Identificador persistente para citar o vincular este elemento: http://hdl.handle.net/10553/10636
Título: Does depth and sedimentation interact with sea urchins to affect algal assemblage patterns on eastern atlantic reefs?
Autores/as: Ortega Borges, Leonor
Tuya, F. 
Haroun, Ricardo 
Clasificación UNESCO: 2401 Biología animal (zoología)
Palabras clave: Macroalgae
Benthic assemblages
Assemblage structure
Sea urchins
Sedimentation, et al.
Fecha de publicación: 2009
Publicación seriada: Journal of Shellfish Research 
Resumen: A range of factors may affect the composition and abundance of macroalgae on subtidal rocky reefs. We experimentally determined the interactive effect of the occurrence of the long-spine sea urchin, Diadema antillarum, depth and sedimentation levels on macroalgal assemblage structure on eastern Atlantic rocky reefs. Specifically, we manipulated sea urchin densities (removal of all individuals vs. untouched controls at natural densities) on rocky reefs devoid of erect vegetation, and predicted (1) that removal of sea urchins would differently affect macroalgal assemblage structure between deep (16–18 m) and shallow (8–9 m) reef strata, and that (2) the effect of sea urchin removal on macroalgae would be altered under different scenarios of sedimentation (ambient vs. enhanced). Experimental circular plots (2 m in diameter) were set up at 3 locations at Gran Canaria (Canarian Archipelago), and were maintained and monitored every 4 wk for 1 y. At the end of the experimental period, the structure of the algal assemblages differed between urchin treatments and depth strata, with a larger cover of turf and bushlike algae where urchins were removed and at the shallow reef stratum. More important, differences in algal assemblage structure between urchin treatments were irrespective of sedimentation levels, but shifted from the shallow to the deep stratum. This interactive effect was, in turn, observed for bushlike algae, as a result of a larger magnitude of response (i.e., larger cover) in the shallow stratum relative to the deep stratum, but was not detected for either turf or crustose coralline algae. These results highlight the importance of some physical conditions (here, differences in depth) to interact with biotic processes (here, urchin abundance) to create patterns in the organization of subtidal and benthic assemblages.
URI: http://hdl.handle.net/10553/10636
ISSN: 0730-8000
DOI: 10.2983/035.028.0426
Fuente: Journal of shellfish research [ISSN 0730-8000], v. 28 (4), p. 947-955
Derechos: by-nc-nd
Colección:Artículos
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