Applying continuous functional traits to large brown macroalgae: variation across tidal emersion and wave exposure gradients

Cappelatti, Laura; Mauffrey, Alizée R. L.; Griffin, John N.

doi:10.1007/s00227-019-3574-5

Cited by 22 publications

(18 citation statements)

References 59 publications

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“…We collected a minimum of 3 individuals per species (mean and mode = 6, max = 45). This wide range in replicates is due to the varying abundance of species, and to our efforts to sample abundant species at different sites to capture their intraspecific variation (Cappelatti et al 2019 ). To obtain comparable traits, we restricted our study to erect macroalgae only (i.e.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Zonation patterns in seaweed communities have been studied in rocky shores in several parts of the world: from the North Atlantic (Lubchenco 1980 ; Dring and Brown 1982 ) to high latitudes of Alaska and the Magellanic region (Ingólfsson 2005 ). However, beyond studies of the traits of dominant species (Gómez and Huovinen 2011 ; Cappelatti et al 2019 ), the corresponding responses of functional diversity in these assemblages remain poorly appreciated.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Functional diversity of habitat formers declines scale-dependently across an environmental stress gradient

2020

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Marine habitat formers such as seaweeds and corals are lynchpins of coastal ecosystems, but their functional diversity and how it varies with scale and context remains poorly studied. Here, we investigate the functional diversity of seaweed assemblages across the rocky intertidal stress gradient at large (zones) and small (quadrat) scales. We quantified complementary metrics of emergent group richness, functional richness (functional space occupied) and functional dispersion (trait complementarity of dominant species). With increasing shore height, under species loss and turnover, responses of functional diversity were scale- and metric-dependent. At the large scale, functional richness contracted while—notwithstanding a decline in redundancy—emergent group richness and functional dispersion were both invariant. At the small scale, all measures declined, with the strongest responses evident for functional and emergent group richness. Comparisons of observed versus expected values based on null models revealed that functional richness and dispersion were greater than expected in the low shore but converged with expected values higher on the shore. These results show that functional diversity of assemblages of marine habitat formers can be especially responsive to environmental stress gradients at small scales and for richness measures. Furthermore, niche-based processes at the small—neighbourhood—scale can favour co-occurrence of functionally distinctive species under low, but not high, stress, magnifying differences in functional diversity across environmental gradients. As assemblages of marine habitat formers face accelerating environmental change, further studies examining multiple aspects of functional diversity are needed to elucidate patterns, processes, and ecosystem consequences of community (dis-)assembly across diverse groups.

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Functional diversity of habitat formers declines scale-dependently across an environmental stress gradient

2020

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“…Determination of Surface Area, CaCO 3 Accumulation and Microstructural Analyses Thalli of P. boryana, H. macroloba and H. opuntia were cut into parts (individual lobe for P. boryana and individual segment for H. macroloba and H. opuntia) and spread on a surface lined with rulers, and the image of each sample was taken. The surface area was determined using image processing software (ImageJ V. 1.53e, Rasband W.S., U.S. National Institute of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA) from images of samples [80,81].…”

Section: Experimental Designmentioning

confidence: 99%

Calcification in Three Common Calcified Algae from Phuket, Thailand: Potential Relevance on Seawater Carbonate Chemistry and Link to Photosynthetic Process

Buapet

Sinutok

2021

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Calcifying macroalgae contribute significantly to the structure and function of tropical marine ecosystems. Their calcification and photosynthetic processes are not well understood despite their critical role in marine carbon cycles and high vulnerability to environmental changes. This study aims to provide a better understanding of the macroalgal calcification process, focusing on its relevance concerning seawater carbonate chemistry and its relationship to photosynthesis in three dominant calcified macroalgae in Thailand, Padina boryana, Halimeda macroloba and Halimeda opuntia. Morphological and microstructural attributes of the three macroalgae were analyzed and subsequently linked to their calcification rates and responses to inhibition of photosynthesis. In the first experiment, seawater pH, total alkalinity and total dissolved inorganic carbon were measured after incubation of the macroalgae in the light and after equilibration of the seawater with air. Estimations of carbon uptake into photosynthesis and calcification and carbon release into air were obtained thereafter. Our results provide evidence that calcification of the three calcified macroalgae is a potential source of CO2, where calcification by H. opuntia and H. macroloba leads to a greater release of CO2 per biomass weight than P. boryana. Nevertheless, this capacity is expected to vary on a diurnal basis, as the second experiment indicates that calcification is highly coupled to photosynthetic activity. Lower pH as a result of inhibited photosynthesis under darkness imposes more negative effects on H. opuntia and H. macroloba than on P. boryana, implying that they are more sensitive to acidification. These effects were worsened when photosynthesis was inhibited by 3-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-1,1-dimethylurea, highlighting the significance of photosynthetic electron transport-dependent processes. Our findings suggest that estimations of the amount of carbon stored in the vegetated marine ecosystems should account for macroalgal calcification as a potential carbon source while considering diurnal variations in photosynthesis and seawater pH in a natural setting.

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“…Traits a-g relate to photosynthesis and/or structural integrity, and hence, position on the economics spectrum: (a) Thallus Dry Matter Content (TDMC) is the ratio between dry and wet mass and represents the proportion of structural compounds and water-filled-and therefore mainly photosynthetically active-tissues (Elger & Willby, 2003;Littler & Littler, 1981;Schonbeck & Norton, 1979). (b) Thickness also increases with the amount of structural tissue, providing resistance to physical stress and herbivore grazing (Cappelatti, Mauffrey, & Griffin, 2019;Littler & Littler, 1980;);…”

Section: Trait Screeningmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…As an alternative to direct use of trait values, we also provide a nine-group emergent scheme, potentially simplifying field and analytical methods, while still allowing meaningful measurements of functional diversity (Chapin et al, 1996;Chen et al, 2017;Díaz & Cabido, 2001). Although intraspecific variation was relatively small in our dataset-and in a previous study where large brown seaweeds were sampled across sites of contrasting wave exposure (Cappelatti et al, 2019)-care should be taken when applying the trait data at sites with unusual conditions (e.g. very sheltered sea loughs) or in regions distant from the UK (e.g.…”

Section: Functional Traits and Emergent Groups Offer More Ecologicamentioning

confidence: 99%

Seaweed functional diversity revisited: Confronting traditional groups with quantitative traits

2020

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1. Macroalgal (seaweed) beds and forests fuel coastal ecosystems and are rapidly reorganizing under global change, but quantifying their functional structure still relies on binning species into coarse groups on the assumption that they adequately capture relevant underlying traits. 2. To interrogate this 'group gambit', we measured 12 traits relating to competitive dominance and resource economics across 95 macroalgal species collected from the UK and widespread on NorthEast Atlantic rocky shores. We assessed the amount of trait variation explained by commonly used traditional groups-(a) two schemes based on gross morphology and anatomy and (b) two categorizations of vertical space use-and examined species reclassification into post hoc, so-called emergent groups arising from the functional trait dataset. We then offer an alternative, emergent grouping scheme of macroalgal functional diversity. 3. (a) Morphology and anatomy-based groups explained slightly more than a third of multivariate trait expression with considerable group overlap (i.e. low precision) and extensive mismatch with underlying trait expression (i.e. low accuracy). (b) Categorizations of vertical space use accounted for about a quarter of multivariate trait expression with considerable group overlap. Nonetheless, turf species tended to display attributes of opportunistic forms. (c) A nine-group emergent scheme provided a highly explanatory and parsimonious alternative to traditional functional groupings. 4. Synthesis. Our analysis using a comprehensive dataset of directly measured functional traits revealed a general mismatch between traditional groups and underlying traits, highlighting the deficiencies of the group gambit in macroalgae. While existing grouping schemes may allow first order approximations, they risk considerable loss of information at the trait and, potentially, ecosystem levels. Instead, we call for further development of a trait-based approach to macroalgal functional ecology to capture unfolding community and ecosystem changes with greater accuracy and generality.

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Applying continuous functional traits to large brown macroalgae: variation across tidal emersion and wave exposure gradients

Cited by 22 publications

References 59 publications

Functional diversity of habitat formers declines scale-dependently across an environmental stress gradient

Functional diversity of habitat formers declines scale-dependently across an environmental stress gradient

Calcification in Three Common Calcified Algae from Phuket, Thailand: Potential Relevance on Seawater Carbonate Chemistry and Link to Photosynthetic Process

Seaweed functional diversity revisited: Confronting traditional groups with quantitative traits

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