Drivers of biodiversity associated with rhodolith beds from euphotic and mesophotic zones: Insights for management and conservation

Veras, Priscila de Cerqueira; Pierozzi-Jr., Ivan; Lino, Jaqueline Barreto; Amado‐Filho, Gilberto M.; Senna, André R.; Santos, Cinthya Simone Gomes; Moura, Rodrigo L.; Passos, Flávio Dias; Giglio, Vinicius J.; Pereira-Filho, Guilherme H.

doi:10.1016/j.pecon.2019.12.003

Cited by 24 publications

(30 citation statements)

References 46 publications

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“…Among such structural species, free-living calcareous algae commonly designated rhodoliths (of the orders Corallines, Hapalidiales and Sporolithales), are globally distributed, from the intertidal down to 270 m depth (Abella et al, 1998;Amado-Filho et al, 2012a;Riosmena-Rodriguez et al, 2017). Their three-dimensional structure provides habitat complexity creating biodiversity hotspots of highly diverse assemblages, while acting as shelters for invertebrates and other organisms, and as seed banks for algae (Abella et al, 1998;Amado-Filho, 2010;Fredericq et al, 2019;Veras et al, 2020). Additionally, they are important carbonate factories, contributing to the global carbon cycling (Amado-Filho et al, 2012a;van der Heijden and Kamenos, 2015).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Bottom Trawling Threatens Future Climate Refugia of Rhodoliths Globally

et al. 2021

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Climate driven range shifts are driving the redistribution of marine species and threatening the functioning and stability of marine ecosystems. For species that are the structural basis of marine ecosystems, such effects can be magnified into drastic loss of ecosystem functioning and resilience. Rhodoliths are unattached calcareous red algae that provide key complex three-dimensional habitats for highly diverse biological communities. These globally distributed biodiversity hotspots are increasingly threatened by ongoing environmental changes, mainly ocean acidification and warming, with wide negative impacts anticipated in the years to come. These are superimposed upon major local stressors caused by direct destructive impacts, such as bottom trawling, which act synergistically in the deterioration of the rhodolith ecosystem health and function. Anticipating the potential impacts of future environmental changes on the rhodolith biome may inform timely mitigation strategies integrating local effects of bottom trawling over vulnerable areas at global scales. This study aimed to identify future climate refugia, as regions where persistence is predicted under contrasting climate scenarios, and to analyze their trawling threat levels. This was approached by developing species distribution models with ecologically relevant environmental predictors, combined with the development of a global bottom trawling intensity index to identify heavily fished regions overlaying rhodoliths. Our results revealed the importance of light, thermal stress and pH driving the global distribution of rhodoliths. Future projections showed poleward expansions and contractions of suitable habitats at lower latitudes, structuring cryptic depth refugia, particularly evident under the more severe warming scenario RCP 8.5. Our results suggest that if management and conservation measures are not taken, bottom trawling may directly threaten the persistence of key rhodolith refugia. Since rhodoliths have slow growth rates, high sensitivity and ecological importance, understanding how their current and future distribution might be susceptible to bottom trawling pressure, may contribute to determine the fate of both the species and their associated communities.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Bottom Trawling Threatens Future Climate Refugia of Rhodoliths Globally

et al. 2021

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“…Second, we demonstrated that the abundance of certain crab species varied according to the sampling season (e.g., N. melanodactylus) and depth of collection (e.g., N. melanodactylus and Pilummnus hirtelus). Recent studies have revealed that ecological drivers of macrofauna associated with rhodoliths include depth (i.e., variation in light, sedimentation and turbulence across bathymetric gradients), which affect the average diameter, biomass of epiphytic macroalgae, and the density of rhodoliths [7,17,26]. In the study area, previous research has observed an increase in rhodolith size from 18 m to 25 m, followed by decrease from 25 m to 40 m [26].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 81%

“…Our work is the first specific, though exploratory, survey on brachyuran crabs inhabiting rhodolith beds. Other studies have also annotated that crustaceans, including crabs, contribute significantly to the macrofaunal community from these habitats [17,19].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Typically, a higher biodiversity of epifauna is found in rhodolith ecosystems than over other common substrata (e.g., sandy substrates) [3,5,14,15]. Crustaceans are one of the most abundant faunal groups, which have appeared to be the dominant fauna in rhodolith beds [3,7,13,16,17]. However, few studies mention the infraorder Brachyura (i.e., true crabs) in these habitats [7,[18][19][20][21], and none assessed the spatio-temporal distribution of these animals living in these three-dimensional structures.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In particular, rhodolith beds were seasonally studied (spring, summer, autumn, winter) at three depths layers through two years (i.e., eight times). Despite the fact that the effect of depth over the biology and morphology of rhodoliths has been widely studied, few works have analyzed whether the distribution and abundance of associated invertebrates change through bathymetrical gradients [17], and no study has concurrently explored variability at seasonal scales.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Brachyuran Crabs (Decapoda) Associated with Rhodolith Beds: Spatio-Temporal Variability at Gran Canaria Island

et al. 2020

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Crustaceans are a key component of the fauna living in rhodoliths, but patterns in their distribution and abundance remain largely unknown. This paper assessed spatio-temporal variability of Brachyura associated with rhodoliths. A seasonal study was conducted at three depth layers (18, 25, and 40 m), throughout two years (December 2015 to October 2017) at Gran Canaria Island (eastern Atlantic Ocean). A total of 765 crabs belonging to 10 species were collected. A larger abundance and richness of crabs at 25 m correlated with a larger biomass of epiphytic algae attached to rhodoliths. A seasonal pattern was also observed, where a higher richness of crabs occurred in the summer. The Xanthid crab, Nanocassiope melanodactylus, dominated the assemblage (83%); juveniles of this species were more abundant in deeper waters (40 m), while adults were more abundant on the shallower depth layers (18 m and 25 m). The species Pilmunus hirtellus was restricted to 25 m. Nevertheless, Pisa carinimana and Achaeus cranchii did not show any spatio-temporal pattern. In summary, this study demonstrated that two conspicuous crabs, N. melanodactylus and P. hirtellus, associated with rhodolith beds are bathymetrically segregated.

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Invertebrate diversity associated with a shallow rhodolith bed in the Mediterranean Sea (Mar Piccolo of Taranto, south‐east Italy)

Pierri,

Longo,

Falace

et al. 2024

Aquatic Conservation

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Rhodoliths, formed by free‐living coralline algae, are distributed worldwide, and the rhodolith beds (RBs) that they form are recognized as structurally complex habitats. In the Mediterranean, they are generally distributed in the mesophotic zone, at depths of 30–100 m; so far, only a few shallow RBs (<2 m) have been reported (e.g. Îles Kuriat, Tunisia, and Stagnone Marsala, Italy). Here a shallow‐water RB located in the Mar Piccolo of Taranto (south‐eastern Italy, Mediterranean Sea) is described. The diversity of associated invertebrates, the rhodolith‐forming algal species, the type of sediments, and the bed extent are characterized. The RB investigated extends over 5 ha at depths of 0.5–1.5 m. The rhodoliths vary in shape and size, from pralines to large spherical structures, and are formed by a single species, Neogoniolithon brassica‐florida, growing around nuclei of both natural and anthropogenic origin. The associated fauna consisted of 158 taxa, 79 (50%) of which were new basin records. The associated diversity was approximately twice that of the underlying and nearby sediments. The structural complexity of the RBs promotes biodiversity and provides shelter, food, and a breeding ground for numerous species, including seahorses, which are a conservation priority in this basin.

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Drivers of biodiversity associated with rhodolith beds from euphotic and mesophotic zones: Insights for management and conservation

Cited by 24 publications

References 46 publications

Bottom Trawling Threatens Future Climate Refugia of Rhodoliths Globally

Bottom Trawling Threatens Future Climate Refugia of Rhodoliths Globally

Brachyuran Crabs (Decapoda) Associated with Rhodolith Beds: Spatio-Temporal Variability at Gran Canaria Island

Invertebrate diversity associated with a shallow rhodolith bed in the Mediterranean Sea (Mar Piccolo of Taranto, south‐east Italy)

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