The effect of underwater light availability dynamics on benthic macrophyte communities in a Baltic Sea archipelago coast

Luhtala, Hanna; Kulha, Niko; Tolvanen, Harri; Kalliola, Risto

doi:10.1007/s10750-016-2759-x

Cited by 11 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 54 publications

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“…Although not measured in this study, reduced light availability for S. trinodis settled on A. trapezia is likely to result in morphological differences between habitats due to potentially greater number of suspended sediments in the water column in soft sediments in contrast to the rocky reef. Just as terrestrial plants modify growth to better access light (Koch et al 2015), the morphology of macroalgae commonly varies with light availability (Monro and Poore 2004, Rohde et al 2008, Luhtala et al 2016.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Facilitation cascades create a predation refuge for biodiversity in a novel connected habitat

2020

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Communities structured via facilitation cascades whereby one habitat-forming species promotes a secondary habitat-forming species with synergistic effects on biodiversity are increasingly documented. Habitat-formers can also extend the realized niche of other habitat-forming species by facilitating their recruitment into novel environments across heterogeneous landscapes. However, further understanding of whether secondary habitat-formers in these novel environments differ in their structure or support different communities from those settled in their natal habitat is required. Here, we investigated whether abiotic and biotic conditions in a novel connected habitat influence biodiversity within a secondary habitat-former facilitated outside its natal habitat. We contrasted the morphology of the habitat-forming alga, Sirophysalis trinodis, and its associated fish and epifaunal community occurring on rocky reef (natal habitat) and on nearby a biogenic hard substrate, live clam shells (novel habitat) in soft sediments. The algae on clams had a different morphology to those on the rocky shore and supported increased abundance of some epifaunal species. A reciprocal transplant experiment of S. trinodis individuals among habitats found that differences in the abundance of epifauna were explained by the increased abundance and consumption rates of predatory fish on the reef habitat compared to soft-sediment habitats, and not by differences in algal morphology between habitats. We demonstrate that facilitation promotes a secondary habitat-former into a novel habitat, which then enhances the abundance of associated epifauna by providing a predation refuge. This study contributes to a small but growing body of research demonstrating landscape-scale effects of facilitation cascades, and that basal habitat-formers can extend the realized niche of secondary habitat-formers and their associated communities.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Facilitation cascades create a predation refuge for biodiversity in a novel connected habitat

2020

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“…Different types of macrophyte (e.g., emergent, rooted submerged, and free-floating) utilize environmental resources (nutrients and light) in specific ways and they also differ in their response to environmental changes (Akasaka and Takamura, 2011;Netten et al, 2011). For example, while submerged plants are strongly dependent on underwater light (Luhtala et al, 2017), free-floating plants have primacy in obtaining this resource (Lacoul and Freedman, 2006), but are more affected by availability of nutrients in the water column (Giblin et al, 2014). In contrast, emergent macrophytes in their early developmental stages are influenced by light availability and they obtain nutrients from sediment, being expected as less dependent on water quality than other life forms (Akasaka et al, 2010;Akasaka and Takamura, 2011).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Influence of Hydrological Variables on Macrophytes in a Black Water River Ecosystem

Anwana¹,

Ogbemudia²,

Ita³

et al. 2021

jasem

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This study assessed the influence of hydrological variables on macrophytes in a Black Water River ecosystem of Enyong River in Itu and Ibiono Local Government Areas of Akwa Ibom and Cross Rivers States, Nigeria. Four vegetation plots were chosen and in each of the plots, four belt transect were laid. In each transect, macrophyte were systematically sampled in four 10 m × 10 m quadrat at regular intervals. Macrophytes were identified to species level and their frequency and density determined. Water samples were obtained in each quadrat where the macrophytes were sampled and analyzed for their physicochemical properties using standardized methods. Altogether, 10 macrophyte species were encountered. Vossia cuspidata had the highest density (100.00±8.00 st/ha) and frequency values (100 %). Sacciolepis africana had the least density of 7.10±0.45 st/ha while Ludwigia octovalvis, Persicaria senegalensis, andSacciolepis africana had the least frequency of 25 %, respectively. The pH of the water was strongly acidic (5.54±0.03), electrical conductivity was low (20.00±5.77 µs/cm), temperature (29.00±1.10 ºC), Dissolved Oxygen (DO) (9.20±0.12 mg/l) and turbidity (7.10±0.06 NTU) values were high while Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD) (2.00±0.29 mg/l) Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) (10.00±0.29 mg/l) and Total Suspended Solids (TSS) were low (5.00±1.15 mg/l). Water Nutrients followed this decreasing order; chloride (3.55±0.02 mg/l) > nitrate (2.45±0.03 mg/l) > sulphate (2.02±0.06 mg/l) > phosphate (0.08±0.01 mg/l) and sulphide (0.03±0.02 mg/l). Heavy metals also followed this descending order; Pb (0.50±0.03 mg/l) > Zn (0.07±0.02 mg/l) > Cu (0.03±0.02 mg/l). Canonical Correspondence Analysis delineated 11 hydrological variables (temperature, pH, sulphate, turbidity, phosphate, BOD, nitrate, DO, TDS, sulphide and TSS) which exerted great influence on macrophyte distribution. V. cuspidata had affinity to pH and temperature, Sacciolepis africana had affinity to turbidity and BOD, Ludwigia octovalvis and Nymphaea lotus had affinity to sulphate and chloride, respectively, while Ipomoea aquatica and Alternanthera sessils had affinity to phosphate. On the other hand, Persicaria senegalensis, Salvinia molesta, Azolla pinnata and Ceratophyllum demersum had affinities to sulphide, DO, TSS and TDS, respectively. Since hydrological variables regulate macrophyte diversity and distribution, this study calls for consistent, monitoring and management of this ecosystem against future environmental changes. Keywords: Aquatic plants, Black water, Canonical Correspondence Analysis, Ordination

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“…In these ecosystems, different life forms (e.g., emergent, rooted submerged, and free-floating) use resources (e.g., light and nutrients) in specific ways and also differed in their response to environmental changes (Akasaka and Takamura, 2011 ; Netten et al, 2011 ; Alahuhta et al, 2013a ). For example, while submerged plants are strongly dependent on under-water light (Sand-Jensen and Sondergaard, 1979 ; Chambers and Kalff, 1985 ; Zhang et al, 2012 ; Luhtala et al, 2017 ), free-floating plants have primacy in obtaining this resource (Lacoul and Freedman, 2006 ), but are more affected by nutrients availability in the water column (Henry-Silva et al, 2008 ; Giblin et al, 2014 ). On the contrary, emergent macrophytes are influenced by light availability only in the early stage of development and obtain nutrients from sediment, being expected as less dependent on water quality than other life forms (Akasaka et al, 2010 ; Akasaka and Takamura, 2011 ) (but see O'Hare et al, 2012 ; Alahuhta et al, 2013a , b ; for contrasting results).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Associations between Macrophyte Life Forms and Environmental and Morphometric Factors in a Large Sub-tropical Floodplain

et al. 2018

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Macrophyte assemblages are composed of species with different life forms and various ecological functions. Our aim was to investigate the potential environmental determinants of changes in the biomass of individual life forms and of the composition of the macrophyte assemblage in terms of life forms diversity. We sampled 23 waterbodies at low and high water levels in the Middle Paraná River floodplain. Macrophyte biomass samples were collected and classified in terms of life forms. We performed a redundancy analysis using the biomass of the various life forms to assess the importance of environmental variables to the composition of macrophyte life forms. Linear regressions were applied to investigate the environmental determinants of the biomasses of individual life forms. The degree of connectivity and the combination of depth, hydrology and nitrate were the main determinants of the composition in terms of life forms. The biomass of each individual life form was explained by different combinations of environmental variables, but the connectivity was the most important one. Our study shows that groups of species with similar life forms respond to environmental factors in particular ways, which might alter the biomass composition of life forms. Given that the ecosystem functioning depends on the functional characteristics of local communities, our findings about the relation between environmental changes and the community composition in terms of life forms (or functional composition) can be a helpful tool for predicting changes on ecosystem processes (such as nutrient cycling) against possible future scenarios.

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The effect of underwater light availability dynamics on benthic macrophyte communities in a Baltic Sea archipelago coast

Cited by 11 publications

References 54 publications

Facilitation cascades create a predation refuge for biodiversity in a novel connected habitat

Facilitation cascades create a predation refuge for biodiversity in a novel connected habitat

Influence of Hydrological Variables on Macrophytes in a Black Water River Ecosystem

Associations between Macrophyte Life Forms and Environmental and Morphometric Factors in a Large Sub-tropical Floodplain

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