RT journal article
T1 Different approaches to estimate benthic metazoan diversity associated with free-living macroalgae (Fucus vesiculosus) on shallow soft sediments
A1 Preston, Roxana
A1 Majaneva, Markus
A1 Halonen, Viivi
A1 Franco Rodil, Iván
A2 Biología
K1 Baltic sea
K1 Benthic communities
K1 Biodiversity
K1 eDNA
K1 Habitat complexity
AB Habitat complexity can boost biodiversity by providing a wide range of niches allowing species co-existence. Baltic Sea benthic communities are characterised by low species diversity. Thus the occurrence of the habitat forming macroalga Fucus vesiculosus may influence benthic communities and promote diversity. Here biodiversity estimates were obtained through conventional and eDNA approaches for the benthic assemblages associated with free-living Fucus and the adjacent bare-sediment habitats at six sites from the Northern Baltic Proper and the Gulf of Finland. Free-living F. vesiculosus habitats are heterogeneous with biodiversity estimates varying considerably among sites. The additional habitat complexity provided by F. vesiculosus tended to improve taxa richness as a result of additional epifauna assemblages, although macroinfaunal taxa richness and abundance was often reduced. Consequently the complex habitats provided by free-living F. vesiculosus often improve biodiversity, yet alters the composition of assemblages in soft sediment habitats and consequential ecosystem functioning. The study emphasised the disparity in biodiversity estimates achieved when employing different biodiversity approaches. Biodiversity estimates were more similar within approaches compared to between habitat types, with each approach detecting exclusive taxa. Consequently, biodiversity estimates can benefit from a multi-approach design where both conventional and eDNA approaches are employed in complement.
PB Elsevier
SN 0272-7714
YR 2024
FD 2024
LK http://hdl.handle.net/10498/32863
UL http://hdl.handle.net/10498/32863
LA eng
DS Repositorio Institucional de la Universidad de Cádiz
RD 15-nov-2026