Search results for "Local stressor"
showing 2 items of 2 documents
Latitudinal- and local-scale variations in a rocky intertidal interaction web
2015
Natural assemblages are structured by a complex combination of positive and negative interactions, and the relative importance of each interaction can vary across spatial scales. By using a simple interaction web (barnacles-grazers-microphytobenthos) in a rocky intertidal system, we tested the hypothesis that the relative strength of positive and negative interactions would vary as a function of different environmental stress between 2 latitudinal levels and local environmental conditions. We manipulated the cover of barnacles and the presence of limpets at 2 sites in northern and southern Italy and non-destructively examined the response of microphyto - benthos (MPB) (photosynthetic biomas…
Vulnerability of algae and seagrasses to climate change
2013
Biodiversity is undergoing rapid and worrying changes, partially driven by anthropogenic activities. Human impacts and climate change (e.g. increasing temperature and ocean acidification) represent the most serious threats to biodiversity and ecosystem functioning. Aim of this study was to assess, analysing the scientific literature and published data, how climate change can affect algae and seagrasses, evaluating their vulnerability and the possibility to use these organisms as indicators. Algae and seagrasses have a central role for several important ecological processes in aquatic ecosystems, and their loss can lead repercussions for the ecological function. Climate stressors affected ac…