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Diversity
Special Issues
Patterns Of Marine Benthic Biodiversity
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Patterns Of Marine Benthic Biodiversity

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 2 January 2026 | Viewed by 3764

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Marcos Rubal

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
The Centre of Molecular and Environmental Biology (CBMA), University of Minho, Braga, Portugal
Interests: marine biology; invertebrates; macroalgae
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Puri Veiga

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
CIIMAR Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, University of Porto, 4099-002 Porto, Portugal
Interests: marine biology; invertebrates; macroalgae
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Diego Carreira-Flores

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
The Centre of Molecular and Environmental Biology (CBMA), University of Minho, Braga, Portugal
Interests: marine biology; invertebrates; macroalgae; standard sampling methodologies

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The loss of biodiversity is one of the main threats that humanity faces. Marine benthic ecosystems are one of the most diverse environments on earth, but our knowledge about their natural patterns of biodiversity remains limited. Environmental factors (e.g., temperature, salinity, pH, sedimentary kind) and biological factors (predation, competition, etc.) interact simultaneously, shaping the diversity of marine benthic assemblages at different spatial and temporal scales. The number of studies dealing with patterns of marine benthic diversity at local and regional scales is greater than those covering the broader scales and cannot be extrapolated as generalities. Finally, many anthropogenic activities can modify the natural patterns of the biodiversity of benthic assemblages. We are pleased to invite you to contribute your manuscripts to this special Issue, that provides an opportunity to improve current knowledge on patterns of marine benthic biodiversity. We welcome original research articles and reviews to this Special Issues and research areas may include, but are not limited to, the following topics: studies conducted at different temporal and spatial scales, those investigating relationships between ecosystem engineers and biodiversity, and those focusing on the effects of anthropogenic disturbances on benthic biodiversity patterns.

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Dr. Marcos Rubal
Dr. Puri Veiga
Dr. Diego Carreira-Flores
Guest Editors

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 2100 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

  • intertidal
  • subtidal
  • rocky shores
  • sandy shores
  • estuaries
  • anthropogenic disturbance
  • environmental gradients

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

37 pages, 5714 KiB  
Article
Biodiversity of Marine Mollusk Assemblages from Two Contrasted Algal Habitats in the Mediterranean Sea (Tossa de Mar, Costa Brava, NE Spain)
by Manuel Ballesteros, Angra S. Silva, Óscar F. Villamizar, Miquel Pontes and Francesc Oliva
Diversity 2025, 17(1), 9; https://doi.org/10.3390/d17010009 - 25 Dec 2024
Viewed by 790
Abstract
The malacological faunae of two algal habitats with different lighting conditions—a sciophilous wall and a photophilous one—both located in Tossa de Mar (Costa Brava, Girona, NE Spain), have been studied to examine the differences in the malacological communities, their distribution over time, and [...] Read more.
The malacological faunae of two algal habitats with different lighting conditions—a sciophilous wall and a photophilous one—both located in Tossa de Mar (Costa Brava, Girona, NE Spain), have been studied to examine the differences in the malacological communities, their distribution over time, and the role played by micromollusks in these algal habitats. Every two months, for a year, samples were collected via scuba diving and scraping standardized surfaces (20 × 20 cm) of the algal communities. In the laboratory, the samples were washed and filtered using two metal sieves (2 mm for coarse fraction and 513 µm for fine fraction). Mollusks were separated, identified, and later analyzed statistically to assess biodiversity indices and sample grouping. A total of 7913 mollusk specimens from 148 species (112 Gastropoda; 32 Bivalvia and 4 Polyplacophora) were identified across all samples, with 1669 specimens (84 species) from the sciophilous algae and 6244 specimens (133 species) from the photophilous algae. Moreover, 10 species accounted for 76.27% of the total abundance, with each species represented by over 100 specimens in the total samples. The gastropod Bittium latreillii was the most abundant species, with 2106 specimens recorded. Regarding the two fractions, 337 specimens (69 species) were found in the coarse fraction, while 7576 specimens (111 species) were found in the fine fraction. Significant differences were obtained between samples with respect to time, habitat type, and size fraction. The Shannon–Wiener biodiversity index values indicated differences between the two communities over time, as well as variations in biodiversity, with the photophilous community exhibiting higher values. It was demonstrated that algal thalli provide a highly suitable substrate for juvenile forms and micromollusks. Our findings, combined with the literature and various online citations, establish Tossa de Mar as the town on the Catalan coast with the best-documented malacological fauna. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Patterns Of Marine Benthic Biodiversity)
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16 pages, 13159 KiB  
Article
Could Some Lost Fishing Gears Be Suitable Substrata for Benthic Invertebrates? The Case of Some Colonizer Sponge Assemblages in the Western Mediterranean Sea
by Gabriele Costa, Renata Manconi, Gabriele Sanna, Nicola Arrostuto, Nicola Fois, Claudio Sechi, Paolo Tomassetti and Serena Lomiri
Diversity 2024, 16(9), 575; https://doi.org/10.3390/d16090575 - 13 Sep 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1041
Abstract
This study presents novel information on sponge (Porifera) colonization of artificial substrates in the framework of the LIFE EU Strong Sea Life Project, focusing on the northwestern Sardinian Sea (Western Mediterranean Sea). Five abandoned, lost, or discarded fishing gears (ALDFGs) of the local [...] Read more.
This study presents novel information on sponge (Porifera) colonization of artificial substrates in the framework of the LIFE EU Strong Sea Life Project, focusing on the northwestern Sardinian Sea (Western Mediterranean Sea). Five abandoned, lost, or discarded fishing gears (ALDFGs) of the local artisanal fishery from circum-seas of the Asinara Island Marine Protected Area (MPA) were focused. The composition, taxonomic richness, relative abundance, and lifestyle of sponge assemblages are reported. Taxonomic richness is notably high with 2 classes and 13 orders comprising 26 families, 36 genera, and 47 species of Porifera displaying miniaturized body size and dominant encrusting to massive/erect growth forms. New records at species level are reported for the MPA, the Sardinian Sea, and the Western Mediterranean Sea. The successful colonization of the recovered ghost fishing gears by sponges highlights that adaptive strategies of these basal metazoans support their ability to settle and persist on synthetic materials. This dataset contributes to the inventory of (i) recovered ALDFGs in MPAs, (ii) exogenous substrata as suitable substrata for sponge settlement, and (iii) species richness of an MPA and (iv) promotes the biodiversity assessment of the plastisphere in a global context of ocean pollution. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Patterns Of Marine Benthic Biodiversity)
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15 pages, 11374 KiB  
Article
Colonial Ascidian Populations at Inshore Coral Reefs of Norfolk Island, South Pacific
by Shannon Eckhardt, Tracy D. Ainsworth, William Leggat and Charlotte E. Page
Diversity 2024, 16(7), 384; https://doi.org/10.3390/d16070384 - 30 Jun 2024
Viewed by 1314
Abstract
Subtropical coral reefs such as the lagoonal reefs of Norfolk Island in the remote South Pacific are vastly understudied, with many benthic species unrecorded in the scientific literature. Here we report on ascidian populations from 2021 to 2023 at Norfolk Islands inshore reefs. [...] Read more.
Subtropical coral reefs such as the lagoonal reefs of Norfolk Island in the remote South Pacific are vastly understudied, with many benthic species unrecorded in the scientific literature. Here we report on ascidian populations from 2021 to 2023 at Norfolk Islands inshore reefs. Quantitative assessments spanning that period were conducted to assess ascidian presence, cover, and benthic interactions. We show ascidian cover remained persistently low and stable across the lagoonal reefs during the study period. We find adjacent reef site, Cemetery Bay showed variation in ascidian cover over time, where we measure a 3.2-fold increase in cover over 2 years. Ascidians were associated primarily with sand and sediment substrates at all reef locations. Recorded interactions between hard corals and ascidians were low. This study provides valuable insights into the population dynamics of ascidians within subtropical reef ecosystems. Ongoing ascidian population monitoring can provide a comprehensive understanding of ascidian dynamics whilst also providing insight of theimpact of anthropogenic stressors on benthic communities. Together, this can aid in informing management and conservation strategies for subtropical reefs. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Patterns Of Marine Benthic Biodiversity)
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