Effects of morphodynamic and estuarine gradients on the demography and distribution of a sandy beach mole crab: implications for source–sink habitat dynamics

Celentano, Eleonora; Gutiérrez, Nicolás; Defeo, Omar

doi:10.3354/meps08342

Cited by 39 publications

(36 citation statements)

References 40 publications

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“…Annual length frequency distributions (LFDs) of the yellow clam population were grouped into 4 mm size classes. The index of recurrence of size classes (IRSC; Celentano et al 2010) was calculated as IRSC = N y /N t where N y defines the number (N) of size classes in a given year (y) and N t is the total number of size classes of Mesodesma mactroides observed in all years analyzed. IRSC ranges between 0 and 1 (all size classes present).…”

Section: Sampling Design Laboratory and Data Analysesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Climate change influences on abundance, individual size and body abnormalities in a sandy beach clam

Ortega¹,

Celentano²,

Delgado³

et al. 2016

Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser.

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Sandy beaches are being threatened by a changing climate. However, the effects of this changing environment, including warming, on these ecosystems, have hitherto been tentative and qualitative. Using concurrent long-term (1984−2007) observations on abundance and individual size, together with laboratory examinations of body abnormalities (morphological anomalies and epibionts), we provide evidence that the sandy beach yellow clam Mesodesma mactroides of the Uruguayan coast has responded to climate change. Regional sea surface temperature anomalies (SSTA) showed an increasing trend through time, with positive values after 1997. The position of the warm water front (20°C isotherm), a proxy of tropical waters, showed a long-term poleward shift rate of ca. 9 km yr −1. Clam abundance (total and discriminated by population component) decreased through time and was inversely related to variations in SSTA, with higher abundance during cold periods. Length frequency distributions (LFDs) showed polymodal size structures with fully represented clam population components in cool years. By contrast, LFDs showed fewer size classes and larger clams were virtually absent during warm years. Prevalence of body abnormalities in M. mactroides increased through time and was positively correlated with increasing SSTA, suggesting a link with climate stress. The population dynamics of M. mactroides seems to be driven by climatic forcing, mostly related with warming. Our results demonstrate the implications of climate change in the structure of sandy beach fauna, which could be particularly relevant in ectotherms with cold water affinities. Thus, climate change should be given a high priority in sandy beach conservation planning and management.

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Section: Sampling Design Laboratory and Data Analysesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Climate change influences on abundance, individual size and body abnormalities in a sandy beach clam

Ortega¹,

Celentano²,

Delgado³

et al. 2016

Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser.

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“…swash features, mean grain size, and wave height) and estuarine (e.g. salinity) gradients in aggregate population descriptors of macrofauna, such as abundance, biomass, recruitment, and body size (Celentano et al 2010;Lozoya et al 2010). Lozoya et al (2010) observed higher abundances of the isopod Excirolana armata for high salinities and intermediate ⁄ dissipative beaches with fine sands (<0.20 mm) and low organic matter (<0.1%).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 97%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…1997; Veloso & Cardoso 2001; Cardoso & Defeo 2004; Thompson & Sánchez de Bock 2007). Celentano et al. (2010) showed that salinity, mean grain size, and swash width were the most important factors affecting spatio‐temporal variations in abundance of the mole crab Emerita brasiliensis, and that its abundance and biomass increased from reflective to dissipative beaches and from estuarine to oceanic ones.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Effects of environmental gradients on sandy beach macrofauna of a semi‐enclosed bay

Cardoso¹,

Mattos²,

Caetano³

et al. 2011

Marine Ecology

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Macrofauna of sheltered and pocket beaches located in embayments, estuaries or landward of protective reefs has not been adequately assessed in beach ecology. In this setting, the concurrent role of large‐scale morphodynamics and wave‐exposure gradients in shaping biological patterns is still uncertain. To examine variations in community descriptors and the influence of physical factors on macrofauna, 12 sandy beaches on five islands within Sepetiba Bay (SE Brazil) were characterized in terms of beach morphodynamics and dimensions (length and width), such as geographical position relative to the bay mouth. A total of 80 species were collected and identified. Community descriptors of macrofauna responded to morphodynamics and exposure gradients. Increases in species richness, and abundance, from harsh reflective (coarse sands, steep slopes) to benign dissipative (fine sands, gentle slopes) beaches, and from the bay mouth (exposed beaches) towards the inner bay (sheltered beaches) were observed. Mollusks were the most abundant macrofaunal group, followed by crustaceans and polychaetes. Crustaceans dominated the beaches near the bay mouth, whereas mollusks were more abundant on the beaches farther from the bay mouth. Canonical correspondence analysis showed that the degree of exposure, distance from the bay mouth, beach index, and beach length and width significantly affected the macrofauna distribution and abundance, creating an environmental gradient along Sepetiba Bay. Differences in macrofauna composition among the beaches studied were associated with beach length and width. In this sense, spatial variation of macrofauna among beaches can be a function of intertidal area. These results indicate that community characteristics in the sandy beaches studied are affected by several physical characteristics, but also by other factors that are affected by coastal processes.

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“…Species with indirect development decreased at intermediate salinities, highlighting the sensitivity of these species to osmotic stress [22]. These species, characterized by free living larval stages, are exposed to changing environmental conditions throughout its life cycle, being particularly susceptible at early development stages [55].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Disentangling Diversity Patterns in Sandy Beaches along Environmental Gradients

Barboza¹,

Gómez²,

Lercari³

et al. 2012

PLoS ONE

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Species richness in sandy beaches is strongly affected by concurrent variations in morphodynamics and salinity. However, as in other ecosystems, different groups of species may exhibit contrasting patterns in response to these environmental variables, which would be obscured if only aggregate richness is considered. Deconstructing biodiversity, i.e. considering richness patterns separately for different groups of species according to their taxonomic affiliation, dispersal mode or mobility, could provide a more complete understanding about factors that drive species richness patterns. This study analyzed macroscale variations in species richness at 16 Uruguayan sandy beaches with different morphodynamics, distributed along the estuarine gradient generated by the Rio de la Plata over a 2 year period. Species richness estimates were deconstructed to discriminate among taxonomic groups, supralittoral and intertidal forms, and groups with different feeding habits and development modes. Species richness was lowest at intermediate salinities, increasing towards oceanic and inner estuarine conditions, mainly following the patterns shown for intertidal forms. Moreover, there was a differential tolerance to salinity changes according to the habitat occupied and development mode, which determines the degree of sensitivity of faunal groups to osmotic stress. Generalized (additive and linear) mixed models showed a clear increase of species richness towards dissipative beaches. All taxonomic categories exhibited the same trend, even though responses to grain size and beach slope were less marked for crustaceans and insects than for molluscs or polychaetes. However, supralittoral crustaceans exhibited the opposite trend. Feeding groups decreased from dissipative to reflective systems, deposit feeders being virtually absent in the latter. This deconstructive approach highlights the relevance of life history strategies in structuring communities, highlighting the relative importance that salinity and morphodynamic gradients have on macroscale diversity patterns in sandy beaches.

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Effects of morphodynamic and estuarine gradients on the demography and distribution of a sandy beach mole crab: implications for source–sink habitat dynamics

Cited by 39 publications

References 40 publications

Climate change influences on abundance, individual size and body abnormalities in a sandy beach clam

Climate change influences on abundance, individual size and body abnormalities in a sandy beach clam

Effects of environmental gradients on sandy beach macrofauna of a semi‐enclosed bay

Disentangling Diversity Patterns in Sandy Beaches along Environmental Gradients

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