Foundation species patch configuration mediates salt marsh biodiversity, stability and multifunctionality

Ecology Letters
Sinead M CrottyChristine Angelini

Abstract

Foundation species enhance biodiversity and multifunctionality across many systems; however, whether foundation species patch configuration mediates their ecological effects is unknown. In a 6-month field experiment, we test which attributes of foundation species patch configuration - i.e. patch size, total patch area, perimeter, area-perimeter ratio, or connectivity - control biodiversity, stability and multifunctionality by adding a standardised density of mussel foundation species in patches of 1, 5, 10, 30, 60, 90 or 180 individuals to a southeastern US salt marsh. Over 67% of response variables increased with clustering of mussels, responses that were driven by increases in area-perimeter ratio (33%), decreases in perimeter (29%), or increases in patch size (5%), suggesting sensitivity to external stressors and/or dependence on foundation species-derived niche availability and segregation. Thus, mussel configuration - by controlling the relative distribution of multidimensional patch interior and edge niche space - critically modulates this foundation species' effects on ecosystem structure, stability and function.

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Citations

Oct 17, 2019·Proceedings. Biological Sciences·Anita NarwaniBlake Matthews
Jul 15, 2020·Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·Sinéad M CrottyChristine Angelini
Mar 21, 2020·Current Biology : CB·Sinéad M Crotty, Christine Angelini
Apr 30, 2021·Scientific Reports·Kimberly D PrinceChristine Angelini

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