Resistance of benthic intertidal communities to multiple disturbances and stresses

Marine Ecology Progress Series

Laetitia Joseph¹  Mathieu Cusson¹ 

关键词: Community structure;    Functional response;    Multiple stressors;    Resistance;    Canopy disturbance;    Grazers;    Nutrient addition;    Rocky intertidal;   

DOI  :  10.3354/meps11359

学科分类：海洋学与技术

来源: Inter-Research

【 摘 要 】

ABSTRACT: Many ecosystems are facing biodiversity loss and environmental change due toanthropogenic activities, with these impacts occurring within the context of natural disturbance.Understanding ecosystem functioning and the response of communities to these impacts is necessaryin order to evaluate the effects of future environmental change. The aim of this study was todetermine the consequences of the loss of key species on the structure and function of intertidalcommunities in a context of nutrient enrichment, so as to ascertain the resistance of these communitieswhen disturbance and stresses are compounded. Subarctic rocky intertidal communities inQuebec were subjected to an orthogonal factorial field experiment with 3 stress factors (macroalgaecanopy loss, grazer exclusion, and nutrient enrichment), each with 2 disturbance levels.Simple and interactive effects of these factors were followed for 4 mo, and responses in structure(% cover and biomass) and productivity were evaluated. The communities that were not subjectedto canopy loss showed greater resistance and very limited effects from enrichment and grazerreduction. The loss of canopy altered the community structure (e.g. reduction in richness and biomass)and functioning (reduced productivity), probably due to increased temperatures and desiccation.This lack of resistance was amplified through the addition of a stress. The application ofmultiple stresses within field experiments allows for a better understanding of the mechanismsaffecting community structure and ecosystem functioning under situations of increased naturaland anthropogenic stress.

【 授权许可】

Unknown