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Diversity and Ecology of Marine Benthic Communities

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A special issue of Diversity (ISSN 1424-2818). This special issue belongs to the section "Marine Diversity".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (15 July 2023) | Viewed by 16373

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Special Issue Editor

Dr. Elena Marco-Herrero

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Guest Editor

Instituto Espanol de Oceanografia, Madrid, Spain
Interests: taxonomy; ecology; biodiversity; larval development; biogeography; Decapoda; benthic communities; habitat; behaviour; molecular diversity

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The most worrying problem today is climate change and its devastating consequences. These consequences are becoming increasingly evident in the seas and oceans. Numerous studies have provided scientific evidence of the magnitude of climate change and the degradation of ecosystems.

The marine environment is very complex, with many abiotic and biotic interactions. Understanding the impacts of climate change on the ocean begins with an understanding of its biodiversity and how it functions. This is crucial to provide preventive measures, and to designate and declare marine protected areas in order to ensure the conservation of ocean biodiversity.

This Special Issue focuses on the study of benthic communities. We invite papers that contribute to scientific knowledge on benthic communities at different local, regional and/or global levels. In addition, studies on different marine taxa, taxonomic diversity, ecology, dynamic, habitats and multidisciplinary techniques and methods are welcome.

Dr. Elena Marco-Herrero
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Diversity is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

benthic communities
benthic habitats
benthic ecology
marine protected areas
conservation of benthic habitats and communities
population dynamics
biodiversity
conservation management
marine taxa
effects of climatic change
taxonomic diversity

Published Papers (10 papers)

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Research

19 pages, 5240 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Spatial Distribution and Potential Impact of Drifted Thalli of the Invasive Alga Rugulopteryx okamurae in Circalittoral and Bathyal Habitats of the Northern Strait of Gibraltar and the Alboran Sea

by José L. Rueda, Ana Mena-Torres, Marina Gallardo-Núñez, Emilio González-García, Alejandro Martín-Arjona, Javier Valenzuela, Cristina García-Ruiz, María González-Aguilar, Ángel Mateo-Ramírez, Marga García, Miriam Sayago-Gil and Juan Tomás Vázquez

Diversity 2023, 15(12), 1206; https://doi.org/10.3390/d15121206 - 7 Dec 2023

Viewed by 1282

Abstract

The arrival of a new invasive alga, Rugulopteryx okamurae, in the Strait of Gibraltar (SoG) in 2015 marked an unprecedented milestone in the North African and, later, in the European marine ecosystems. Nowadays, it is colonising vast infralittoral areas and significantly modifying some habitats and associated communities of the southern Iberian Peninsula. In recent expeditions, a high amount of free drifted thalli of this alga has been detected in different circalittoral and bathyal habitats of the northern SoG and the Alboran Sea. The present study combines quantitative data of this alga obtained with the use of a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) and a bottom otter trawl. The coverage–entanglement level of the drifted thalli on circalittoral and bathyal benthic invertebrates (e.g., not covering, covering only the basal part, covering one-third of the invertebrate, etc.) was also annotated from picture frames taken in locations with abundant drifted thalli. In underwater images, drifted thalli were mainly detected in circalittoral and bathyal bottoms of the northern SoG and the north-western Alboran Sea, between 50 to ca. 450 m depth. Nevertheless, abundant drifted thalli were also detected in bottom otter trawl samples from circalittoral bottoms of the north-central and north-eastern Alboran Sea. Small benthic organisms (e.g., encrusting sponges, hydrozoans, etc.) generally displayed low coverage–entanglement levels of drifted thalli. Nevertheless, large sessile and colonial benthic organisms with a complex three-dimensional morphology (e.g., gorgonians, colonial scleractinians) reached high levels of R. okamurae thalli entangled in different parts of their colonies. The drifted R. okamurae thalli entangled in these colonial suspension feeding organisms may hinder their feeding capability in the long term, resulting in habitat deterioration in the near future. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Diversity and Ecology of Marine Benthic Communities)

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15 pages, 6286 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Hydrolithon farinosum and Lithophyllum epiphyticum sp. nov. (Corallinaceae, Corallinales, Rhodophyta), Two Epiphytic Crustose Coralline Algae from the Abrolhos Archipelago, Brazil, Southwestern Atlantic

by Manoela B. Lyra, Ricardo G. Bahia, Michel B. Jesionek, Rodrigo T. Carvalho, Fernando C. Moraes, Adele S. Harvey, Renato C. Pereira, Fabiano Salgueiro and Leonardo T. Salgado

Diversity 2023, 15(9), 1013; https://doi.org/10.3390/d15091013 - 12 Sep 2023

Viewed by 1085

Abstract

The aim of this study was to elucidate the taxonomy of the common but overlooked epiphytic coralline algae species from shallow reefs and seagrass meadows of the Abrolhos Archipelago, Brazil. Two thin (two vegetative cells thick) epiphytic coralline species were recorded: Lithophyllum epiphyticum sp. nov. and Hydrolithon farinosum. Molecular analysis from psbA genetic marker confirmed the position of L. epiphyticum into Lithophylloideae and revealed a phylogenetic relationship with an undescribed Lithophyllum from Italy. Thin thallus (2–3 cells thick) and cells lining the pore of tetrasporangial conceptacles protruding laterally occluding the canal, either partially or totally, are its main diagnostic characteristics. Hydrolithon farinosum is herein described in detail for Brazil, and its worldwide distribution is then discussed. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Diversity and Ecology of Marine Benthic Communities)

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15 pages, 1860 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Changes in Composition of Mollusks within Corallina officinalis Turfs in South Istria, Adriatic Sea, as a Response to Anthropogenic Impact

by Moira Buršić, Ljiljana Iveša, Andrej Jaklin, Milvana Arko Pijevac, Branka Bruvo Mađarić, Lucija Neal, Emina Pustijanac, Petra Burić, Neven Iveša and Paolo Paliaga

Diversity 2023, 15(8), 939; https://doi.org/10.3390/d15080939 - 18 Aug 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 715

Abstract

A very common intertidal alga, Corallina officinalis, serves as a refuge for numerous invertebrates within its settlements. The composition and structure of invertebrates may differ in relation to different natural or human-induced stress, and this study examined the effects of anthropogenic impact on the abundance and diversity of mollusks residing within C. officinalis settlements. Sampling was conducted during two seasons (Season 1 = algae’s maximum vegetation growth and Season 2 = algae’s minimum vegetation growth). Gastropods and bivalves made up 50% of all invertebrates identified, with a total of 47 species of gastropods, 25 species of bivalves, and one polyplacophoran species recorded. Considering the overall count of individuals, 4562 gastropods, 21,738 bivalves, and 260 polyplacophorans were collected from all available Corallina samples. The results indicated that locations under human impact showed a reduced number of the most abundant gastropod and bivalve species and a reduced average number of individuals. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Diversity and Ecology of Marine Benthic Communities)

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15 pages, 2945 KiB

Open AccessArticle

High Species Richness of Decapod Crustaceans on an Urban Rocky Shore Beach

by Mikel Rodríguez-Hidalgo, Juan Lucas Cervera and Jose A. Cuesta

Diversity 2023, 15(6), 716; https://doi.org/10.3390/d15060716 - 29 May 2023

Viewed by 1149

Abstract

The rocky intertidal shore of La Caleta, an urban beach located in Cádiz (SW Spain), was surveyed for decapod crustaceans over a year. Samplings were taken monthly (March 2015 to February 2016) in three differentiated zones during the spring low tides of every month at five sites, differentiated according to the hydrodynamic regimes and intertidal levels. A qualitative sampling (present/absent) was carried out by visual identification (minimally invasive), and only those specimens with uncertain identification were collected by hand, studied at the laboratory, or identified using their DNA barcode. A total of 44 species were identified. Comparison with species richness of decapod crustaceans in other Atlantic and Mediterranean intertidal or subtidal ecosystems (including protected areas) shows higher values in La Caleta, a surprising fact considering the type of habitat and its placement (an urban and unprotected shore). Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Diversity and Ecology of Marine Benthic Communities)

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27 pages, 57430 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Paleoclimate and Paleoenvironment Reconstructions from Middle Eocene Successions at Beni-Suef, Egypt: Foraminiferal Assemblages and Geochemical Approaches

by Mostafa Mohamed Sayed, Petra Heinz, Ibrahim Mohamed Abd El-Gaied and Michael Wagreich

Diversity 2023, 15(6), 695; https://doi.org/10.3390/d15060695 - 23 May 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1676

Abstract

The Eocene deposits of Egypt provide a wide variety of shallow marine facies and fossil assemblages, allowing paleoenvironmental reconstructions in this warmhouse climate interval. Forty-three rock samples have been collected from two middle Eocene sections, exposed at southeast Beni-Suef area in northern Egypt. The studied outcrops are lithologicsally subdivided into two rock units named from base to top as follows: (1) the Qarara Formation (Lutetian) and (2) the El Fashn Formation (Bartonian). Most investigated rock samples showed richness in benthic foraminiferal assemblages and only rare occurrences of index planktonic foraminifera. They yielded 160 foraminifera species which belong to 4 suborders, 19 superfamilies, 34 families, and 59 genera. The stratigraphic distribution of the identified species allowed us to define four local benthic bio-ecozones: (1) Bolivina carinata Lowest Occurrence Zone (Lutetian), (2) Cibicides mabahethi/Cancris auriculus primitivus Concurrent-Range Zone, (3) Nonion scaphum Lowest Occurrence Zone, and (4) Brizalina cookei/Nonionella insecta Concurrent-Range Zone (Bartonian). These biozones are described and discussed in detail and correlated to stratigraphic equivalents in Egypt. The rareness of index planktonic foraminifera through the studied sections does not allow a precise biostratigraphic and chronostratigraphic correlation. The shale samples show low TOC values, which may be related to low productivity, high sediment influx, and/or prevailing oxic conditions. Bulk rock geochemistry, consistent with the benthic foraminifera ecological preferences, indicated that the studied sections were deposited in moderate to high oxygen levels and warm climatic conditions in a typical shelf marine setting. The identified species showed strong similarities with nearby southern Tethys areas, reflecting migration via the trans-Sahara seaway, and minor similarities with those identified from the northwestern Tethys and the North Atlantic province attributed to the change in the environmental and climatic conditions, such as cooler, latitudinal zoned climatic conditions along the northwestern Tethys, which was unsuitable for their biological demands. The warming trend identified from Lutetian to Bartonian intervals corresponds to the onset of the Middle Eocene Climatic Optimum (MECO). Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Diversity and Ecology of Marine Benthic Communities)

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17 pages, 1763 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Faunistic and Structural Changes in Shallow Coastal Benthic Communities of the Ebre Delta (NW Mediterranean Sea)

by Montserrat Ramón, Elena Marco-Herrero, Eve Galimany, Laura Recasens and Pere Abelló

Diversity 2023, 15(5), 623; https://doi.org/10.3390/d15050623 - 3 May 2023

Viewed by 1304

Abstract

The Ebre Delta (NW Mediterranean), which is considered a highly vulnerable ecosystem, is one of the most important European wetlands and belongs to the Natura 2000 network. The present study aims to characterize the benthic megainvertebrate communities inhabiting the Ebre Delta soft-bottom infralittoral to acquire faunistic and biological knowledge for two periods of time, 23 years apart. Experimental trawls were conducted during the two periods (1992–1993 and 2016–2017) in three depth strata, between 5 and 25 m. A total of 139 and 170 taxa were collected at each period, respectively. Our results showed that community species composition and structure varied between periods and among depth strata. Overall, a large decrease in density and biomass was detected for most species in all three depth strata examined (0–5, 15–20, and 20–25 m) in 2016–2017, especially in the shallowest stratum. Species richness was higher in 2016–2017 than in 1992–1993, and the lowest values were found at the shallowest stratum in both periods. The significant biomass losses herein reported highlight the need to increase, in time and effort, the monitoring of large marine invertebrates in coastal areas, where many taxa provide important ecosystem functions and services. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Diversity and Ecology of Marine Benthic Communities)

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14 pages, 1248 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Genetic Variability and Connectivity in the Western Mediterranean Populations of the Bathyal Crab Geryon longipes

by Ariadna Colmenero, Bruna Serra, Clàudia Lagares, Eva Rojo-Francàs, José L. Pérez-Gil, Francesc Mestres and Pere Abelló

Diversity 2023, 15(4), 534; https://doi.org/10.3390/d15040534 - 7 Apr 2023

Viewed by 1122

Abstract

Geryon longipes is a crab species that inhabits the muddy bottoms of the middle and lower slopes, as well as bathyal bottoms ranging from 400 to 2000 m in depth. To assess its molecular diversity, a fragment of 572 bp of the COI (Cytochrome Oxidase subunit I) mitochondrial gene was sequenced in eight Western Mediterranean locations. Within the studied area, two oceanographic fronts are present (Almeria-Oran Front and Ibiza Channel). From the 124 sequences obtained, only 7 distinct haplotypes were identified. The population distribution indicated three well-differentiated regions: the Alboran Sea, the Gulf of Vera and the Levantine/Catalan coasts. The molecular diversity was compared with that obtained in the same year for the same gene in Liocarcinus depurator, a crab species that is captured on the continental shelf and upper slope (40 to 500 m). The estimates of molecular diversity parameters for the COI gene fragment were rather similar between both species, but the number of haplotypes was higher for L. depurator. Finally, the obtained COI sequences of G. longipes were compared to those from other populations of the species distribution range, recovered from the DNA repository. Only one additional, different haplotype was reported (Sicily), whereas all the rest were common with those described in our study. Therefore, the COI gene fragment would indicate that all the sequences analysed in the Mediterranean and NE Atlantic belong to the same species, G. longipes. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Diversity and Ecology of Marine Benthic Communities)

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15 pages, 2501 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Quantifying the Potential Water Filtration Capacity of a Constructed Shellfish Reef in a Temperate Hypereutrophic Estuary

by Alan Cottingham, Andrew Bossie, Fiona Valesini, James R. Tweedley and Eve Galimany

Diversity 2023, 15(1), 113; https://doi.org/10.3390/d15010113 - 13 Jan 2023

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1962

Abstract

Shellfish reefs have been lost from bays and estuaries globally, including in the Swan-Canning Estuary in Western Australia. As part of a national program to restore the ecosystem services that such reefs once provided and return this habitat from near extinction, the mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis was selected for a large-scale shellfish reef construction project in this estuary. To assess the potential filtration capacity of the reef, estuary seston quality, mussel feeding behavior, and valve gape activity were quantified in the laboratory and field during winter and summer. In general, estuary water contained high total particulate concentrations (7.9–8.7 mg L⁻¹). Standard clearance rates were greater in winter (1.9 L h⁻¹; 17 °C) than in summer (1.3 L h⁻¹; 25 °C), the latter producing extremely low absorption efficiencies (37%). Mussel valves remained open ~97% and ~50% of the time in winter and summer, respectively. They often displayed erratic behavior in summer, possibly due to elevated temperatures and the toxic microalgae Alexandrium spp. Despite numerous stressors, the reef, at capacity, was estimated to filter 35% of the total volume of the estuary over winter, incorporating 42.7 t of organic matter into mussel tissue. The reefs would thus make a substantial contribution to improving estuary water quality. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Diversity and Ecology of Marine Benthic Communities)

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17 pages, 3529 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effect of Depth across a Latitudinal Gradient in the Structure of Rhodolith Seabeds and Associated Biota across the Eastern Atlantic Ocean

by Inés Pérez-Peris, Sandra Navarro-Mayoral, Marcial Cosme de Esteban, Fernando Tuya, Viviana Peña, Ignacio Barbara, Pedro Neves, Claudia Ribeiro, Antonio Abreu, Jacques Grall, Fernando Espino, Nestor Echedey Bosch, Ricardo Haroun and Francisco Otero-Ferrer

Diversity 2023, 15(1), 103; https://doi.org/10.3390/d15010103 - 12 Jan 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2355

Abstract

Rhodolith seabeds are ‘ecosystem engineers’ composed of free-living calcareous red macroalgae, which create extensive marine habitats. This study addressed how depth influenced the structure (size and morphology) of rhodoliths and the abundance of associated floral and faunal epibionts across the Eastern Atlantic Ocean. Sampling was carried out at two sites within five regions (Brittany, Galicia, Madeira, Gran Canaria, and Principe Island), from temperate to tropical, covering a latitudinal gradient of 47°, in three depth strata (shallow, intermediate and deep), according to the rhodolith bathymetrical range in each region. Depth typically affected the rhodolith size at all regions; the largest nodules were found in the intermediate and deep strata, while rhodolith sphericity was larger at the shallow depth strata. Higher biomasses of attached macroalgae (epiphytes) were observed at depths where rhodoliths were larger. The abundance of epifauna was variable across regions and depth strata. In general, the occurrence, structure, and abundance of the associated biota across rhodolith habitats were affected by depth, with local variability (i.e., sites within regions) often displaying a more significant influence than the regional (large-scale) variation. Overall, this study showed that the rhodolith morphology and associated epibionts (flora and fauna) were mostly affected by depth, irrespective of latitude. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Diversity and Ecology of Marine Benthic Communities)

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18 pages, 3681 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

New Deep-Sea Molluscan Records from Mallorca Channel Seamounts (North-Western Mediterranean)

by Elena Marco-Herrero, Montserrat Ramón, Sergio Ramírez-Amaro, Olga Sánchez-Guillamón, Francesc Ordines, Carmina López-Rodríguez, María Teresa Farriols, Juan Tomás Vázquez and Enric Massutí

Diversity 2022, 14(11), 928; https://doi.org/10.3390/d14110928 - 29 Oct 2022

Viewed by 2473

Abstract

Seamounts are globally important and essential ecosystems for supporting and maintaining marine biodiversity. In the Mallorca Channel, three prominent seamounts are present: Ausias March, Ses Olives and Emile Baudot. Currently, this area is being evaluated for inclusion in the Natura 2000 network. For this objective three surveys were conducted in the seamounts of the Mallorca Channel during July 2018 and July 2020. Samples of macro-invertebrates obtained in the deep sea revealed a rich fauna of Mollusca (68 species belonging to 40 families). New Mollusca occurrences included: four species of Gastropoda: Colus jeffreysianus, Cantrainea peloritana, Fusiturris similis, Gymnobela abyssorum, and seven species of Bivalvia: Pododesmus squama, Allogramma formosa, Asperarca nodulosa, Cetomya neaeroides, Spondylus gussonii, Haliris granulata and Policordia gemma. Where possible, the identification of these species was confirmed using the DNA barcoding method (sequencing of the cytochrome c oxidase subunit I). This study contributes towards filling the gap in knowledge of deep-sea mollusc fauna of the north-western Mediterranean. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Diversity and Ecology of Marine Benthic Communities)

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