Effect of habitat complexity shaping epifaunal assemblages associated with macroalgae
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1
CIIMAR, Portugal
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2
Estación de Bioloxía Mariña da Graña, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Spain
Habitat structure is a crucial factor determining the organism distribution. The aim of this study was to elucidate effects of habitat morphology in shaping epifaunal assemblages. To achieve this aim, intertidal macroalgae, apparently different in morphology, were used as model organisms. Different species of annual and perennial macroalgae were sampled from intertidal rocky shores and their epifaunal assemblages were studied. To provide a complete overview of macroalgal morphology, biomass was used as a proxy of habitat size and fractal measures as proxies of habitat architecture. We used a linear mixed model to determine the influence of habitat morphology in shaping the abundance, richness and structure of epifaunal assemblages. Results revealed significant differences in the morphology and in abundance, richness and the structure of epifaunal assemblages among macroalgal species. Results suggested that, beside the effect of habitat size, the habitat architecture also seems to play a significant role in shaping epifaunal assemblages (Veiga et al 2014). Our results also highlight the need of including different faunal components (i.e. macrofauna and meiofauna) to achieve a comprehensive knowledge on effects of habitat morphology (Veiga et al in press). When annual macroalgae were considered, differences on epifaunal assemblages between macroalgae were mainly due to the different identities and relative abundance of epifaunal species (Torres et al 2015). However, differences in the abundance and structure of assemblages were shore dependent, possibly due to the surrounding landscape heterogeneity.
References
Torres, A.C., Veiga, P., Rubal, M., and Sousa-Pinto, I. (2015). The role of annual macroalgal morphology in driving its epifaunal assemblages. Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology 464, 96-106. doi: 10.1016/j.jembe.2014.12.016
Veiga, P., Rubal, M., and Sousa-Pinto, I. (2014). Structural complexity of macroalgae influences epifaunal assemblages associated with native and invasive species. Marine Environmental Research 101, 115-123. doi: 10.1016/j.marenvres.2014.09.007
Veiga, P., Sousa-Pinto, I., and Rubal, M. (In press). Meiofaunal assemblages associated with native and non-indigenous macroalgae. Continental Shelf Research. doi: 10.1016/j.csr.2016.04.007
Keywords:
Epifaunal assemblages,
macroalgae,
habitat complexity,
Habitat size,
Habitat architecture
Conference:
XIX Iberian Symposium on Marine Biology Studies, Porto, Portugal, 5 Sep - 9 Sep, 2016.
Presentation Type:
Oral Presentation
Topic:
1. ECOLOGY, BIODIVERSITY AND VULNERABLE ECOSYSTEMS
Citation:
Veiga
P,
Torres
A,
Garcia-Costa
R,
Besteiro
C,
Sousa-Pinto
I and
Rubal
M
(2016). Effect of habitat complexity shaping epifaunal assemblages associated with macroalgae.
Front. Mar. Sci.
Conference Abstract:
XIX Iberian Symposium on Marine Biology Studies.
doi: 10.3389/conf.FMARS.2016.05.00045
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Received:
28 Apr 2016;
Published Online:
02 Sep 2016.
*
Correspondence:
Dr. Puri Veiga, CIIMAR, Porto, Portugal, puri.sanchez@fc.up.pt