| Full text | |
| Author(s): |
Longo, Pedro Augusto dos Santos
;
Passos, Flavio Dias
;
Gutierrez, Jorge Luis
;
Laurino, Ivan Rodrigo Abrao
;
Pereira-Filho, Guilherme Henrique
Total Authors: 5
|
| Document type: | Journal article |
| Source: | BIODIVERSITY AND CONSERVATION; v. N/A, p. 24-pg., 2025-02-19. |
| Abstract | |
Variations in marine assemblage composition across latitudinal gradients are widely documented, but uncertainty remains about their persistence when exclusively considering habitats formed by foundation species. We investigated if known latitudinal variations in prosobranch gastropod assemblages remain consistent when focusing on macroalgal habitats. Prosobranch distribution from the Brazilian shelf and insular areas compiled from literature and scientific collections were supplemented by prosobranch data from rhodolith and non-rhodolith macroalgae beds (own and published data, respectively). Similarities between regional species pools and local macroalgae-formed habitats were assessed considering species and functional beta-diversity (based on a null-model approach) and also taxonomic dissimilarities. Five species traits were considered for assessing functional dissimilarities. Assemblages in macroalgae-formed habitats along the Brazilian coast exhibited greater similarity among themselves than with the pool of species in their respective regions, when considering both species and functional beta diversity. Differences were also found between prosobranch assemblages in rhodolith and non-rhodolith macroalgal beds, both as regards to taxonomic and functional composition. Nevertheless, prosobranchs from both macroalgal groups consistently showed greater similarity to each other than to the broader background prosobranch fauna, encompassing various habitats. This suggests that macroalgal foundation species offer similar environmental conditions and resources across the latitudinal gradients. Additionally, rhodolith and non-rhodolith macroalgae seem to create distinct conditions for prosobranchs. This emphasizes the need to consider varied macroalgal habitats in marine conservation policies, particularly in the Southwestern Atlantic where these habitats are prominent on the continental shelf. Investigating how macroalgal foundation species impact the distribution of associated assemblages offers a promising approach to understand marine biogeographical patterns and ecological dynamics under present and future environmental conditions. (AU) | |
| FAPESP's process: | 16/14017-0 - Assessment of determinating process in associated diversity and formation of rhodolith beds in different spatial scales |
| Grantee: | Guilherme Henrique Pereira Filho |
| Support Opportunities: | Regular Research Grants |