Mussels and canopy-forming algae as ecosystem engineers: their contribution to community organization in the rocky sublittoral
Understanding the influence of biogenic habitats on species assemblage structure and ecosystem productivity is crucial for successful conservation of natural systems. Brown algae, Fucus vesiculosus, and blue mussels, Mytilus trossulus, coexist on sheltered and moderately wave exposed shallow rocky r...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2022-08-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Marine Science |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmars.2022.929899/full |
| _version_ | 1811313800354201600 |
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| author | Mats Westerbom Mats Westerbom Maria Koivisto |
| author_facet | Mats Westerbom Mats Westerbom Maria Koivisto |
| author_sort | Mats Westerbom |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Understanding the influence of biogenic habitats on species assemblage structure and ecosystem productivity is crucial for successful conservation of natural systems. Brown algae, Fucus vesiculosus, and blue mussels, Mytilus trossulus, coexist on sheltered and moderately wave exposed shallow rocky reefs of the northern Baltic Proper. Here, they function as important biogenic structures for an abundant associated macroinvertebrate fauna. Despite their dominance and space sympatry, there is little understanding of how they differ in their role as provisioners of biodiversity in this system. While Fucus has been recognized as an important habitat provider for decades, the similar role of blue mussels has been seriously understudied in the northern Baltic Proper, leading to pressing knowledge gaps and an underestimation of their role for overall biodiversity. In this study, we compared macroinvertebrate species assemblages within 40 rocky reefs where Fucus and Mytilus co-occur in either intermixed or adjacent assemblages. We show that both habitats represent a species rich and abundant community that are comparable regarding diversity. However, abundance and biomass of the associated community is much higher in the Mytilus habitat in relation to the Fucus habitat, implying a far higher secondary production in the former habitat. Recognizing key habitats and understanding how they differ in their ability to support biodiversity and ecosystem productivity is necessary for predicting community responses to human pressures, including an altered climate, and for implementing efficient mitigation actions to minimize loss of biodiversity. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-13T11:01:22Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-9777c732312242a88b5f68f9e021b31b |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2296-7745 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-13T11:01:22Z |
| publishDate | 2022-08-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Marine Science |
| spelling | doaj.art-9777c732312242a88b5f68f9e021b31b2022-12-22T02:49:24ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Marine Science2296-77452022-08-01910.3389/fmars.2022.929899929899Mussels and canopy-forming algae as ecosystem engineers: their contribution to community organization in the rocky sublittoralMats Westerbom0Mats Westerbom1Maria Koivisto2Natural Resource Institute Finland Luonnonvarakeskus (LUKE), Turku, FinlandTvärminne Zoological Station, Helsinki University, Hangö, FinlandTvärminne Zoological Station, Helsinki University, Hangö, FinlandUnderstanding the influence of biogenic habitats on species assemblage structure and ecosystem productivity is crucial for successful conservation of natural systems. Brown algae, Fucus vesiculosus, and blue mussels, Mytilus trossulus, coexist on sheltered and moderately wave exposed shallow rocky reefs of the northern Baltic Proper. Here, they function as important biogenic structures for an abundant associated macroinvertebrate fauna. Despite their dominance and space sympatry, there is little understanding of how they differ in their role as provisioners of biodiversity in this system. While Fucus has been recognized as an important habitat provider for decades, the similar role of blue mussels has been seriously understudied in the northern Baltic Proper, leading to pressing knowledge gaps and an underestimation of their role for overall biodiversity. In this study, we compared macroinvertebrate species assemblages within 40 rocky reefs where Fucus and Mytilus co-occur in either intermixed or adjacent assemblages. We show that both habitats represent a species rich and abundant community that are comparable regarding diversity. However, abundance and biomass of the associated community is much higher in the Mytilus habitat in relation to the Fucus habitat, implying a far higher secondary production in the former habitat. Recognizing key habitats and understanding how they differ in their ability to support biodiversity and ecosystem productivity is necessary for predicting community responses to human pressures, including an altered climate, and for implementing efficient mitigation actions to minimize loss of biodiversity.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmars.2022.929899/fullbiodiversityfacilitationfoundation speciescommunity compositionconservationFucus |
| spellingShingle | Mats Westerbom Mats Westerbom Maria Koivisto Mussels and canopy-forming algae as ecosystem engineers: their contribution to community organization in the rocky sublittoral Frontiers in Marine Science biodiversity facilitation foundation species community composition conservation Fucus |
| title | Mussels and canopy-forming algae as ecosystem engineers: their contribution to community organization in the rocky sublittoral |
| title_full | Mussels and canopy-forming algae as ecosystem engineers: their contribution to community organization in the rocky sublittoral |
| title_fullStr | Mussels and canopy-forming algae as ecosystem engineers: their contribution to community organization in the rocky sublittoral |
| title_full_unstemmed | Mussels and canopy-forming algae as ecosystem engineers: their contribution to community organization in the rocky sublittoral |
| title_short | Mussels and canopy-forming algae as ecosystem engineers: their contribution to community organization in the rocky sublittoral |
| title_sort | mussels and canopy forming algae as ecosystem engineers their contribution to community organization in the rocky sublittoral |
| topic | biodiversity facilitation foundation species community composition conservation Fucus |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmars.2022.929899/full |
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