1
|
Hyndes GA, Berdan EL, Duarte C, Dugan JE, Emery KA, Hambäck PA, Henderson CJ, Hubbard DM, Lastra M, Mateo MA, Olds A, Schlacher TA. The role of inputs of marine wrack and carrion in sandy-beach ecosystems: a global review. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2022; 97:2127-2161. [PMID: 35950352 PMCID: PMC9804821 DOI: 10.1111/brv.12886] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2021] [Revised: 06/26/2022] [Accepted: 06/29/2022] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Sandy beaches are iconic interfaces that functionally link the ocean with the land via the flow of organic matter from the sea. These cross-ecosystem fluxes often comprise uprooted seagrass and dislodged macroalgae that can form substantial accumulations of detritus, termed 'wrack', on sandy beaches. In addition, the tissue of the carcasses of marine animals that regularly wash up on beaches form a rich food source ('carrion') for a diversity of scavenging animals. Here, we provide a global review of how wrack and carrion provide spatial subsidies that shape the structure and functioning of sandy-beach ecosystems (sandy beaches and adjacent surf zones), which typically have little in situ primary production. We also examine the spatial scaling of the influence of these processes across the broader land- and seascape, and identify key gaps in our knowledge to guide future research directions and priorities. Large quantities of detrital kelp and seagrass can flow into sandy-beach ecosystems, where microbial decomposers and animals process it. The rates of wrack supply and its retention are influenced by the oceanographic processes that transport it, the geomorphology and landscape context of the recipient beaches, and the condition, life history and morphological characteristics of the macrophyte taxa that are the ultimate source of wrack. When retained in beach ecosystems, wrack often creates hotspots of microbial metabolism, secondary productivity, biodiversity, and nutrient remineralization. Nutrients are produced during wrack breakdown, and these can return to coastal waters in surface flows (swash) and aquifers discharging into the subtidal surf. Beach-cast kelp often plays a key trophic role, being an abundant and preferred food source for mobile, semi-aquatic invertebrates that channel imported algal matter to predatory invertebrates, fish, and birds. The role of beach-cast marine carrion is likely to be underestimated, as it can be consumed rapidly by highly mobile scavengers (e.g. foxes, coyotes, raptors, vultures). These consumers become important vectors in transferring marine productivity inland, thereby linking marine and terrestrial ecosystems. Whilst deposits of organic matter on sandy-beach ecosystems underpin a range of ecosystem functions and services, they can be at variance with aesthetic perceptions resulting in widespread activities, such as 'beach cleaning and grooming'. This practice diminishes the energetic base of food webs, intertidal fauna, and biodiversity. Global declines in seagrass beds and kelp forests (linked to global warming) are predicted to cause substantial reductions in the amounts of marine organic matter reaching many beach ecosystems, likely causing flow-on effects for food webs and biodiversity. Similarly, future sea-level rise and increased storm frequency are likely to alter profoundly the physical attributes of beaches, which in turn can change the rates at which beaches retain and process the influxes of wrack and animal carcasses. Conservation of the multi-faceted ecosystem services that sandy beaches provide will increasingly need to encompass a greater societal appreciation and the safeguarding of ecological functions reliant on beach-cast organic matter on innumerable ocean shores worldwide.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Glenn A. Hyndes
- Centre for Marine Ecosystems Research, School of ScienceEdith Cowan UniversityJoondalupWestern AustraliaAustralia
| | - Emma L. Berdan
- Department of Marine SciencesUniversity of GothenburgGöteborgSweden
| | - Cristian Duarte
- Departamento de Ecología y Biodiversidad, Facultad de Ciencias de la VidaUniversidad Andres BelloSantiagoChile
| | - Jenifer E. Dugan
- Marine Science InstituteUniversity of CaliforniaSanta BarbaraCA93106USA
| | - Kyle A. Emery
- Marine Science InstituteUniversity of CaliforniaSanta BarbaraCA93106USA
| | - Peter A. Hambäck
- Department of Ecology, Environment and Plant SciencesStockholm UniversityStockholmSweden
| | - Christopher J. Henderson
- School of Science, Technology, and EngineeringUniversity of the Sunshine CoastMaroochydoreQueenslandAustralia
| | - David M. Hubbard
- Marine Science InstituteUniversity of CaliforniaSanta BarbaraCA93106USA
| | - Mariano Lastra
- Centro de Investigación Mariña, Edificio CC ExperimentaisUniversidade de Vigo, Campus de Vigo36310VigoSpain
| | - Miguel A. Mateo
- Centre for Marine Ecosystems Research, School of ScienceEdith Cowan UniversityJoondalupWestern AustraliaAustralia,Centro de Estudios Avanzados de Blanes, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones CientíficasBlanesSpain
| | - Andrew Olds
- School of Science, Technology, and EngineeringUniversity of the Sunshine CoastMaroochydoreQueenslandAustralia
| | - Thomas A. Schlacher
- School of Science, Technology, and EngineeringUniversity of the Sunshine CoastMaroochydoreQueenslandAustralia
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Frontier N, Mulas M, Foggo A, Smale DA. The influence of light and temperature on detritus degradation rates for kelp species with contrasting thermal affinities. MARINE ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2022; 173:105529. [PMID: 34800869 DOI: 10.1016/j.marenvres.2021.105529] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2021] [Revised: 11/04/2021] [Accepted: 11/11/2021] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
Kelp detritus fuels coastal food webs and may play an important role as a source of organic matter for natural carbon sequestration. Here, we conducted ex situ and in situ manipulations to evaluate the role of temperature and light availability in the breakdown of detrital material. We examined degradation rates of two North Atlantic species with contrasting thermal affinities: the 'warm water' kelp Laminaria ochroleuca and the 'cool water' Laminaria hyperborea. Detrital fragments were exposed to different temperatures in controlled conditions and across an in situ gradient of depth, corresponding to light availability. Overall, degradation rates (i.e. changes in Fv/Fm and biomass) were faster under lower light conditions and at higher temperatures, although responses were highly variable between plants and fragments. Crucially, as L. ochroleuca degraded faster than L. hyperborea under some conditions, a climate-driven substitution of the 'cool' for the 'warm' kelp, which has been observed at some locations, will likely increase detritus turnover rates and alter detrital pathways in certain environments. More importantly, ocean warming combined with decreased coastal water quality will likely accelerate kelp detritus decomposition, with potential implications for coastal food webs and carbon cycles.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nadia Frontier
- Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom, The laboratory, Citadel Hill, Plymouth, PL1 2PB, UK; Marine Biology and Ecology Research Centre, School of Biological and Marine Sciences, University of Plymouth, Drake Circus, Plymouth, PL4 8AA, UK
| | - Martina Mulas
- Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom, The laboratory, Citadel Hill, Plymouth, PL1 2PB, UK; Israel Oceanographic & Limnological Research, The National Institute of Oceanography, P.O.BOX 8030, 31080, Haifa, Israel; The Leon H. Charney School of Marine Sciences, University of Haifa, Mt. Carmel, Haifa, Israel
| | - Andrew Foggo
- Marine Biology and Ecology Research Centre, School of Biological and Marine Sciences, University of Plymouth, Drake Circus, Plymouth, PL4 8AA, UK
| | - Dan A Smale
- Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom, The laboratory, Citadel Hill, Plymouth, PL1 2PB, UK.
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Kahma TI, Karlson AML, Sun X, Mörth CM, Humborg C, Norkko A, Rodil IF. Macroalgae fuels coastal soft-sediment macrofauna: A triple-isotope approach across spatial scales. MARINE ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2020; 162:105163. [PMID: 33137597 DOI: 10.1016/j.marenvres.2020.105163] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2020] [Revised: 09/23/2020] [Accepted: 09/25/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Shallow coastal zones may provide cross-habitat nutrient subsidies for benthic communities offshore, as macrophyte matter can drift to deeper sediments. To study the relative importance of carbon and nutrient flows derived from different primary food sources in a coastal ecosystem, the diets of clam Macoma balthica, polychaete Marenzelleria spp. and mussel Mytilus trossulus were examined across environmental gradients in the northern Baltic Sea using a triple-isotope approach (i.e. 13C, 15N and 34S) and Bayesian mixing models (MixSIAR). Our results suggest that in shallow habitats, production from Fucus vesiculosus is the primary energy source for M. balthica. The proportion of macroalgae-derived matter in the diet of M. balthica and Marenzelleria spp. decreased following a depth gradient. Our models for M. trossulus indicate that the pelagic POM dominates its diet. Our results indicate a trophic connectivity between shallow macrophyte-dominated and deeper habitats, which receive significant amounts of nutrient subsidies from shallower areas.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- T I Kahma
- University of Helsinki, Tvärminne Zoological Station, J. A. Palménin Tie 260, 10900 Hanko, Finland.
| | - A M L Karlson
- Stockholm University, Department of Ecology, Environment and Plant Science, 106 91 Stockholm, Sweden; Stockholm University, Baltic Sea Centre, 106 91 Stockholm, Sweden.
| | - X Sun
- Stockholm University, Baltic Sea Centre, 106 91 Stockholm, Sweden.
| | - C-M Mörth
- Stockholm University, Department of Geological Sciences, 106 91 Stockholm, Sweden.
| | - C Humborg
- University of Helsinki, Tvärminne Zoological Station, J. A. Palménin Tie 260, 10900 Hanko, Finland; Stockholm University, Baltic Sea Centre, 106 91 Stockholm, Sweden.
| | - A Norkko
- University of Helsinki, Tvärminne Zoological Station, J. A. Palménin Tie 260, 10900 Hanko, Finland; Stockholm University, Baltic Sea Centre, 106 91 Stockholm, Sweden.
| | - I F Rodil
- University of Helsinki, Tvärminne Zoological Station, J. A. Palménin Tie 260, 10900 Hanko, Finland; Stockholm University, Baltic Sea Centre, 106 91 Stockholm, Sweden.
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Zuercher R, Galloway AWE. Coastal marine ecosystem connectivity: pelagic ocean to kelp forest subsidies. Ecosphere 2019. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.2602] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Rachel Zuercher
- University of California Santa Cruz Santa Cruz California 95060 USA
| | - Aaron W. E. Galloway
- Oregon Institute of Marine Biology University of Oregon Charleston Oregon 97420 USA
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Buckner EV, Hernández DL, Samhouri JF. Conserving connectivity: Human influence on subsidy transfer and relevant restoration efforts. AMBIO 2018; 47:493-503. [PMID: 29127669 PMCID: PMC5884764 DOI: 10.1007/s13280-017-0989-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2017] [Revised: 07/14/2017] [Accepted: 10/27/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Conservation efforts tend to focus on the direct impacts humans have on their surrounding environment; however there are also many ways in which people indirectly affect ecosystems. Recent research on ecological subsidies-the transfer of energy and nutrients from one ecosystem to another-has highlighted the importance of nutrient exchange for maintaining productivity and diversity at a landscape scale, while also pointing toward the fragility of ecotones and vulnerability of subsidies to human activities. We review the recent literature on landscape connectivity and ecosystem subsidies from aquatic systems to terrestrial systems. Based on this review, we propose a conceptual model of how human activities may alter or eliminate the flow of energy and nutrients between ecosystems by influencing the delivery of subsidies along the pathway of transfer. To demonstrate the utility of this conceptual model, we discuss it in the context of case studies of subsidies derived from salmon, marine mammals, sea turtles, sea birds, and shoreline debris. Subsidy restoration may require a different set of actions from simply reversing the pathway of degradation. We suggest that effective restoration and conservation efforts will require a multifaceted approach, targeting many steps along the subsidy transfer pathway, to address these issues.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Emily V. Buckner
- Department of Biology, Carleton College, 1 North College Street, Northfield, MN 55057 USA
- Present Address: 3324 E Laurelhurst DR NE, Seattle, WA 98105 USA
| | - Daniel L. Hernández
- Department of Biology, Carleton College, 1 North College Street, Northfield, MN 55057 USA
| | - Jameal F. Samhouri
- Conservation Biology Division, Northwest Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 2725 Montlake Boulevard East, Seattle, WA 98112 USA
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Zhang P, Grutters BMC, van Leeuwen CHA, Xu J, Petruzzella A, van den Berg RF, Bakker ES. Effects of Rising Temperature on the Growth, Stoichiometry, and Palatability of Aquatic Plants. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2018; 9:1947. [PMID: 30671079 PMCID: PMC6331454 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2018.01947] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2018] [Accepted: 12/14/2018] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
Global warming is expected to strengthen herbivore-plant interactions leading to enhanced top-down control of plants. However, latitudinal gradients in plant quality as food for herbivores suggest lower palatability at higher temperatures, but the underlying mechanisms are still unclear. If plant palatability would decline with temperature rise, then this may question the expectation that warming leads to enhanced top-down control. Therefore, experiments that directly test plant palatability and the traits underlying palatability along a temperature gradient are needed. Here we experimentally tested the impact of temperature on aquatic plant growth, plant chemical traits (including stoichiometry) and plant palatability. We cultured three aquatic plant species at three temperatures (15, 20, and 25°C), measured growth parameters, determined chemical traits and performed feeding trial assays using the generalist consumer Lymnaea stagnalis (pond snail). We found that rising temperature significantly increased the growth of all three aquatic plants. Plant nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) content significantly decreased, and carbon (C):N and C:P stoichiometry increased as temperature increased, for both Potamogeton lucens and Vallisneria spiralis, but not for Elodea nuttallii. By performing the palatability test, we found that rising temperatures significantly decreased plant palatability in P. lucens, which could be explained by changes in the underlying chemical plant traits. In contrast, the palatability of E. nuttallii and V. spiralis was not affected by temperature. Overall, P. lucens and V. spiralis were always more palatable than E. nuttallii. We conclude that warming generally stimulates aquatic plant growth, whereas the effects on chemical plant traits and plant palatability are species-specific. These results suggest that the outcome of the impact of temperature rise on macrophyte stoichiometry and palatability from single-species studies may not be broadly applicable. In contrast, the plant species tested consistently differed in palatability, regardless of temperature, suggesting that palatability may be more strongly linked to species identity than to intraspecific variation in plant stoichiometry.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Peiyu Zhang
- Department of Aquatic Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Wageningen, Netherlands
- *Correspondence: Peiyu Zhang
| | - Bart M. C. Grutters
- Department of Aquatic Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Wageningen, Netherlands
| | - Casper H. A. van Leeuwen
- Department of Aquatic Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Wageningen, Netherlands
| | - Jun Xu
- Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China
| | - Antonella Petruzzella
- Department of Aquatic Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Wageningen, Netherlands
| | - Reinier F. van den Berg
- Department of Aquatic Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Wageningen, Netherlands
| | - Elisabeth S. Bakker
- Department of Aquatic Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Wageningen, Netherlands
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Duarte C, López J, Benítez S, Manríquez PH, Navarro JM, Bonta CC, Torres R, Quijón P. Ocean acidification induces changes in algal palatability and herbivore feeding behavior and performance. Oecologia 2016; 180:453-62. [PMID: 26453521 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-015-3459-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2015] [Accepted: 09/15/2015] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
The effects of global stressors on a species may be mediated by the stressors' impact on coexisting taxa. For instance, herbivore-algae interactions may change due to alterations in algal nutritional quality resulting from high CO2 levels associated with ocean acidification (OA). We approached this issue by assessing the indirect effects of OA on the trophic interactions between the amphipod Orchestoidea tuberculata and the brown alga Durvillaea antarctica, two prominent species of the South-east Pacific coast. We predicted that amphipod feeding behavior and performance (growth rate) will be affected by changes in the palatability of the algae exposed to high levels (1000 ppm) of CO2. We exposed algae to current and predicted (OA) atmospheric CO2 levels and then measured their nutritive quality and amphipod preference in choice trials. We also assessed consumption rates separately in no-choice trials, and measured amphipod absorption efficiency and growth rates. Protein and organic contents of the algae decreased in acidified conditions and amphipods showed low preference for these algae. However, in the no-choice trials we recorded higher grazing rates on algae exposed to OA. Although amphipod absorption efficiency was lower on these algae, growth rates did not differ between treatments, which suggests the occurrence of compensatory feeding. Our results suggest that changes in algal nutritional value in response to OA induce changes in algal palatability and these in turn affect consumers' food preference and performance. Indirect effects of global stressors like OA can be equally or more important than the direct effects predicted in the literature.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Cristian Duarte
- Departamento de Ecología y Biodiversidad, Facultad de Ecología y Recursos Naturales, Universidad Andrés Bello, República no. 440, Santiago, Chile.
- Center for the Study of Multiple-drivers on Marine Socio-ecological Systems (MUSELS), Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile.
| | - Jorge López
- Instituto de Ciencias Marinas y Limnológicas, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile
| | - Samanta Benítez
- Departamento de Ecología y Biodiversidad, Facultad de Ecología y Recursos Naturales, Universidad Andrés Bello, República no. 440, Santiago, Chile
- Center for the Study of Multiple-drivers on Marine Socio-ecological Systems (MUSELS), Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile
- Centro de Investigación e Innovación para el Cambio Climático (CIICC), Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Santo Tomas, Ejército 146, Santiago, Chile
| | - Patricio H Manríquez
- Laboratorio de Ecología y Conducta de la Ontogenia Temprana (LECOT), Centro de Estudios Avanzados en Zonas Áridas (CEAZA), Avenida Ossandón 877, Coquimbo, Chile
| | - Jorge M Navarro
- Instituto de Ciencias Marinas y Limnológicas, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile
| | - Cesar C Bonta
- Instituto de Ciencias Marinas y Limnológicas, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile
| | - Rodrigo Torres
- Centro de Investigación en Ecosistemas de la Patagonia (CIEP), Coyhaique, Chile
| | - Pedro Quijón
- Department of Biology, University of Prince Edward Island, 550 University Avenue, Charlottetown, PE, C1A 4P3, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Rodil IF, Fernandes JP, Mucha AP. Disentangling the effects of solar radiation, wrack macroalgae and beach macrofauna on associated bacterial assemblages. MARINE ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2015; 112:104-12. [PMID: 26498844 DOI: 10.1016/j.marenvres.2015.10.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2015] [Revised: 10/02/2015] [Accepted: 10/06/2015] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
Wrack detritus plays a significant role in shaping community dynamics and food-webs on sandy beaches. Macroalgae is the most abundant beach wrack, and it is broken down by the combination of environmental processes, macrofauna grazing, and microbial degradation before returning to the sea as nutrients. The role of solar radiation, algal species and beach macrofauna as ecological drivers for bacterial assemblages associated to wrack was investigated by experimental manipulation of Laminaria ochroleuca and Sargassum muticum. We examined the effects of changes in solar radiation on wrack-associated bacterial assemblages by using cut-off filters: PAR + UVA + UVB (280-700 nm; PAB), PAR + UVA (320-700 nm; PA), PAR (400-700 nm; P), and a control with no filter (C). Results showed that moderate changes in UVR are capable to promote substantial differences on bacterial assemblages so that wrack patches exposed to full sunlight treatments (C and PAB) showed more similar assemblages among them than compared to patches exposed to treatments that blocked part of the solar radiation (P and PA). Our findings also suggested that specific algal nutrient quality-related variables (i.e. nitrogen, C:N ratio and phlorotannins) are main determinants of bacterial dynamics on wrack deposits. We showed a positive relationship between beach macrofauna, especially the most abundant and active wrack-users, the amphipod Talitrus saltator and the coleopteran Phaleria cadaverina, and both bacterial abundance and richness. Moderate variations in natural solar radiation and shifts in the algal species entering beach ecosystems can modify the role of wrack in the energy-flow of nearshore environments with unknown ecological implications for coastal ecosystems.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Iván F Rodil
- Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research (CIIMAR/CIMAR), University of Porto, 4050-123 Porto, Portugal.
| | - Joana P Fernandes
- Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research (CIIMAR/CIMAR), University of Porto, 4050-123 Porto, Portugal
| | - Ana P Mucha
- Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research (CIIMAR/CIMAR), University of Porto, 4050-123 Porto, Portugal
| |
Collapse
|