Habitat heterogeneity, sea urchin grazing and the distribution of algae in littoral rock pools on the west coast of Italy (western Mediterranean)

Benedetti‐Cecchi, Lisandro; Cinelli, Francesco

doi:10.3354/meps126203

Cited by 95 publications

(54 citation statements)

References 39 publications

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“…One possible explanation for their distribution in shallower water is the distribution of their prey species: Cystoseira spp., which live in very shallow waters off Madeira (Levring, 1974;Augier, 1985;Morton et al, 1998), and appear to be the preferred diet of these sea urchin species (Bergin, 1987;Benedetti-Cecchi and Cinelli, 1995). However, where D. antillarum is absent (i.e.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Valdez and Villalobos, 1978;Bauer, 1980;Weil et al, 1984;Benedetti-Cecchi and Cinelli, 1995;Turon et al, 1995;Falcon et al, 1996). Sea urchins are known to control the abundance and distribution of algae and can therefore have a profound influence on the structure of benthic communities (Andrew, 1989;Vadas, 1990;Vadas and Elner, 1992;Valentine et al, 1997).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…MAR., SCIENTIA MARINA 2001 nus (Philippi) (Wirtz, 1995). Paracentrotus lividus and A. lixula have been studied in the Mediterranean Sea, where they play a decisive role in the development of benthic macrophyte communities (Kempf, 1962;Bergin, 1987;Benedetti-Cecchi and Cinelli, 1995;Turon et al, 1995;Fernandez and Boudouresque, 1997). The distribution of S. granularis has previously been studied only at Faial (Azores), by Maciel and Gonçalves (1998).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Algal cover and sea urchin spatial distribution at Madeira Island (NE Atlantic)

et al. 2001

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SUMMARY: This study describes sea urchin spatial distribution in relation to environmental factors, and the relationship between Diadema antillarum density and algal abundance. Twenty-three transects around Madeira Island were surveyed by scuba divers, and sea urchin density and algal cover were determined in situ. Sampling sites along these transects were characterised in terms of distance from the tide line, water depth, substratum type, bottom declivity and water turbulence. Diadema antillarum was the dominant sea urchin species. Paracentrotus lividus and Arbacia lixula occurred at shallower depths (2-6 m), contrasting with the distribution of Sphaerechinus granularis, which occurs among D. antillarum (4-20 m). Surveys found two alternative types of communities on rocky shores: 1) a community with high algal cover and low numbers of sea urchins, along the north and south-west coasts and; 2) a community with little algal cover and high densities of sea urchins, along the south-east coast. Macroalgal cover and D. antillarum densities were inversely correlated (adjusted R 2 =75.6%; n = 429; p<0.05). The results showed that water turbulence was the most important factor limiting the distribution of D. antillarum on rocky substrates. We propose a multiple non-linear regression model (using backward stepwise analysis) to explain D. antillarum abundance on the rocky shores: D. antillarum/m 2 (√√)= 0.121 -0.209 distance from shore (in m) (√√) + 2.052 water depth (in m) (√√) -1.778 water turbulence level (√√) -0.007 water turbulence level 4 (√√); where √√ indicates data are square-root transformed (adjusted R 2 = 60.99%; n = 454; p<0.05).

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Algal cover and sea urchin spatial distribution at Madeira Island (NE Atlantic)

et al. 2001

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“…Moreover, assemblages are highly variable between pools located at the same height on the shore Scheibling 1993, Metaxas et al 1994), probably due to combined abiotic and biological factors. These include physical characteristics, such as size, depth, substratum heterogeneity, orientation and position along the coastline that can provide different microhabitats to different pools (Femino andMathieson 1980, Metaxas et al 1994), and biotic factors, such as grazing (Chapman 1990, Benedetti-Cecchi andCinelli 1995) and competition (Van Tamelen 1996, BenedettiCecchi 2000, often interacting in complex ways (Astles 1993, Dethier 1984, Masterson et al 2008. This complexity could be responsible for the lower number of studies on patterns of distribution and abundance of assemblages in pools compared with other rocky habitats.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Benthic assemblages of rock pools in northern Portugal: seasonal and between-pool variability

Bertocci¹,

Araújo²,

Incera³

et al. 2011

Sci. Mar.

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SUMMARY:We investigated the seasonal (winter vs summer and within season) and spatial (between-pool) variability of benthic assemblages of rock pools at mid-intertidal level along the shore of Viana do Castelo (North Portugal). Physical traits of rock pools, including size, depth and position along the shore, were also compared between pools. While pools did not differ for any of the examined physical traits, results indicated a clear seasonal difference in the structure of assemblages, including a total of 49 macroalgal and 13 animal taxa. This finding was driven by six taxa that are more abundant in winter (the reefforming polychaete Sabellaria alveolata, the articulated coralline algae Corallina spp., the brown alga Bifurcaria bifurcata, the encrusting coralline alga Lithophyllum incrustans, the red alga Chondracanthus acicularis and the grazing snails Gibbula spp.) and four algal taxa that are more abundant in summer (the invasive brown Sargassum muticum, the green Ulva spp., the kelp Laminaria ochroleuca and the filamentous red Ceramium spp.). These data provide a new contribution to the knowledge of rock pool systems and have potential implications for monitoring programmes aimed at assessing ecological modifications related to natural and anthropogenic disturbances and for identifying processes responsible for the variability of rock pool assemblages.Keywords: rock pools, rocky intertidal, seasonal variability, benthos, Sabellaria alveolata, Portugal. RESUMEN: Comunidades bentónicas de charcas rocosas del norte de Portugal: variabilidad estacional y entre charcas. -Investigamos la variabilidad estacional (invierno vs verano y entre estaciones) y espacial (entre charcas) de las comunidades bentónicas en charcas rocosas del nivel intermareal medio a lo largo de la costa de Viana do Castelo (Norte de Portugal). Además comparamos los parámetros físicos entre las charcas, incluyendo el tamaño, temperatura y posición a lo largo de la costa. Mientras que las charcas no difieren para ninguno de los parámetros físicos examinados, los resultados indican una clara diferencia estacional en la estructura de las comunidades, las cuales incluyen un total de 49 taxones de algas y 13 de animales. Estos resultados fueron inducidos por seis taxones más abundantes en invierno (el poliqueto formador de arrecifes Sabellaria alveolata, el alga coralinal articulada Corallina spp., el alga parda Bifurcaria bifurcata, el alga coralinal incrustante Litophyllum incrustans, el alga roja Chondracanthus acicularis y los caracoles ramoneadores Gibbula spp.) y cuatro taxones de algas más abundantes en verano (el alga parda invasiva Sargassum muticum, el alga verde Ulva spp., el quelpo Laminaria ochroleuca y el alga roja filamentosa Ceramium spp.). Estos datos contribuyen al conocimiento de las comunidades de charcas rocosas intermareales y tienen potenciales implicaciones en los programas de monitorización enfocados a medir las modificaciones ecológicas relacionadas con alteraciones naturales y antropogénicas y son útiles para identifica...

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“…Benedetti-Cecchi & Cinelli 1995) and in many geographical locations (e.g. Andrew & Underwood 1989, Bulleri et al 1999.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Small-scale variability in the dispersion of the sea urchin Heliocidaris erythrogramma among boulders

Smoothey

Chapman²

2007

Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser.

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Densities of many organisms, particularly invertebrates, are inherently patchy from place to place, with much variability at small spatial scales. Intertidal and shallow subtidal boulder fields in New South Wales, Australia, support a diverse suite of species, many of which have very patchy distributions among boulders. In this study, the purple urchin Heliocidaris erythrogramma was very patchily distributed at small spatial scales, being abundant under some boulders and absent from others. This pattern was found consistently at different times and in boulder fields tens of kilometres apart. Experiments were done to identify mechanism(s) that may establish and maintain the observed distribution. Small-scale variability in distribution was established early in the animals' life-cycle, because Heliocidaris recruits were more abundant on boulders with adult urchins than on boulders without adult urchins. Manipulative experiments indicated that the pattern of dispersion was also maintained by the behavioural responses of juvenile and adult urchins to either feature(s) of boulders or to cues associated with conspecifics. When Heliocidaris were transplanted to boulders originally without urchins, they left at a greater rate than did urchins on boulders that originally had urchins but from which urchins had been removed. In addition, juvenile and adult urchins colonised more boulders with urchins than boulders without urchins. Behavioural responses to unidentified but specific requirements of habitat provided by some boulders may thus be important in maintaining non-random densities of urchins among boulders.

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Habitat heterogeneity, sea urchin grazing and the distribution of algae in littoral rock pools on the west coast of Italy (western Mediterranean)

Cited by 95 publications

References 39 publications

Algal cover and sea urchin spatial distribution at Madeira Island (NE Atlantic)

Algal cover and sea urchin spatial distribution at Madeira Island (NE Atlantic)

Benthic assemblages of rock pools in northern Portugal: seasonal and between-pool variability

Small-scale variability in the dispersion of the sea urchin Heliocidaris erythrogramma among boulders

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