New metric of microhabitat complexity predicts species richness on a rocky shore

2013 ◽  
Vol 34 (4) ◽  
pp. 484-491 ◽  
Author(s):  
Justin J. Meager ◽  
Thomas A. Schlacher
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Rocky Shore ◽  
Microhabitat Complexity

scholarly journals Gastropod diversity at Pulau Punyit and the nearby shoreline – a reflection of Brunei’s vulnerable rocky intertidal communities

2018 ◽  
Vol 16 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
David J. Marshall ◽  
Azmi Aminuddin ◽  
Pg Saimon Pg Hj Ahmad
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Abiotic Stresses ◽  
Rocky Shore ◽  
Rocky Intertidal ◽  
Habitat Availability ◽  
Rocky Shores ◽  
Gastropod Species ◽  
Brunei Darussalam ◽  
Intertidal Gastropod ◽  
High Shore

Pulau Punyit (PPUN), a small islet on the South China Sea coastline of Brunei Darussalam, represents a significant portion of the country’s natural rocky-shore ecosystem. We carried out a rapid survey of the intertidal gastropod species richness at PPUN, and compared this with species richness at other nearby natural and artificial rocky shores [Tungku Punyit (TPUN), Pantai Jerudong (PJER), Jerudong Park Medical Centre (JPMC) and Pantai Tungku (TUNK)]. A total of thirty two (32) species were collected from all of the shores. Species richness was greatest at the two natural shores studied (numbering 21 and 22 species at PPUN and TPUN, respectively), while the artificial shores were relatively depauperate. The natural shores however differed in species composition, abundance and body size of gastropods. These attributes varied with shore height, and appeared to relate to height-specific differences in abiotic stresses at the shores - at PPUN the high-shore is more exposed to the wind and sun, whereas at TPUN the mid-shore experiences greater sedimentation and mainland acidic seepage. Faunistic differences between the artificial and natural shores (Bray-Curtis similarity analysis) seemingly associate more closely with degree of habitat availability and abiotic stress than with shore proximity. We conclude that the country’s rocky intertidal biodiversity, as reflected by the gastropod diversity, is mainly constituted by the natural rocky shore system. Because this is spatially constrained and vulnerable to locality-specific environmental stresses, this diversity is threatened and deserving of greater protection status.

scholarly journals Species richness and community structure of class Polyplacophora at the intertidal rocky shore on the marine priority region no. 33, Mexico

2014 ◽  
Vol 04 (02) ◽  
pp. 43-52 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lizeth Galeana-Rebolledo ◽  
Rafael Flores-Garza ◽  
Adriana Reyes-Gómez ◽  
Sergio García-Ibáñez ◽  
Pedro Flores-Rodríguez ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Community Structure ◽  
Rocky Shore ◽  
Intertidal Rocky Shore

scholarly journals Biological aspects and ecological effects of a bed of the invasive non-indigenous mussel Brachidontes pharaonis (Fischer P., 1870) in Malta

2012 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 153 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. BONNICI ◽  
J. EVANS ◽  
J.A. BORG ◽  
P.J. J. SCHEMBRI
Keyword(s):  
Population Structure ◽  
Species Richness ◽  
Rocky Shore ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Mussel Bed ◽  
Biotic Community ◽  
Peak Density ◽  
Maltese Islands ◽  
Biological Aspects ◽  
Invasive Mussel

No mussel beds were known to occur in the Maltese Islands previous to 2009, when a single bed of the Lessepsian immigrant Brachidontes pharaonis, first recorded from the islands in 1970, was discovered in Birzebbugia Bay. The population structure of B. pharaonis was investigated to assess its potential to spread and colonise new shores, while the biotic community at the mussel bed was compared to that present on uncolonised substratum to determine the effects of mussel bed establishment on the associated biota. Results indicate a lower species richness and slightly different community structure with greater small-scale heterogeneity at the mussel bed site compared to the adjacent rocky shore where mussels are present but where there is no bed formation. The B. pharaonis population had a peak density of 16550 ± 2051 ind.m-2 within the mussel bed and included recent recruits. These data suggest that the B. pharaonis population has the potential to expand. Establishment of extensive beds by this invasive mussel could change the structure of native rocky shore assemblages around the Maltese Islands and elsewhere in the Mediterranean.

An evaluation of Sea Search as a citizen science programme in Marine Protected Areas

2009 ◽  
Vol 15 (2) ◽  
pp. 116 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. S. Koss ◽  
K. Miller ◽  
G. Wescott ◽  
A. Bellgrove ◽  
A. Boxshall ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Protected Areas ◽  
Citizen Science ◽  
Marine Protected Areas ◽  
Rocky Shore ◽  
Rocky Reef ◽  
Training Requirements ◽  
Intertidal Rocky Shore ◽  
Science Programme ◽  
Significant Difference

Citizen science involves collaboration between multi-sector agencies and the public to address a natural resource management issue. The Sea Search citizen science programme involves community groups in monitoring and collecting subtidal rocky reef and intertidal rocky shore data in Victorian Marine Protected Areas (MPAs), Australia. In this study we compared volunteer and scientifically collected data and the volunteer motivation for participation in the Sea Search programme. Intertidal rocky shore volunteer-collected data was found to be typically comparable to data collected by scientists for species richness and diversity measures. For subtidal monitoring there was also no significant difference for species richness recorded by scientists and volunteers. However, low statistical power suggest only large changes could be detected due to reduced data replication. Generally volunteers recorded lower species diversity for biological groups compared to scientists, albeit not significant. Species abundance measures for algae species were significantly different between volunteers and scientists. These results suggest difficulty in identification and abundance measurements by volunteers and the need for additional training requirements necessary for surveying algae assemblages. The subtidal monitoring results also highlight the difficulties of collecting data in exposed rocky reef habitats with weather conditions and volunteer diver availability constraining sampling effort. The prime motivation for volunteer participation in Sea Search was to assist with scientific research followed closely by wanting to work close to nature. This study revealed two important themes for volunteer engagement in Sea Search: 1) volunteer training and participation and, 2) usability of volunteer collected data for MPA managers. Volunteer-collected data through the Sea Search citizen science programme has the potential to provide useable data to assist in informed management practices of Victoria?s MPAs, but requires the support and commitment from all partners involved.

scholarly journals Diversity and community composition of marine mollusks fauna on a mainland island of the coast of Paraná, southern Brazil

2018 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 48
Author(s):  
Marcos De Vasconcellos Gernet ◽  
Eduardo Colley ◽  
Elizângela da Veiga Santos ◽  
Carlos João Birckolz
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Species Composition ◽  
Environmental Conditions ◽  
Rocky Shore ◽  
Sampling Method ◽  
Sandy Beach ◽  
Southern Brazil ◽  
Estuarine Area ◽  
Continental Islands ◽  
Natural Characteristics

<p style="text-align: justify;">A Ilha do Farol é uma ilha continental, no estado do Paraná, sul do Brasil. Devido à sua posição em relação ao continente, três ambientes distintos são observados nela: área de costão rochoso exposto ao mar aberto (A); área estuarina (B); área de praia arenosa (C). Considerando que as ilhas continentais são excelentes modelos de estudo que reproduzem as condições ambientais da zona costeira em menor escala, o estudo teve como objetivo levantar e pesquisar a malacofauna marinha na Ilha do Farol e comparar sua diversidade e composição. O método de amostragem foi baseado em coletas mensais nos três ambientes da ilha durante dois anos (2011-2012). O levantamento encontrou 91 espécies: 47 Gastropoda, 41 Bivalvia e três Scaphopoda. A maior riqueza e abundância de espécies prevaleceu no ambiente A. A maior equidade foi observada em B e o maior domínio em C. Houve predominância de Gastropoda e Bivalvia em A, enquanto a frequência de Scaphopoda não variou entre os ambientes. A composição de espécies das três classes variou entre as três áreas. A variação da diversidade e composição das espécies nos três ambientes podem estar relacionados com as características naturais de cada ambiente da ilha, como salinidade e ação de ondas.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Palavras chave</strong>: Abundância, conservação, equitabililidade, levantamento, riqueza, Mollusca.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Abstract</strong>: Farol Island is a continental island in the state of Paraná, southern Brazil. Due to its position in relation to the continent, three distinct environmental areas are observed: rocky shore area with open exposure to the sea (A) estuarine area (B); sandy beach area (C). Considering that the continental islands are excellent study models that reproduce the environmental conditions of the coastal zone in a smaller scale, the study aimed at surveying and researching the marine malacofauna on the Farol Island and comparing the diversity and shellfish composition. The sampling method was based on a monthly collection in three locations for two years (2011-2012). The survey found 91 species: 47 Gastropoda, 41 Bivalvia and three Scaphopoda. The highest abundance and species richness prevailed in environmental area A. The greatest equitability was observed in B and the highest dominance in C. There was a predominance of Gastropoda and Bivalvia in A, while the frequency of Scaphopoda did not vary among environments. The species composition of the three classes varied among the three areas. The variation of diversity and species composition in the three environments may be related to the natural characteristics of each side of the island, as salinity and wave action.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Key words</strong>: Abundance, conservation, equitability, survey, richness, Mollusca.</p>

Causality and the choice of measurements for detecting human impacts in marine environments.

1991 ◽  
Vol 42 (5) ◽  
pp. 539 ◽  
Author(s):  
MJ Keough ◽  
GP Quinn
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Experimental Work ◽  
Rocky Shore ◽  
Human Impacts ◽  
Biological Indicator ◽  
Individual Species ◽  
Marine Environments ◽  
Theoretical Justification ◽  
Indicator Variables ◽  
The Impact

The choice of biological indicator variables to be measured in detecting human impacts on the environment is a critical one. The usual community-level measures (species richness, diversity) generally have questionable theoretical justification, have no demonstrable causal links to the impact, and are dependent on the taxonomic expertise available. Results from trampling experiments on an intertidal rocky shore demonstrate that these measures are also insensitive in detecting impacts that clearly affected populations of individual species. The need for experimental work that identifies which indicator variables are causally linked to human impacts and therefore which will be useful in monitoring is emphasized.

Complementary influences of co-occurring physical ecosystem engineers on species richness: insights from a Patagonian rocky shore

2016 ◽  
Vol 25 (13) ◽  
pp. 2787-2802 ◽  
Author(s):  
María Bagur ◽  
Jorge L. Gutiérrez ◽  
Lorena P. Arribas ◽  
M. Gabriela Palomo
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Rocky Shore ◽  
Ecosystem Engineers

Dominance determines fish community biomass in a temperate seagrass ecosystem

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aaron Matthius Eger ◽  
Rebecca J. Best ◽  
Julia Kathleen Baum
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Ecosystem Function ◽  
Fish Community ◽  
Prey Capture ◽  
Fish Communities ◽  
Functional Trait ◽  
Ecosystem Functions ◽  
Community Biomass ◽  
Ecosystem Valuation ◽  
Species Abundances

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 combined surveys of natural fish communities (conducted in July and August, 2016) with morphological trait data to examine relationships between diversity and ecosystem function (quantified as fish community biomass) across 14 subtidal eelgrass meadows in the Northeast Pacific (54° N 130° W). We employed both taxonomic and functional trait measures of diversity to investigate if ecosystem function is driven 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 found that fish community biomass is maximized when taxonomic richness and functional evenness is low, and in communities dominated by species with particular trait values – those associated with benthic habitats and prey capture. While previous work on fish communities has found that species richness is 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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