Ecology 2021; 102:e03283. [PMID: 33428769 DOI: 10.1002/ecy.3283] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2020] [Revised: 09/17/2020] [Accepted: 10/26/2020] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Increasing human impact on the environment is causing drastic changes in disturbance regimes and how they prevail over time. Of increasing relevance is to further our understanding on biological responses to pulse disturbances (short duration) and how they interact with other ongoing press disturbances (constantly present). Because the temporal and spatial contexts of single experiments often limit our ability to generalize results across space and time, we conducted a modularized mesocosm experiment replicated in space (five lakes along a latitudinal gradient in Scandinavia) and time (two seasons, spring and summer) to generate general predictions on how the functioning and composition of multitrophic plankton communities (zoo-, phyto- and bacterioplankton) respond to pulse disturbances acting either in isolation or combined with press disturbances. As pulse disturbance, we used short-term changes in fish presence, and as press disturbance, we addressed the ongoing reduction in light availability caused by increased cloudiness and lake browning in many boreal and subarctic lakes. First, our results show that the top-down pulse disturbance had the strongest effects on both functioning and composition of the three trophic levels across sites and seasons, with signs for interactive impacts with the bottom-up press disturbance on phytoplankton communities. Second, community composition responses to disturbances were highly divergent between lakes and seasons: temporal accumulated community turnover of the same trophic level either increased (destabilization) or decreased (stabilization) in response to the disturbances compared to control conditions. Third, we found functional recovery from the pulse disturbances to be frequent at the end of most experiments. In a broader context, these results demonstrate that top-down, pulse disturbances, either alone or with additional constant stress upon primary producers caused by bottom-up disturbances, can induce profound but often functionally reversible changes across multiple trophic levels, which are strongly linked to spatial and temporal context dependencies. Furthermore, the identified dichotomy of disturbance effects on the turnover in community composition demonstrates the potential of disturbances to either stabilize or destabilize biodiversity patterns over time across a wide range of environmental conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pablo Urrutia-Cordero
- Limnology, Department of Ecology and Genetics, Evolutionary Biology Center, Uppsala University, Norbyvägen 18D, Uppsala, Sweden.,Helmholtz Institute for Functional Marine Biodiversity (HIFMB), Ammerländer Heerstrasse 231, Oldenburg, 26129, Germany.,Institute for Chemistry and Biology of Marine Environments (ICBM), Carl-von-Ossietzky University Oldenburg, Schleusenstrasse 1, Wilhelmshaven, 26382, Germany
| | - Silke Langenheder
- Limnology, Department of Ecology and Genetics, Evolutionary Biology Center, Uppsala University, Norbyvägen 18D, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Maren Striebel
- Institute for Chemistry and Biology of Marine Environments (ICBM), Carl-von-Ossietzky University Oldenburg, Schleusenstrasse 1, Wilhelmshaven, 26382, Germany
| | - Peter Eklöv
- Limnology, Department of Ecology and Genetics, Evolutionary Biology Center, Uppsala University, Norbyvägen 18D, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - David G Angeler
- Department of Aquatic Sciences and Assessment, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Box 7050, Uppsala, 750 07, Sweden
| | - Stefan Bertilsson
- Limnology, Department of Ecology and Genetics, Evolutionary Biology Center, Uppsala University, Norbyvägen 18D, Uppsala, Sweden.,Department of Aquatic Sciences and Assessment, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Box 7050, Uppsala, 750 07, Sweden
| | - Bianka Csitári
- Limnology, Department of Ecology and Genetics, Evolutionary Biology Center, Uppsala University, Norbyvägen 18D, Uppsala, Sweden.,Department of Microbiology, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Pázmány Péter stny. 1/c., Budapest, H-1117, Hungary
| | - Lars-Anders Hansson
- Department of Biology/Aquatic Ecology, Lund University, Ecology Building, Lund, SE-223 62, Sweden
| | - Egle Kelpsiene
- Department of Biochemistry and Structural Biology, Lund University, Lund, SE-221 00, Sweden
| | - Hjalmar Laudon
- Department of Forest Ecology and Management, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Umeå, 90183, Sweden
| | - Maria Lundgren
- Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Unit for Field-based Forest Research, Asa Research Station, Lammhult, SE-363 94, Sweden.,Department of Biology and Environmental Science, Linnaeus University, Kalmar, SE-391 82, Sweden
| | - Omneya Ahmed Osman
- Limnology, Department of Ecology and Genetics, Evolutionary Biology Center, Uppsala University, Norbyvägen 18D, Uppsala, Sweden
| | | | - Helmut Hillebrand
- Helmholtz Institute for Functional Marine Biodiversity (HIFMB), Ammerländer Heerstrasse 231, Oldenburg, 26129, Germany.,Institute for Chemistry and Biology of Marine Environments (ICBM), Carl-von-Ossietzky University Oldenburg, Schleusenstrasse 1, Wilhelmshaven, 26382, Germany.,Aldfred-Wegener Institute, Helmholtz Center for Polar and Marine Research, Am Handelshafen 12, Bremerhaven, Germany
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34
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Murphy GE, Dunic JC, Adamczyk EM, Bittick SJ, Côté IM, Cristiani J, Geissinger EA, Gregory RS, Lotze HK, O’Connor MI, Araújo CA, Rubidge EM, Templeman ND, Wong MC. From coast to coast to coast: ecology and management of seagrass ecosystems across Canada. Facets (Ott) 2021. [DOI: 10.1139/facets-2020-0020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Seagrass meadows are among the most productive and diverse marine ecosystems, providing essential structure, functions, and services. They are also among the most impacted by human activities and in urgent need of better management and protection. In Canada, eelgrass ( Zostera marina) meadows are found along the Atlantic, Pacific, and Arctic coasts, and thus occur across a wide range of biogeographic conditions. Here, we synthesize knowledge of eelgrass ecosystems across Canada’s coasts, highlighting commonalities and differences in environmental conditions, plant, habitat, and community structure, as well as current trends and human impacts. Across regions, eelgrass life history, phenology, and general species assemblages are similar. However, distinct regional differences occur in environmental conditions, particularly with water temperature and nutrient availability. There is considerable variation in the types and strengths of human activities among regions. The impacts of coastal development are prevalent in all regions, while other impacts are of concern for specific regions, e.g., nutrient loading in the Atlantic and impacts from the logging industry in the Pacific. In addition, climate change represents a growing threat to eelgrass meadows. We review current management and conservation efforts and discuss the implications of observed differences from coast to coast to coast.
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Affiliation(s)
- Grace E.P. Murphy
- Department of Biology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS B3H 4R2, Canada
- Bedford Institute of Oceanography, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, 1 Challenger Drive, Dartmouth, NS B2Y 4A2, Canada
| | - Jillian C. Dunic
- Department of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC V5A 1S6, Canada
| | - Emily M. Adamczyk
- Department of Zoology, Biodiversity Research Centre, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - Sarah J. Bittick
- Department of Zoology, Biodiversity Research Centre, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - Isabelle M. Côté
- Department of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC V5A 1S6, Canada
| | - John Cristiani
- Department of Zoology, Biodiversity Research Centre, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | | | - Robert S. Gregory
- Department of Biology, Memorial University, St. John’s, NL A1C 5S7, Canada
- Fisheries and Oceans Canada, St. John’s, NL A1A 5J7, Canada
| | - Heike K. Lotze
- Department of Biology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS B3H 4R2, Canada
| | - Mary I. O’Connor
- Department of Zoology, Biodiversity Research Centre, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - Carlos A.S. Araújo
- Département de Biologie, Chimie et Géographie, Université du Québec à Rimouski, Rimouski, QC G5L 3A1, Canada
| | - Emily M. Rubidge
- Institute of Ocean Sciences, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Sidney, BC V8L 4B2, Canada
- Department of Forest and Conservation Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | | | - Melisa C. Wong
- Bedford Institute of Oceanography, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, 1 Challenger Drive, Dartmouth, NS B2Y 4A2, Canada
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35
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Trevizan Segovia B, Sanders-Smith R, Adamczyk EM, Forbes C, Hessing-Lewis M, O'Connor MI, Parfrey LW. Microeukaryotic Communities Associated With the Seagrass Zostera marina Are Spatially Structured. J Eukaryot Microbiol 2020; 68:e12827. [PMID: 33065761 DOI: 10.1111/jeu.12827] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2020] [Revised: 09/24/2020] [Accepted: 10/06/2020] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Epibiotic microorganisms link seagrass productivity to higher trophic levels, but little is known about the processes structuring these communities, and which taxa consistently associate with seagrass. We investigated epibiotic microeukaryotes on seagrass (Zostera marina) leaves, substrates, and planktonic microeukaryotes in ten meadows in the Northeast Pacific. Seagrass epibiotic communities are distinct from planktonic and substrate communities. We found sixteen core microeukaryotes, including dinoflagellates, diatoms, and saprotrophic stramenopiles. Some likely use seagrass leaves as a substrate, others for grazing, or they may be saprotrophic organisms involved in seagrass decomposition or parasites; their relatives have been previously reported from marine sediments and in association with other hosts such as seaweeds. Core microeukaryotes were spatially structured, and none were ubiquitous across meadows. Seagrass epibiota were more spatially structured than planktonic communities, mostly due to spatial distance and changes in abiotic conditions across space. Seawater communities were relatively more similar in composition across sites and more influenced by the environmental component, but more variable over time. Core and transient taxa were both mostly structured by spatial distance and the abiotic environment, with little effect of host attributes, further indicating that those core taxa would not show a strong specific association with Z. marina.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bianca Trevizan Segovia
- Botany and Biodiversity Research Centre, University of British Columbia, Unceded xʷməθkʷəýəm (Musqueam) Territory, 3529-6270 University Blvd., Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z4, Canada.,Hakai Institute, PO BOX 309, Heriot Bay, BC, V0P 1H0, Canada
| | - Rhea Sanders-Smith
- Botany and Biodiversity Research Centre, University of British Columbia, Unceded xʷməθkʷəýəm (Musqueam) Territory, 3529-6270 University Blvd., Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z4, Canada.,Hakai Institute, PO BOX 309, Heriot Bay, BC, V0P 1H0, Canada
| | - Emily M Adamczyk
- Zoology and Biodiversity Research Centre, University of British Columbia, Unceded xʷməθkʷəýəm (Musqueam) Territory, 3529-6270 University Blvd., Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - Coreen Forbes
- Zoology and Biodiversity Research Centre, University of British Columbia, Unceded xʷməθkʷəýəm (Musqueam) Territory, 3529-6270 University Blvd., Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | | | - Mary I O'Connor
- Hakai Institute, PO BOX 309, Heriot Bay, BC, V0P 1H0, Canada.,Zoology and Biodiversity Research Centre, University of British Columbia, Unceded xʷməθkʷəýəm (Musqueam) Territory, 3529-6270 University Blvd., Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - Laura Wegener Parfrey
- Botany and Biodiversity Research Centre, University of British Columbia, Unceded xʷməθkʷəýəm (Musqueam) Territory, 3529-6270 University Blvd., Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z4, Canada.,Hakai Institute, PO BOX 309, Heriot Bay, BC, V0P 1H0, Canada.,Zoology and Biodiversity Research Centre, University of British Columbia, Unceded xʷməθkʷəýəm (Musqueam) Territory, 3529-6270 University Blvd., Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z4, Canada
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36
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Richness of Primary Producers and Consumer Abundance Mediate Epiphyte Loads in a Tropical Seagrass System. DIVERSITY 2020. [DOI: 10.3390/d12100384] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Consumer communities play an important role in maintaining ecosystem structure and function. In seagrass systems, algal regulation by mesograzers provides a critical maintenance function which promotes seagrass productivity. Consumer communities also represent a key link in trophic energy transfer and buffer negative effects to seagrasses associated with eutrophication. Such interactions are well documented in the literature regarding temperate systems, however, it is not clear if the same relationships exist in tropical systems. This study aimed to identify if the invertebrate communities within a tropical, multispecies seagrass meadow moderated epiphyte abundance under natural conditions by comparing algal abundance across two sites at Green Island, Australia. At each site, paired plots were established where invertebrate assemblages were perturbed via insecticide manipulation and compared to unmanipulated plots. An 89% increase in epiphyte abundance was seen after six weeks of experimental invertebrate reductions within the system. Using generalised linear mixed-effect models and path analysis, we found that the abundance of invertebrates was negatively correlated with epiphyte load on seagrass leaves. Habitat species richness was seen to be positively correlated with invertebrate abundance. These findings mirrored those of temperate systems, suggesting this mechanism operates similarly across latitudinal gradients.
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37
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Riera R, Vasconcelos J, Baden S, Gerhardt L, Sousa R, Infantes E. Severe shifts of Zostera marina epifauna: Comparative study between 1997 and 2018 on the Swedish Skagerrak coast. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2020; 158:111434. [PMID: 32753217 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2020.111434] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2020] [Revised: 06/08/2020] [Accepted: 06/30/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
The interaction between bottom-up and top-down processes in coastal ecosystems has been scarcely studied so far. Temporal changes in trophic interactions of Zostera marina along the Swedish west coast are relatively well studied, with the exception of epifaunal communities. Epifauna was used as a model study to explore resource (bottom-up) or predator (top-down) regulated in a vegetated ecosystem. We conducted a 21-year comparative study (1997 and 2018) using epifauna of 19 Zostera marina meadows along the Swedish Skagerrak coast. Large changes were observed in the composition of small (0.2-1 mm) and large (>1 mm) epifauna. In the small-sized epifauna, the nematode Southernia zosterae and harpacticoids showed an increase of 90% and a decrease of 50% of their abundances, respectively. In the large-sized epifauna, the polychaete Platynereis dumerilii and chironomid larvae were absent in 1997 but thrived in 2018 (>2000 ind. m-2). Mesoherbivores (Idoteids and gammarids) were locally very abundant in 1997 but disappeared in 2018. An 83% decline of mytilids settling in Zostera marina leaves was observed. Our results showed that epifauna is predominantly top-down regulated. An integrative framework of the study area is outlined to shed light on the causes and consequences of the environmental shifts reported in Zostera meadows from the northern Skagerrak area throughout the last three decades.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rodrigo Riera
- Departamento de Ecología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Católica de la Santísima Concepción, Casilla 297, Concepción, Chile.
| | - Joana Vasconcelos
- Departamento de Ecología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Católica de la Santísima Concepción, Casilla 297, Concepción, Chile; Secretaria Regional de Educação, Avenida Zarco, Edifício do Governo Regional, 9004-528 Funchal, Madeira, Portugal; Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre (MARE), Quinta do Lorde Marina, Sítio da Piedade, 9200-044 Caniçal, Madeira, Portugal.
| | - Susanne Baden
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Gothenburg, Fiskebäckskil, Sweden.
| | - Linda Gerhardt
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Gothenburg, Fiskebäckskil, Sweden; Söbben 212, 47391 Henån, Sweden.
| | - Ricardo Sousa
- Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre (MARE), Quinta do Lorde Marina, Sítio da Piedade, 9200-044 Caniçal, Madeira, Portugal; Oceanic Observatory of Madeira, Regional Agency for the Development of Research, Technology and Innovation (OOM/ARDITI) - Edifício Madeira Tecnopolo, Piso 0, 9020-105 Funchal, Madeira, Portugal.
| | - Eduardo Infantes
- Department of Marine Sciences, University of Gothenburg, Kristineberg, 45178 Fiskebäckskil, Sweden.
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38
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A spatial regime shift from predator to prey dominance in a large coastal ecosystem. Commun Biol 2020; 3:459. [PMID: 32855431 PMCID: PMC7452892 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-020-01180-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2020] [Accepted: 07/23/2020] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Regime shifts in ecosystem structure and processes are typically studied from a temporal perspective. Yet, theory predicts that in large ecosystems with environmental gradients, shifts should start locally and gradually spread through space. Here we empirically document a spatially propagating shift in the trophic structure of a large aquatic ecosystem, from dominance of large predatory fish (perch, pike) to the small prey fish, the three-spined stickleback. Fish surveys in 486 shallow bays along the 1200 km western Baltic Sea coast during 1979–2017 show that the shift started in wave-exposed archipelago areas near the open sea, but gradually spread towards the wave-sheltered mainland coast. Ecosystem surveys in 32 bays in 2014 show that stickleback predation on juvenile predators (predator–prey reversal) generates a feedback mechanism that appears to reinforce the shift. In summary, managers must account for spatial heterogeneity and dispersal to better predict, detect and confront regime shifts within large ecosystems. Eklöf et al. report a spatially propagating shift in the trophic structure along the western Baltic Sea coast. The authors use fish surveys from 1979–2017 to show a shift from dominance of large predatory fish to the small prey fish, the three-spined stickleback, starting in wave-exposed areas and gradually moving to the wave-sheltered coast.
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39
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Beaumelle L, De Laender F, Eisenhauer N. Biodiversity mediates the effects of stressors but not nutrients on litter decomposition. eLife 2020; 9:55659. [PMID: 32589139 PMCID: PMC7402682 DOI: 10.7554/elife.55659] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2020] [Accepted: 06/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Understanding the consequences of ongoing biodiversity changes for ecosystems is a pressing challenge. Controlled biodiversity-ecosystem function experiments with random biodiversity loss scenarios have demonstrated that more diverse communities usually provide higher levels of ecosystem functioning. However, it is not clear if these results predict the ecosystem consequences of environmental changes that cause non-random alterations in biodiversity and community composition. We synthesized 69 independent studies reporting 660 observations of the impacts of two pervasive drivers of global change (chemical stressors and nutrient enrichment) on animal and microbial decomposer diversity and litter decomposition. Using meta-analysis and structural equation modeling, we show that declines in decomposer diversity and abundance explain reduced litter decomposition in response to stressors but not to nutrients. While chemical stressors generally reduced biodiversity and ecosystem functioning, detrimental effects of nutrients occurred only at high levels of nutrient inputs. Thus, more intense environmental change does not always result in stronger responses, illustrating the complexity of ecosystem consequences of biodiversity change. Overall, these findings provide strong evidence that the consequences of observed biodiversity change for ecosystems depend on the kind of environmental change, and are especially significant when human activities decrease biodiversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Léa Beaumelle
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.,Institute of Biology, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Frederik De Laender
- Research Unit of Environmental and Evolutionary Biology, Namur Institute of Complex Systems, and Institute of Life, Earth, and the Environment, University of Namur, Namur, Belgium
| | - Nico Eisenhauer
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.,Institute of Biology, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany
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40
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Giacomazzo M, Bertolo A, Brodeur P, Massicotte P, Goyette JO, Magnan P. Linking fisheries to land use: How anthropogenic inputs from the watershed shape fish habitat quality. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2020; 717:135377. [PMID: 31839291 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.135377] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2019] [Revised: 10/31/2019] [Accepted: 11/02/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Aquatic ecosystems are increasingly threatened by anthropogenic stressors, both at local and larger scales. For instance, runoff from intensively cultivated areas leads to higher nutrient and sediment concentrations deteriorating water quality, which potentially trigger trophic state changes. Unfortunately, we have a poor understanding of the complex relationships linking water quality degradation and different ecosystem components. Here we analyze the long-term cascading effects of several anthropogenic stressors on both submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) and the key traits of an exploited yellow perch (Perca flavescens, YP) population from the watershed of Lake Saint-Pierre - the largest fluvial lake of the St. Lawrence River (Québec, Canada). Lake Saint-Pierre drains one of the most impacted watersheds in Eastern Canada and had sustained a YP fishery (worth up to 10 M$ CAN/year) until the population collapsed in the mid-1990s. SAV abundance has declined since the 1980s, partially overlapping with the YP collapse. Within a structural equation modeling framework, we tested the links between changes in both SAV abundance and the YP fishery with abiotic stressors acting at both local and larger scales. Our results show that both SAV and YP declines are causally associated with anthropogenic nutrient and sediment loadings from the watershed. The decline of YP landings is also explained by a reduction in SAV abundance and YP juvenile growth, mainly caused by a sharp decrease in water transparency over the last decades. These results suggest a causal association between environmental degradation due to nutrients and sediments and different components of the trophic aquatic network. Such an integrative approach is crucial for the development of management strategies that consider cultivated lands and aquatic systems as a continuum rather than separate compartments. SAV restoration is thus a critical feature contributing to water depuration and promoting the recovery of fish populations threatened by habitat degradation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matteo Giacomazzo
- Centre for Research on Watershed - Aquatic Ecosystem Interactions, University of Québec at Trois-Rivières, G9A 5H7, Canada
| | - Andrea Bertolo
- Centre for Research on Watershed - Aquatic Ecosystem Interactions, University of Québec at Trois-Rivières, G9A 5H7, Canada.
| | - Philippe Brodeur
- Direction de la gestion de la faune Mauricie - Centre-du-Québec, Ministère des Forêts, de la Faune et des Parcs, Québec G9A 5S9, Canada
| | - Philippe Massicotte
- Université Laval, G1V 0A6, Canada; Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, France
| | | | - Pierre Magnan
- Centre for Research on Watershed - Aquatic Ecosystem Interactions, University of Québec at Trois-Rivières, G9A 5H7, Canada
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41
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Chang FH, Ke PJ, Cardinale B. Weak intra-guild predation facilitates consumer coexistence but does not guarantee higher consumer density. Ecol Modell 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ecolmodel.2020.109019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
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42
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Henderson CJ, Gilby BL, Schlacher TA, Connolly RM, Sheaves M, Maxwell PS, Flint N, Borland HP, Martin TSH, Olds AD. Low redundancy and complementarity shape ecosystem functioning in a low-diversity ecosystem. J Anim Ecol 2019; 89:784-794. [PMID: 31758695 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.13148] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2019] [Accepted: 10/17/2019] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Ecosystem functioning is positively linked to biodiversity on land and in the sea. In high-diversity systems (e.g. coral reefs), species coexist by sharing resources and providing similar functions at different temporal or spatial scales. How species combine to deliver the ecological function they provide is pivotal for maintaining the structure, functioning and resilience of some ecosystems, but the significance of this is rarely examined in low-diversity systems such as estuaries. We tested whether an ecological function is shaped by biodiversity in a low-diversity ecosystem by measuring the consumption of carrion by estuarine scavengers. Carrion (e.g. decaying animal flesh) is opportunistically fed on by a large number of species across numerous ecosystems. Estuaries were chosen as the model system because carrion consumption is a pivotal ecological function in coastal seascapes, and estuaries are thought to support diverse scavenger assemblages, which are modified by changes in water quality and the urbanization of estuarine shorelines. We used baited underwater video arrays to record scavengers and measure the rate at which carrion was consumed by fish in 39 estuaries across 1,000 km of coastline in eastern Australia. Carrion consumption was positively correlated with the abundance of only one species, yellowfin bream Acanthopagrus australis, which consumed 58% of all deployed carrion. The consumption of carrion by yellowfin bream was greatest in urban estuaries with moderately hardened shorelines (20%-60%) and relatively large subtidal rock bars (>0.1 km2 ). Our findings demonstrate that an ecological function can be maintained across estuarine seascapes despite both limited redundancy (i.e. dominated by one species) and complementarity (i.e. there is no spatial context where the function is delivered significantly when yellowfin bream are not present) in the functional traits of animal assemblages. The continued functioning of estuaries, and other low-diversity ecosystems, might therefore not be tightly linked to biodiversity, and we suggest that the preservation of functionally dominant species that maintain functions in these systems could help to improve conservation outcomes for coastal seascapes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher J Henderson
- School of Science and Engineering, University of the Sunshine Coast, Maroochydore, Qld, Australia
| | - Ben L Gilby
- School of Science and Engineering, University of the Sunshine Coast, Maroochydore, Qld, Australia
| | - Thomas A Schlacher
- School of Science and Engineering, University of the Sunshine Coast, Maroochydore, Qld, Australia
| | - Rod M Connolly
- Australian Rivers Institute - Coasts & Estuaries and School of Environment and Science, Griffith University, Gold Coast, Qld, Australia
| | - Marcus Sheaves
- School of Marine and Tropical Biology, James Cook University, Townsville, Qld, Australia
| | | | - Nicole Flint
- School of Health, Medical and Applied Sciences, Central Queensland University, Rockhampton, Qld, Australia
| | - Hayden P Borland
- School of Science and Engineering, University of the Sunshine Coast, Maroochydore, Qld, Australia
| | - Tyson S H Martin
- School of Science and Engineering, University of the Sunshine Coast, Maroochydore, Qld, Australia.,Australian Rivers Institute - Coasts & Estuaries and School of Environment and Science, Griffith University, Gold Coast, Qld, Australia
| | - Andrew D Olds
- School of Science and Engineering, University of the Sunshine Coast, Maroochydore, Qld, Australia
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43
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Douglas EJ, Lohrer AM, Pilditch CA. Biodiversity breakpoints along stress gradients in estuaries and associated shifts in ecosystem interactions. Sci Rep 2019; 9:17567. [PMID: 31772300 PMCID: PMC6879482 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-54192-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2019] [Accepted: 11/06/2019] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Denitrification in coastal sediments can provide resilience to eutrophication in estuarine ecosystems, but this key ecosystem function is impacted directly and indirectly by increasing stressors. The erosion and loading of fine sediments from land, resulting in sedimentation and elevated sediment muddiness, presents a significant threat to coastal ecosystems worldwide. Impacts on biodiversity with increasing sediment mud content are relatively well understood, but corresponding impacts on denitrification are uncharacterised. Soft sediment ecosystems have a network of interrelated biotic and abiotic ecosystem components that contribute to microbial nitrogen cycling, but these components (especially biodiversity measures) and their relationships with ecosystem functions are sensitive to stress. With a large dataset spanning broad environmental gradients this study uses interaction network analysis to present a mechanistic view of the ecological interactions that contribute to microbial nitrogen cycling, showing significant changes above and below a stressor (mud) threshold. Our models demonstrate that positive biodiversity effects become more critical with a higher level of sedimentation stress, and show that effective ecosystem management for resilience requires different action under different scenarios.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily J Douglas
- George Mason Centre for the Natural Environment, The University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, Auckland, 1142, New Zealand.
- National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research, PO Box 11-115, Hillcrest, Hamilton, 3251, New Zealand.
| | - Andrew M Lohrer
- National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research, PO Box 11-115, Hillcrest, Hamilton, 3251, New Zealand
| | - Conrad A Pilditch
- School of Science, University of Waikato, Private Bag 3105, Hamilton, 3216, New Zealand
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44
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Reynolds PL, Stachowicz JJ, Hovel K, Boström C, Boyer K, Cusson M, Eklöf JS, Engel FG, Engelen AH, Eriksson BK, Fodrie FJ, Griffin JN, Hereu CM, Hori M, Hanley TC, Ivanov M, Jorgensen P, Kruschel C, Lee KS, McGlathery K, Moksnes PO, Nakaoka M, O'Connor MI, O'Connor NE, Orth RJ, Rossi F, Ruesink J, Sotka EE, Thormar J, Tomas F, Unsworth RKF, Whalen MA, Duffy JE. Latitude, temperature, and habitat complexity predict predation pressure in eelgrass beds across the Northern Hemisphere. Ecology 2019; 99:29-35. [PMID: 29083472 DOI: 10.1002/ecy.2064] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2017] [Revised: 08/23/2017] [Accepted: 08/30/2017] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Latitudinal gradients in species interactions are widely cited as potential causes or consequences of global patterns of biodiversity. However, mechanistic studies documenting changes in interactions across broad geographic ranges are limited. We surveyed predation intensity on common prey (live amphipods and gastropods) in communities of eelgrass (Zostera marina) at 48 sites across its Northern Hemisphere range, encompassing over 37° of latitude and four continental coastlines. Predation on amphipods declined with latitude on all coasts but declined more strongly along western ocean margins where temperature gradients are steeper. Whereas in situ water temperature at the time of the experiments was uncorrelated with predation, mean annual temperature strongly positively predicted predation, suggesting a more complex mechanism than simply increased metabolic activity at the time of predation. This large-scale biogeographic pattern was modified by local habitat characteristics; predation declined with higher shoot density both among and within sites. Predation rates on gastropods, by contrast, were uniformly low and varied little among sites. The high replication and geographic extent of our study not only provides additional evidence to support biogeographic variation in predation intensity, but also insight into the mechanisms that relate temperature and biogeographic gradients in species interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pamela L Reynolds
- Data Science Initiative, University of California, Davis, California, 95616, USA.,Department of Evolution and Ecology, University of California, Davis, California, 95616, USA.,Virginia Institute of Marine Science, College of William & Mary, Gloucester Point, Virginia, 23062, USA
| | - John J Stachowicz
- Department of Evolution and Ecology, University of California, Davis, California, 95616, USA
| | - Kevin Hovel
- Department of Biology, Coastal & Marine Institute, San Diego State University, San Diego, California, 92182, USA
| | | | - Katharyn Boyer
- San Francisco State University, San Francisco, California, 94132, USA
| | - Mathieu Cusson
- Université du Québec à Chicoutimi, Chicoutimi, Québec, G7H 2B1, Canada
| | | | - Friederike G Engel
- University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.,GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research, Kiel, Germany
| | | | | | - F Joel Fodrie
- Institute of Marine Sciences, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Morehead City, North Carolina, 28557, USA
| | - John N Griffin
- College of Science, Swansea University, Singleton Park, Swansea, SA2 8PP, UK
| | - Clara M Hereu
- Universidad Autónoma de Baja California, Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico
| | - Masakazu Hori
- National Research Institute of Fisheries and Environment of Inland Sea (FEIS) Japan Fisheries Research and Education Agency (FRA) Hatsukaichi, Hiroshima, 739-0452, Japan
| | - Torrance C Hanley
- Northeastern University Marine Science Center, Nahant, Massachusetts, 01908, USA
| | | | - Pablo Jorgensen
- Universidad Autónoma de Baja California, Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico.,Geomare, Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico
| | | | | | | | - Per-Olav Moksnes
- Department of Marine Sciences, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Masahiro Nakaoka
- Akkeshi Marine Station, Field Science Center for Northern Biosphere, Hokkaido University, Akkeshi, Hokkaido, 088-1113, Japan
| | - Mary I O'Connor
- University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | | | - Robert J Orth
- Virginia Institute of Marine Science, College of William & Mary, Gloucester Point, Virginia, 23062, USA
| | - Francesca Rossi
- CNRS, UMR 9190 MARBEC, Université de Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | | | - Erik E Sotka
- College of Charleston, Charleston, South Carolina, 29412, USA
| | | | - Fiona Tomas
- Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon, 97331, USA.,Instituto Mediterráneo de Estudios Avanzados, Illes Balears UIB-CSIC, Spain
| | | | - Matthew A Whalen
- Department of Evolution and Ecology, University of California, Davis, California, 95616, USA
| | - J Emmett Duffy
- Virginia Institute of Marine Science, College of William & Mary, Gloucester Point, Virginia, 23062, USA.,Tennenbaum Marine Observatories Network, Smithsonian Institution, Edgewater, Maryland, 21037, USA
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45
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Wasson K, Raposa K, Almeida M, Beheshti K, Crooks JA, Deck A, Dix N, Garvey C, Goldstein J, Johnson DS, Lerberg S, Marcum P, Peter C, Puckett B, Schmitt J, Smith E, Laurent KS, Swanson K, Tyrrell M, Guy R. Pattern and scale: evaluating generalities in crab distributions and marsh dynamics from small plots to a national scale. Ecology 2019; 100:e02813. [PMID: 31291466 DOI: 10.1002/ecy.2813] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2019] [Revised: 06/03/2019] [Accepted: 06/13/2019] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
The generality of ecological patterns depends inextricably on the scale at which they are examined. We investigated patterns of crab distribution and the relationship between crabs and vegetation in salt marshes at multiple scales. By using consistent monitoring protocols across 15 U.S. National Estuarine Research Reserves, we were able to synthesize patterns from the scale of quadrats to the entire marsh landscape to regional and national scales. Some generalities emerged across marshes from our overall models, and these are useful for informing broad coastal management policy. We found that crab burrow distribution within a marsh could be predicted by marsh elevation, distance to creek and soil compressibility. While these physical factors also affected marsh vegetation cover, we did not find a strong or consistent overall effect of crabs at a broad scale in our multivariate model, though regressions conducted separately for each site revealed that crab burrows were negatively correlated with vegetation cover at 4 out of 15 sites. This contrasts with recent smaller-scale studies and meta-analyses synthesizing such studies that detected strong negative effects of crabs on marshes, likely because we sampled across the entire marsh landscape, while targeted studies are typically limited to low-lying areas near creeks, where crab burrow densities are highest. Our results suggest that sea-level rise generally poses a bigger threat to marshes than crabs, but there will likely be interactions between these physical and biological factors. Beyond these generalities across marshes, we detected some regional differences in crab community composition, richness, and abundance. However, we found striking differences among sites within regions, and within sites, in terms of crab abundance and relationships to marsh integrity. Although generalities are broadly useful, our findings indicate that local managers cannot rely on data from other nearby systems, but rather need local information for developing salt marsh management strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kerstin Wasson
- Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve, 1700 Elkhorn Road, Royal Oaks, California, 95076, USA.,University of California, Santa Cruz, 115 McAllister Way, Santa Cruz, California, 95060, USA
| | - Kenneth Raposa
- Narragansett Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve, P.O. Box 151, Prudence Island, Rhode Island, 02872, USA
| | - Monica Almeida
- Tijuana River National Estuarine Research Reserve, 301 Caspian Way, Imperial Beach, California, 91932, USA
| | - Kathryn Beheshti
- University of California, Santa Cruz, 115 McAllister Way, Santa Cruz, California, 95060, USA
| | - Jeffrey A Crooks
- Tijuana River National Estuarine Research Reserve, 301 Caspian Way, Imperial Beach, California, 91932, USA
| | - Anna Deck
- San Francisco Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve, Estuary & Ocean Science Center, San Francisco State University, 3150 Paradise Drive, Tiburon, California, 94920, USA
| | - Nikki Dix
- Guana Tolomato Matanzas National Estuarine Research Reserve, 505 Guana River Road, Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, 32082, USA
| | - Caitlin Garvey
- University of Connecticut, 75 North Eagleville, Storrs, Connecticut, 06269, USA
| | - Jason Goldstein
- Wells National Estuarine Research Reserve, Maine Coastal Ecology Center, 342 Laudholm Farm Road, Wells, Maine, 04090, USA
| | - David Samuel Johnson
- Virginia Institute of Marine Science, The College of William & Mary, P.O. Box 1346, Gloucester Point, Virginia, 23062, USA
| | - Scott Lerberg
- Chesapeake Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve of Virginia, Virginia Institute of Marine Science, The College of William & Mary, P.O. Box 1346, Gloucester Point, Virginia, 23062, USA
| | - Pamela Marcum
- Guana Tolomato Matanzas National Estuarine Research Reserve, 505 Guana River Road, Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, 32082, USA
| | - Christopher Peter
- Great Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve, 89 Depot Road, Greenland, New Hampshire, 03840, USA
| | - Brandon Puckett
- North Carolina National Estuarine Research Reserve, 101 Pivers Island Road, Beaufort, North Carolina, 28516, USA
| | - Jenni Schmitt
- South Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve, P.O. Box 5417, Charleston, Oregon, 97420, USA
| | - Erik Smith
- North Inlet - Winyah Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve, Baruch Marine Field Laboratory, University of South Carolina, P.O. Box 1630, Georgetown, South Carolina, 29442, USA
| | - Kari St Laurent
- Delaware National Estuarine Research Reserve, 818 Kitts Hummock Road, Dover, Delaware, 19901, USA
| | - Katie Swanson
- Mission-Aransas National Estuarine Research Reserve, University of Texas Marine Science Institute, 750 Channel View Drive, Port Aransas, Texas, 78373, USA
| | - Megan Tyrrell
- Waquoit Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve, 131 Waquoit Highway, Waquoit, Massachusetts, 02536, USA
| | - Rachel Guy
- Sapelo Island National Estuarine Research Reserve, P.O. Box 15, Sapelo Island, Georgia, 31327, USA
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Unsworth RKF, McKenzie LJ, Collier CJ, Cullen-Unsworth LC, Duarte CM, Eklöf JS, Jarvis JC, Jones BL, Nordlund LM. Global challenges for seagrass conservation. AMBIO 2019; 48:801-815. [PMID: 30456457 PMCID: PMC6541581 DOI: 10.1007/s13280-018-1115-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 70] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2018] [Revised: 10/18/2018] [Accepted: 10/23/2018] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
Seagrasses, flowering marine plants that form underwater meadows, play a significant global role in supporting food security, mitigating climate change and supporting biodiversity. Although progress is being made to conserve seagrass meadows in select areas, most meadows remain under significant pressure resulting in a decline in meadow condition and loss of function. Effective management strategies need to be implemented to reverse seagrass loss and enhance their fundamental role in coastal ocean habitats. Here we propose that seagrass meadows globally face a series of significant common challenges that must be addressed from a multifaceted and interdisciplinary perspective in order to achieve global conservation of seagrass meadows. The six main global challenges to seagrass conservation are (1) a lack of awareness of what seagrasses are and a limited societal recognition of the importance of seagrasses in coastal systems; (2) the status of many seagrass meadows are unknown, and up-to-date information on status and condition is essential; (3) understanding threatening activities at local scales is required to target management actions accordingly; (4) expanding our understanding of interactions between the socio-economic and ecological elements of seagrass systems is essential to balance the needs of people and the planet; (5) seagrass research should be expanded to generate scientific inquiries that support conservation actions; (6) increased understanding of the linkages between seagrass and climate change is required to adapt conservation accordingly. We also explicitly outline a series of proposed policy actions that will enable the scientific and conservation community to rise to these challenges. We urge the seagrass conservation community to engage stakeholders from local resource users to international policy-makers to address the challenges outlined here, in order to secure the future of the world's seagrass ecosystems and maintain the vital services which they supply.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard K. F. Unsworth
- Seagrass Ecosystem Research Group, College of Science, Swansea University, Wallace Building, Swansea, SA2 8PP UK
- Project Seagrass, 33 Park Place, Cardiff, CF10 3BA UK
| | - Len J. McKenzie
- Centre for Tropical Water & Aquatic Ecosystem Research, James Cook University, Cairns, Australia
| | - Catherine J. Collier
- Centre for Tropical Water & Aquatic Ecosystem Research, James Cook University, Cairns, Australia
| | - Leanne C. Cullen-Unsworth
- Project Seagrass, 33 Park Place, Cardiff, CF10 3BA UK
- Sustainable Places Research Institute, Cardiff University, 33 Park Place, Cardiff, CF10 3BA UK
| | - Carlos M. Duarte
- Red Sea Research Center (RSRC), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, 23955-6900 Saudi Arabia
| | - Johan S. Eklöf
- Department of Ecology, Environment and Plant Sciences, Stockholm University, 106 91 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Jessie C. Jarvis
- Department of Biology & Marine Biology, Center for Marine Science, University of North Carolina Wilmington, 601 South College Rd, Wilmington, NC 28403 USA
| | - Benjamin L. Jones
- Project Seagrass, 33 Park Place, Cardiff, CF10 3BA UK
- Sustainable Places Research Institute, Cardiff University, 33 Park Place, Cardiff, CF10 3BA UK
| | - Lina M. Nordlund
- Natural Resources and Sustainable Development, NRHU Department of Earth Sciences, Uppsala University, Campus Gotland, Sweden
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Kindeberg T, Röhr E, Moksnes PO, Boström C, Holmer M. Variation of carbon contents in eelgrass ( Zostera marina) sediments implied from depth profiles. Biol Lett 2019; 15:20180831. [PMID: 31238855 DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2018.0831] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Seagrass meadows are able to store significant amounts of organic carbon in their underlying sediment, but global estimates are uncertain partly owing to spatio-temporal heterogeneity between and within areas and species. In order to provide robust estimates, there is a need to better understand the fate of, and mechanisms behind, organic carbon storage. In this observational study, we analyse a suite of biotic and abiotic parameters in sediment cores from 47 different eelgrass ( Zostera marina) beds spanning the distributional range of the Northern Hemisphere. Depth profiles of particulate organic carbon (POC) revealed three patterns of vertical distribution where POC either increased, decreased or showed no pattern with sediment depth. These categories exhibited distinct profiles of δ13C and C:N ratios, where high POC profiles had a proportionally larger storage of eelgrass-derived material whereas low POC profiles were dominated by phytoplanktonic and macroalgal material. However, high POC did not always translate into high carbon density. Nevertheless, this large-scale dataset provides evidence that the variability in organic matter source in response to natural and anthropogenic environmental changes affects the potential role of eelgrass beds as POC sinks, particularly where eelgrass decline is observed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Theodor Kindeberg
- 1 Department of Biology, University of Southern Denmark , Odense , Denmark
| | - Emilia Röhr
- 1 Department of Biology, University of Southern Denmark , Odense , Denmark.,2 Environmental and Marine Biology, Åbo Akademi University , Åbo , Finland
| | - Per-Olav Moksnes
- 3 Department of Marine Sciences, University of Gothenburg , Gothenburg , Sweden
| | | | - Marianne Holmer
- 1 Department of Biology, University of Southern Denmark , Odense , Denmark
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Herbivory regulates the establishment of a native species of submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) in a tidal estuary of the USA. Oecologia 2019; 190:639-650. [PMID: 31230153 PMCID: PMC6647907 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-019-04439-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2018] [Accepted: 06/17/2019] [Indexed: 12/04/2022]
Abstract
Herbivores are a diverse group of fauna that shape the distribution and composition of plant communities. In some cases, herbivory may prevent the re-establishment of submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV), such as Vallisneria americana, into systems. The goal of this study was to investigate the role and nature of herbivory on V. americana transplants with camera and transect surveys of grazing intensity and with field and laboratory grazing experiments using a suspected herbivore, the blue crab, Callinectes sapidus. Camera surveys recorded C. sapidus clipping and consuming shoots of V. americana for the first time. Grazing intensity surveys in low-salinity regions of the lower Chesapeake Bay indicated that the majority of V. americana transplants (50–75%) were clipped off at their base within one week of planting. Field and laboratory experiments demonstrated that C. sapidus clips and consumes V. americana as well as other rapidly colonizing, non-native SAV. Analysis of the gut contents of C. sapidus caught in SAV beds in the Chesapeake Bay revealed that SAV comprised 16% of their stomach contents, suggesting low levels of C. sapidus herbivory occurred over a wide area. Callinectes sapidus is yet another animal documented to consume SAV for some portion of their diet. These results also suggest that herbivores or omnivores, including C. sapidus, can serve as bottlenecks to recovery of SAV, like V. americana, in some areas. Herbivores may not serve as bottlenecks in other environments or to other SAV with more rapid plant growth or higher recruitment levels that may overcome grazing pressure.
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49
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Hacker SD, Menge BA, Nielsen KJ, Chan F, Gouhier TC. Regional processes are stronger determinants of rocky intertidal community dynamics than local biotic interactions. Ecology 2019; 100:e02763. [PMID: 31127616 DOI: 10.1002/ecy.2763] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2018] [Revised: 04/18/2019] [Accepted: 04/26/2019] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
Understanding the relative roles of species interactions and environmental factors in structuring communities has historically focused on local scales where manipulative experiments are possible. However, recent interest in predicting the effects of climate change and species invasions has spurred increasing attention to processes occurring at larger spatial and temporal scales. The "meta-ecosystem" approach is an ideal framework for integrating processes operating at multiple scales as it explicitly considers the influence of local biotic interactions and regional flows of energy, materials, and organisms on community structure. Using a comparative-experimental design, we asked (1) what is the relative importance of local biotic interactions and oceanic processes in determining rocky intertidal community structure in the low zone within the Northern California Current System, and (2) what factors are most important in regulating this structure and why? We focused on functional group interactions between macrophytes and sessile invertebrates and their consumers (grazers, predators), how these varied across spatial scales, and with ocean-driven conditions (upwelling, temperature) and ecological subsidies (nutrients, phytoplankton, sessile invertebrate recruits). Experiments were conducted at 13 sites divided across four capes in Oregon and northern California. Results showed that biotic interactions were variable in space and time but overall, sessile invertebrates had no effect on macrophytes while macrophytes had weakly negative effects on sessile invertebrates. Consumers, particularly predators, also had weakly negative effects on both functional groups. Overall, we found that 40-49% of the variance in community structure at the local scale was explained by external factors (e.g., spatial scale, time, upwelling, temperature, ecological subsidies) vs. 19-39% explained by functional group interactions. When individual functional group interaction strengths were used, only 2-3% of the variation was explained by any one functional group while 28-54% of the variation was explained by external factors. We conclude that community structure in the low intertidal zone is driven primarily by external factors at the regional scale with local biotic interactions playing a secondary role.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sally D Hacker
- Department of Integrative Biology, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon, 97331-2914, USA
| | - Bruce A Menge
- Department of Integrative Biology, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon, 97331-2914, USA
| | - Karina J Nielsen
- Estuary and Ocean Science Center, San Francisco State University, Tiburon, California, 94920, USA
| | - Francis Chan
- Department of Integrative Biology, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon, 97331-2914, USA
| | - Tarik C Gouhier
- Marine Science Institute, Northeastern University, Nahant, Massachusetts, 01908, USA
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50
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Abstract
Invertebrate diversity can be a key driver of ecosystem functioning, yet understanding what factors influence local biodiversity remains uncertain. In many marine and terrestrial systems, facilitation cascades where primary foundation and/or autogenic ecosystem engineering species promote the settlement and survival of a secondary foundation/engineering species have been shown to enhance local biodiversity and ecosystem functioning. We experimentally tested if a facilitation cascade occurs among eelgrass (Zostera marina), pen clams (Atrina rigida), and community diversity in temperate seagrass beds in North Carolina, U.S.A., and if this sequence of direct positive interactions created feedbacks that affected various metrics of seagrass ecosystem function and structure. Using a combination of surveys and transplant experiments, we found that pen clam density and survivorship was significantly greater in seagrass beds, indicating that eelgrass facilitates pen clams. Pen clams in turn enhanced local diversity and increased both the abundance and species richness of organisms (specifically, macroalgae and fouling invertebrate fauna)—the effect of which scaled with increasing clam density. However, we failed to detect an impact of pen clams on other seagrass functions and hypothesize that functioning may more likely be enhanced in scenarios where secondary foundation species specifically increase the diversity of key functional groups such as epiphyte grazers and/or when bivalves are infaunal rather than epifaunal. Our findings add to the growing amount of literature that demonstrates that secondary foundation species are important drivers of local biodiversity in marine ecosystems. Further experimentation is needed that directly examines (i) the role of functional versus overall diversity on seagrass functions and (ii) the relative importance of life-history strategy in determining when and where engineering bivalves increase biodiversity and/or functioning of seagrass beds.
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