Complex metacommunity structure for benthic invertebrates in a low-diversity coastal system

Ecology and Evolution
Sebastian ValankoAlf Norkko

Abstract

The majority of studies in metacommunity ecology have focused on systems other than marine benthic ecosystems, thereby providing an impetus to broaden the focus of metacommunity research to comprise marine systems. These systems are more open than many other systems and may thus exhibit relatively less discrete patterns in community structure across space. Metacommunity structure of soft-sediment benthic invertebrates was examined using a fine-grained (285 sites) data set collected during one summer across a large spatial extent (1700 km2). We applied the elements of metacommunity structure (EMS) approach, allowing multiple hypothesis of variation in community structure to be tested. We demonstrated several patterns associated with environmental variation and associated processes that could simultaneously assemble species to occur at the sites. A quasi-Clementsian pattern was observed frequently, suggesting interdependent ecological relationships among species or similar response to an underlying environmental gradient across sites. A quasi-nested clumped species loss pattern was also observed, which suggests nested habitat specialization. Species richness declined with depth (from 0.5 to 44.8 m). We argue that sensitive specie...Continue Reading

References

Oct 29, 2008·The American Naturalist·Robert E Ricklefs
Jan 1, 2009·Annual Review of Marine Science·Robert K Cowen, Su Sponaugle
Jul 21, 2011·Environmental Science & Technology·Daniel J ConleyLovisa Zillén
Sep 24, 2011·Ecological Applications : a Publication of the Ecological Society of America·A Villnäs, A Norkko
Sep 4, 2012·Biological Reviews of the Cambridge Philosophical Society·Jani Heino
May 3, 2014·Journal of Biogeography·Christine N MeynardWilfried Thuiller

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metacom package
ArcGIS
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