Faunal associations of holopelagic Sargassum spp. in the subtropical and tropical northern Atlantic: A review

Abstract

Holopelagic Sargassum spp. (Sargassum from hereon) are the founding seaweeds of biodiverse high-sea rafts. The floating rafts provide substrate, shelter, feeding-, and breeding grounds for numerous marine species, making them unique communities in the high seas. Similar to other pelagic systems, the community associated with the rafts is dynamic, inherently variable, and defined by the dynamics of the rafts and interactions between the seaweed and associated fauna. The high biodiversity, including organisms from different trophic levels, results in multiple interactions and complex food webs, which are covered in this review. Additionally, we highlight how floating Sargassum acts as a vector of ecological connectivity, influencing distant ecosystems such as coastal and deep-sea habitats. These cross-ecosystem interactions occur through organism transport, organic matter export and trophic linkages. Understanding these connections is key to recognizing the broader ecological role of Sargassum rafts and the multiple ecosystem services they provide.