{"title":"Regional diversity and spatial patterns of epibenthic communities in the Laurentian Channel Marine Protected Area","authors":"","doi":"10.1016/j.dsr.2024.104360","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Megafauna, such as cold-water corals, can promote diversity through various processes, such as predation, bioturbation, competition, and facilitation as habitat engineers. Further investigation into their ecology and role in epifaunal community structure in the deep sea is needed. Diversity, abundance, and spatial patterns of epibenthic megafauna (≥2 cm) were quantified at regional-scales (100 s m – 100 s km) using high-resolution imagery from 15 stations in the Laurentian Channel Marine Protected Area, Canada. A patchy community structure was significantly associated with station and benthoscape class, which in turn was based on geological factors. Three types of assemblages included: (1) dominated by corals <em>Pennatula</em> sp. 2 and/or Hexacorallia (SC.) spp. in shallow eastern benthoscape classes with high abundance and low diversity; (2) a diverse mix of taxa (e.g. sea pens <em>Anthoptilum</em> spp. and <em>Kophobelemnon</em> spp., anemones/cerianthids, etc.) in deeper (>400 m) western benthoscape classes, with low abundance and high diversity; and (3) a unique community dominated by sponges. Overall, eight taxa contributed to most dissimilarities between stations, and communities were similar within 10 km but could differ at greater distances. Benthoscape classes captured environmental factors (e.g. depth and substrate) that may be responsible for changes in diversity and abundance, and are used as a proxy for different habitats. Our study advanced the understanding of regional spatial patterns in the abundance, composition, and diversity of epibenthic communities, by identifying spatial patterns particularly in the Laurentian Channel where data were limited, adding to interpretations of spatial ecology in a previous fine-scale study. Additionally, these spatial patterns reflect various underlying ecological processes that are mostly unknown. Our community analysis and observed changes in abundance and diversity have implications that can help inform future monitoring designs to promote representative and meaningful spatial assessments.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":51009,"journal":{"name":"Deep-Sea Research Part I-Oceanographic Research Papers","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.3000,"publicationDate":"2024-07-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0967063724001304/pdfft?md5=7a10ade80acd58a658ff304f7a8c8139&pid=1-s2.0-S0967063724001304-main.pdf","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Deep-Sea Research Part I-Oceanographic Research Papers","FirstCategoryId":"89","ListUrlMain":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0967063724001304","RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q2","JCRName":"OCEANOGRAPHY","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Megafauna, such as cold-water corals, can promote diversity through various processes, such as predation, bioturbation, competition, and facilitation as habitat engineers. Further investigation into their ecology and role in epifaunal community structure in the deep sea is needed. Diversity, abundance, and spatial patterns of epibenthic megafauna (≥2 cm) were quantified at regional-scales (100 s m – 100 s km) using high-resolution imagery from 15 stations in the Laurentian Channel Marine Protected Area, Canada. A patchy community structure was significantly associated with station and benthoscape class, which in turn was based on geological factors. Three types of assemblages included: (1) dominated by corals Pennatula sp. 2 and/or Hexacorallia (SC.) spp. in shallow eastern benthoscape classes with high abundance and low diversity; (2) a diverse mix of taxa (e.g. sea pens Anthoptilum spp. and Kophobelemnon spp., anemones/cerianthids, etc.) in deeper (>400 m) western benthoscape classes, with low abundance and high diversity; and (3) a unique community dominated by sponges. Overall, eight taxa contributed to most dissimilarities between stations, and communities were similar within 10 km but could differ at greater distances. Benthoscape classes captured environmental factors (e.g. depth and substrate) that may be responsible for changes in diversity and abundance, and are used as a proxy for different habitats. Our study advanced the understanding of regional spatial patterns in the abundance, composition, and diversity of epibenthic communities, by identifying spatial patterns particularly in the Laurentian Channel where data were limited, adding to interpretations of spatial ecology in a previous fine-scale study. Additionally, these spatial patterns reflect various underlying ecological processes that are mostly unknown. Our community analysis and observed changes in abundance and diversity have implications that can help inform future monitoring designs to promote representative and meaningful spatial assessments.
期刊介绍:
Deep-Sea Research Part I: Oceanographic Research Papers is devoted to the publication of the results of original scientific research, including theoretical work of evident oceanographic applicability; and the solution of instrumental or methodological problems with evidence of successful use. The journal is distinguished by its interdisciplinary nature and its breadth, covering the geological, physical, chemical and biological aspects of the ocean and its boundaries with the sea floor and the atmosphere. In addition to regular "Research Papers" and "Instruments and Methods" papers, briefer communications may be published as "Notes". Supplemental matter, such as extensive data tables or graphs and multimedia content, may be published as electronic appendices.