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Temporal and spatial drivers of the structure of macroinvertebrate assemblages associated with Laminaria hyperborea detritus in the northeast Atlantic

Lookup NU author(s): Dr Adam Gouraguine, Hannah Earp, Professor Pip MooreORCiD

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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0).


Abstract

© 2024Kelp forests occur on more than a quarter of the world's coastlines, serving as foundation species supporting high levels of biodiversity. They are also a major source of organic matter in coastal ecosystems, with the majority of primary production released and exported as detritus. Kelp detritus also provides food and shelter for macroinvertebrates, which comprise important components of inshore food-webs. Hitherto, research on kelp detritus-associated macroinvertebrate assemblages remains relatively limited. We quantified spatiotemporal variability in the structure of detritus-associated macroinvertebrate assemblages within Laminaria hyperborea forests and evaluated the influence of putative drivers of the observed variability in assemblages across eight study sites within four regions of the United Kingdom in May and September 2015. We documented 5167 individuals from 106 taxa with Malacostraca, Gastropoda, Isopoda and Bivalvia the most abundant groups sampled. Assemblage structure varied across months, sites, and regions, with highest richness in September compared to May. Many taxa were unique to individual regions, with few documented in all regions. Finally, key drivers of assemblage structure included detritus tissue nitrogen content, depth, sea surface temperature, light intensity, as well as L. hyperborea canopy density and canopy biomass. Despite their dynamic composition and transient existence, accumulations of L. hyperborea detritus represent valuable repositories of biodiversity and represent an additional kelp forest component which influences secondary productivity, and potentially kelp forest food-web dynamics.


Publication metadata

Author(s): Gouraguine A, Smale DA, Edwards A, King NG, Jackson-Bue M, Kelly S, Earp HS, Moore PJ

Publication type: Article

Publication status: Published

Journal: Marine Environmental Research

Year: 2024

Volume: 198

Print publication date: 01/06/2024

Online publication date: 16/04/2024

Acceptance date: 15/04/2024

Date deposited: 30/04/2024

ISSN (print): 0141-1136

ISSN (electronic): 1879-0291

Publisher: Elsevier Ltd

URL: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marenvres.2024.106518

DOI: 10.1016/j.marenvres.2024.106518

Data Access Statement: Data will be made available on request.


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Funding

Funder referenceFunder name
NE/S011692/1
NERC
UKRI Future Leaders Fellowship (MR/ X023214/1

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