Indirect effects shape macroalgal epifaunal communities

Abstract We tested the response of algal epifauna to the direct effects of predation and the indirect consequences of habitat change due to grazing and nutrient supply through upwelling using an abundant intertidal rhodophyte, Gelidium pristoides. We ran a mid‐shore field experiment at four sites (t...

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Autores principales:	Aldwin Ndhlovu, Justin A. Lathlean, Christopher D. McQuaid, Laurent Seuront
Formato:	article
Lenguaje:	EN
Publicado:	Wiley 2021
Materias:	ecosystem engineer epifauna fractals Gelidium pristoides habitat rocky shore Ecology QH540-549.5
Acceso en línea:	https://doaj.org/article/76436a1f739640bcb41a472227a0532c
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spelling	oai:doaj.org-article:76436a1f739640bcb41a472227a0532c2021-11-08T17:10:41ZIndirect effects shape macroalgal epifaunal communities2045-775810.1002/ece3.8195https://doaj.org/article/76436a1f739640bcb41a472227a0532c2021-11-01T00:00:00Zhttps://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.8195https://doaj.org/toc/2045-7758Abstract We tested the response of algal epifauna to the direct effects of predation and the indirect consequences of habitat change due to grazing and nutrient supply through upwelling using an abundant intertidal rhodophyte, Gelidium pristoides. We ran a mid‐shore field experiment at four sites (two upwelling sites interspersed with two non‐upwelling sites) along 450 km of the south coast of South Africa. The experiment was started in June 2014 and ran until June 2015. Four treatments (predator exclusion, grazer exclusion, control, and procedural control) set out in a block design (n = 5) were monitored monthly for algal cover for the first 6 months and every 2 months for the last 6 months. Epifaunal abundance, species composition, algal cover, and algal architectural complexity (measured using fractal geometry) were assessed after 12 months. Predation had no significant effect on epifaunal abundances, while upwelling interacted with treatment. Grazing reduced the architectural complexity of algae, with increased fractal dimensions in the absence of grazers, and also reduced algal cover at all sites, though the latter effect was only significant for upwelling sites. Epifaunal community composition was not significantly affected by the presence of herbivores or predators but differed among sites independently of upwelling; sites were more similar to nearby sites than those farther away. In contrast, total epifaunal abundance was significantly affected by grazing, when normalized to algal cover. Grazing reduced the cover of algae; thus, epifaunal abundances were not affected by the direct top‐down effects of predation but did respond to the indirect effects of grazing on habitat availability and quality. Our results indicate that epifaunal communities can be strongly influenced by the indirect consequences of biotic interactions.Aldwin NdhlovuJustin A. LathleanChristopher D. McQuaidLaurent SeurontWileyarticleecosystem engineerepifaunafractalsGelidium pristoideshabitatrocky shoreEcologyQH540-549.5ENEcology and Evolution, Vol 11, Iss 21, Pp 15141-15152 (2021)
institution	DOAJ
collection	DOAJ
language	EN
topic	ecosystem engineer epifauna fractals Gelidium pristoides habitat rocky shore Ecology QH540-549.5
spellingShingle	ecosystem engineer epifauna fractals Gelidium pristoides habitat rocky shore Ecology QH540-549.5 Aldwin Ndhlovu Justin A. Lathlean Christopher D. McQuaid Laurent Seuront Indirect effects shape macroalgal epifaunal communities
description	Abstract We tested the response of algal epifauna to the direct effects of predation and the indirect consequences of habitat change due to grazing and nutrient supply through upwelling using an abundant intertidal rhodophyte, Gelidium pristoides. We ran a mid‐shore field experiment at four sites (two upwelling sites interspersed with two non‐upwelling sites) along 450 km of the south coast of South Africa. The experiment was started in June 2014 and ran until June 2015. Four treatments (predator exclusion, grazer exclusion, control, and procedural control) set out in a block design (n = 5) were monitored monthly for algal cover for the first 6 months and every 2 months for the last 6 months. Epifaunal abundance, species composition, algal cover, and algal architectural complexity (measured using fractal geometry) were assessed after 12 months. Predation had no significant effect on epifaunal abundances, while upwelling interacted with treatment. Grazing reduced the architectural complexity of algae, with increased fractal dimensions in the absence of grazers, and also reduced algal cover at all sites, though the latter effect was only significant for upwelling sites. Epifaunal community composition was not significantly affected by the presence of herbivores or predators but differed among sites independently of upwelling; sites were more similar to nearby sites than those farther away. In contrast, total epifaunal abundance was significantly affected by grazing, when normalized to algal cover. Grazing reduced the cover of algae; thus, epifaunal abundances were not affected by the direct top‐down effects of predation but did respond to the indirect effects of grazing on habitat availability and quality. Our results indicate that epifaunal communities can be strongly influenced by the indirect consequences of biotic interactions.
format	article
author	Aldwin Ndhlovu Justin A. Lathlean Christopher D. McQuaid Laurent Seuront
author_facet	Aldwin Ndhlovu Justin A. Lathlean Christopher D. McQuaid Laurent Seuront
author_sort	Aldwin Ndhlovu
title	Indirect effects shape macroalgal epifaunal communities
title_short	Indirect effects shape macroalgal epifaunal communities
title_full	Indirect effects shape macroalgal epifaunal communities
title_fullStr	Indirect effects shape macroalgal epifaunal communities
title_full_unstemmed	Indirect effects shape macroalgal epifaunal communities
title_sort	indirect effects shape macroalgal epifaunal communities
publisher	Wiley
publishDate	2021
url	https://doaj.org/article/76436a1f739640bcb41a472227a0532c
work_keys_str_mv	AT aldwinndhlovu indirecteffectsshapemacroalgalepifaunalcommunities AT justinalathlean indirecteffectsshapemacroalgalepifaunalcommunities AT christopherdmcquaid indirecteffectsshapemacroalgalepifaunalcommunities AT laurentseuront indirecteffectsshapemacroalgalepifaunalcommunities
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Indirect effects shape macroalgal epifaunal communities

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