0000000000899290
AUTHOR
F. P. Mancuso
Effects of structural complexity on epifaunal assemblages associated with two intertidal Mediterranean seaweeds
Brown foundation seaweeds are key elements increasing substrate heterogeneity and shaping the biodiversity in rocky coastal ecosystems. They are, however, vulnerable species that are declining due to multiple anthropogenic and climate change stressors, leading to a shift to less structural complex habitats. We investigate the role of structural attributes of two intertidal macroalgae, Ericaria amentacea and Laurencia obtusa, in shaping the abundance and diversity of their associated epifaunal assemblages. For this aim, we measured seaweeds’ biomass, thallus volume and length (used here as proxy of substrate complexity), and explored which seaweeds’ substrate attribute explained better varia…
Bi- and three-dimensional fractal analysis of the brown seaweed Gongolaria montagnei and their relationship with gastropod molluscs assemblage
Habitat complexity is one of the main influences on biodiversity in marine environments, particularly in coastal areas where foundation seaweeds provide substrate for highly diverse communities. We studied the 2D and 3D fractal dimensions of Gongolaria montagnei (Fucales) over the vegetative season and examine their relationship with the abundance, species richness and morpho-functional groups of the gastropod associated. Overall, the 3D fractal analysis method used here better describes seaweeds structural complexity compared to the traditional 2D fractal analysis, as highlighted by the higher relationship with gastropod assemblage associated to the alga in terms of abundance, number of sp…
How do non-indigenous species affect native species and habitats?
Biological invasions are a key driver of global change, affecting biodiversity and natural ecosystem functioning. Non-indigenous species (NIS) with significant established and expanding populations have the potential to become invasive, with serious environmental, socio-economic, and/or human health consequences. Mediterranean Islands (including Marine Protected Areas “MPAs”), important hotspots of biodiversity, are particularly vulnerable to NIS invasions. Understanding the effects of NIS species on biodiversity, as well as their current distribution and expansion trends, is therefore critical for creating effective conservation strategies. Here, we present three different case studies fro…