RT journal article
T1 Prior stress by marine heatwaves and micro-habitat fragmentation drive the colonisation of epifaunal assemblages in marine forests
A1 Bernal-Ibáñez, Alejandro
A1 Cacabelos, Eva
A1 Quintano, Endika
A1 Gestoso García, Ignacio José
A2 Biología
AB Macroalgae species of the genus Cystoseira s.l. (Fucales, Phaeophyceae) and generaCystoseira, Ericaria, and Gongolaria are habitat-forming species from temperate areas characterisedby their high productivity and associated biodiversity. These key species are declining worldwidedue to multiple anthropogenic and biotic pressures, such as habitat loss or climate change-relatedeffects. These impacts are leading to local/regional extinctions of marine forests and increasingtheir fragmentation and isolation. Discrete extreme temperature events in the ocean, known asmarine heatwaves (MHWs), are emerging as threats to marine systems in many areas of theplanet due to climate change. We analysed 74 yr of daily sea surface temperature data on theoccurrence of MHWs in the Cantabrian Sea (northern Iberian Peninsula), finding a clear increasein their frequency, duration and intensity in the last 20 yr. We also performed a 10 d mesocosmexperiment to assess how MHWs affect fragmented and non-fragmented patches of Ericariaselaginoides. After this experiment, the experimental patches were deployed in a tidal rock poolfor 10 d to detect effects on composition and structure of associated epifaunal assemblages. Mesocosmexperiment results showed how the biomass, productivity and oxygen consumption ofE. selaginoides significantly decreased as MHW intensity increased. Field deployment revealedthat abundance, composition and structure of the epifaunal assemblages were significantlyaffected by the interaction of prior stress by MHWs and patch fragmentation. Overall, our resultsshowed how a canopy-forming macroalga is affected by extreme temperature events and, consequently,having effects on the colonisation of epifauna according to the level of microhabitat fragmentationwith potential implications for the conservation of these endangered systems.
SN 1616-1599
YR 2023
FD 2023
LK http://hdl.handle.net/10498/34936
UL http://hdl.handle.net/10498/34936
LA eng
DS Repositorio Institucional de la Universidad de Cádiz
RD 15-nov-2026