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Williams TJ, Blockley D, Cundy AB, Godbold JA, Howman RM, Solan M. Dilute concentrations of maritime fuel can modify sediment reworking activity of high-latitude marine invertebrates. Ecol Evol 2024; 14:e11702. [PMID: 38966246 PMCID: PMC11222169 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.11702] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2024] [Revised: 06/20/2024] [Accepted: 06/21/2024] [Indexed: 07/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Multiple expressions of climate change, in particular warming-induced reductions in the type, extent and thickness of sea ice, are opening access and providing new viable development opportunities in high-latitude regions. Coastal margins are facing these challenges, but the vulnerability of species and ecosystems to the effects of fuel contamination associated with increased maritime traffic is largely unknown. Here, we show that low concentrations of the water-accommodated fraction of marine fuel oil, representative of a dilute fuel oil spill, can alter functionally important aspects of the behaviour of sediment-dwelling invertebrates. We find that the response to contamination is species specific, but that the range in response among individuals is modified by increasing fuel concentrations. Our study provides evidence that species responses to novel and/or unprecedented levels of anthropogenic activity associated with the opening up of high-latitude regions can have substantive ecological effects, even when human impacts are at, or below, commonly accepted safe thresholds. These secondary responses are often overlooked in broad-scale environmental assessments and marine planning yet, critically, they may act as an early warning signal for impending and more pronounced ecological transitions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas J. Williams
- University of Southampton, National Oceanography Centre SouthamptonSouthamptonUK
| | - David Blockley
- PinngortitaleriffikGreenland Institute of Natural ResourcesNuukGreenland
| | - Andrew B. Cundy
- University of Southampton, National Oceanography Centre SouthamptonSouthamptonUK
| | - Jasmin A. Godbold
- University of Southampton, National Oceanography Centre SouthamptonSouthamptonUK
| | - Rebecca M. Howman
- University of Southampton, National Oceanography Centre SouthamptonSouthamptonUK
- Québec Océan, Takuvik Joint International Laboratory CNRSUniversité LavalQuebec CityQuebecCanada
| | - Martin Solan
- University of Southampton, National Oceanography Centre SouthamptonSouthamptonUK
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2
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Williams TJ, Reed AJ, Peck LS, Godbold JA, Solan M. Ocean warming and acidification adjust inter- and intra-specific variability in the functional trait expression of polar invertebrates. Sci Rep 2024; 14:14985. [PMID: 38951669 PMCID: PMC11217501 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-65808-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2024] [Accepted: 06/24/2024] [Indexed: 07/03/2024] Open
Abstract
Climate change is known to affect the distribution and composition of species, but concomitant alterations to functionally important aspects of behaviour and species-environment relations are poorly constrained. Here, we examine the ecosystem ramifications of changes in sediment-dwelling invertebrate bioturbation behaviour-a key process mediating nutrient cycling-associated with near-future environmental conditions (+ 1.5 °C, 550 ppm [pCO2]) for species from polar regions experiencing rapid rates of climate change. We find that responses to warming and acidification vary between species and lead to a reduction in intra-specific variability in behavioural trait expression that adjusts the magnitude and direction of nutrient concentrations. Our analyses also indicate that species behaviour is not predetermined, but can be dependent on local variations in environmental history that set population capacities for phenotypic plasticity. We provide evidence that certain, but subtle, aspects of inter- and intra-specific variation in behavioural trait expression, rather than the presence or proportional representation of species per se, is an important and under-appreciated determinant of benthic biogeochemical responses to climate change. Such changes in species behaviour may act as an early warning for impending ecological transitions associated with progressive climate forcing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas J Williams
- School of Ocean and Earth Science, National Oceanography Centre Southampton, University of Southampton, Waterfront Campus, European Way, Southampton, SO14 3ZH, UK.
| | - Adam J Reed
- School of Ocean and Earth Science, National Oceanography Centre Southampton, University of Southampton, Waterfront Campus, European Way, Southampton, SO14 3ZH, UK
| | - Lloyd S Peck
- British Antarctic Survey, NERC, High Cross, Madingley Road, Cambridge, CB3 0ET, UK
| | - Jasmin A Godbold
- School of Ocean and Earth Science, National Oceanography Centre Southampton, University of Southampton, Waterfront Campus, European Way, Southampton, SO14 3ZH, UK
| | - Martin Solan
- School of Ocean and Earth Science, National Oceanography Centre Southampton, University of Southampton, Waterfront Campus, European Way, Southampton, SO14 3ZH, UK
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3
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Lee J, Gambi MC, Kroeker KJ, Munari M, Peay K, Micheli F. Resilient consumers accelerate the plant decomposition in a naturally acidified seagrass ecosystem. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2022; 28:4558-4576. [PMID: 35583009 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.16265] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2021] [Revised: 03/15/2022] [Accepted: 03/22/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Anthropogenic stressors are predicted to alter biodiversity and ecosystem functioning worldwide. However, scaling up from species to ecosystem responses poses a challenge, as species and functional groups can exhibit different capacities to adapt, acclimate, and compensate under changing environments. We used a naturally acidified seagrass ecosystem (the endemic Mediterranean Posidonia oceanica) as a model system to examine how ocean acidification (OA) modifies the community structure and functioning of plant detritivores, which play vital roles in the coastal nutrient cycling and food web dynamics. In seagrass beds associated with volcanic CO2 vents (Ischia, Italy), we quantified the effects of OA on seagrass decomposition by deploying litterbags in three distinct pH zones (i.e., ambient, low, extreme low pH), which differed in the mean and variability of seawater pH. We replicated the study in two discrete vents for 117 days (litterbags sampled on day 5, 10, 28, 55, and 117). Acidification reduced seagrass detritivore richness and diversity through the loss of less abundant, pH-sensitive species but increased the abundance of the dominant detritivore (amphipod Gammarella fucicola). Such compensatory shifts in species abundance caused more than a threefold increase in the total detritivore abundance in lower pH zones. These community changes were associated with increased consumption (52%-112%) and decay of seagrass detritus (up to 67% faster decomposition rate for the slow-decaying, refractory detrital pool) under acidification. Seagrass detritus deployed in acidified zones showed increased N content and decreased C:N ratio, indicating that altered microbial activities under OA may have affected the decay process. The findings suggest that OA could restructure consumer assemblages and modify plant decomposition in blue carbon ecosystems, which may have important implications for carbon sequestration, nutrient recycling, and trophic transfer. Our study highlights the importance of within-community response variability and compensatory processes in modulating ecosystem functions under extreme global change scenarios.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juhyung Lee
- Hopkins Marine Station of Stanford University, Pacific Grove, California, USA
- Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA
| | | | - Kristy J Kroeker
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, California, USA
| | - Marco Munari
- Department of Integrative Marine Ecology, Ischia Marine Centre, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Ischia, Naples, Italy
| | - Kabir Peay
- Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA
| | - Fiorenza Micheli
- Hopkins Marine Station of Stanford University, Pacific Grove, California, USA
- Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA
- Stanford Center for Ocean Solutions, Pacific Grove, California, USA
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Dolbeth M, Babe O, Costa DA, Mucha AP, Cardoso PG, Arenas F. Benthic estuarine communities' contribution to bioturbation under the experimental effect of marine heatwaves. Sci Rep 2021; 11:11422. [PMID: 34075082 PMCID: PMC8169769 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-90720-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2020] [Accepted: 05/17/2021] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Marine heatwaves are increasing worldwide, with several negative impacts on biological communities and ecosystems. This 24-day study tested heatwaves' effect with distinct duration and recovery periods on benthic estuarine communities' diversity and contribution to ecosystem functioning experimentally. The communities were obtained from a temperate estuary, usually subjected to high daily thermal amplitudes. Our goal was to understand the communities' response to the thermal change, including the community descriptors and behavioural changes expected during heat extremes. We measured community composition and structural changes and the bioturbation process and nutrient release as ecosystem functioning measurements. Overall, our findings highlight the potential tolerance of studied estuarine species to the temperature ranges tested in the study, as community composition and structure were similar, independently of the warming effect. We detected a slight trend for bioturbation and nutrient release increase in the communities under warming, yet these responses were not consistent with the heatwaves exposure duration. Overall, we conclude on the complexity of estuarine communities' contribution to functioning under warming, and the importance of scalable experiments with benthic organisms' responses to climate variability, accommodating longer time scales and replication. Such an approach would set more efficient expectations towards climate change mitigation or adaptation in temperate estuarine ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Dolbeth
- CIIMAR - Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, Novo Edifício Do Terminal de Cruzeiros Do Porto de Leixões, Avenida General Norton de Matos S/N, 4450-208, Matosinhos, Portugal.
| | - O Babe
- CIIMAR - Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, Novo Edifício Do Terminal de Cruzeiros Do Porto de Leixões, Avenida General Norton de Matos S/N, 4450-208, Matosinhos, Portugal
| | - D A Costa
- CIIMAR - Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, Novo Edifício Do Terminal de Cruzeiros Do Porto de Leixões, Avenida General Norton de Matos S/N, 4450-208, Matosinhos, Portugal
- Center of Exact and Nature Sciences (CCEN), Department of Systematics and Ecology (DSE), UFPB - Federal University of Paraíba, Jardim Cidade Universitária s/n, João Pessoa, 58051-090, Brazil
| | - A P Mucha
- CIIMAR - Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, Novo Edifício Do Terminal de Cruzeiros Do Porto de Leixões, Avenida General Norton de Matos S/N, 4450-208, Matosinhos, Portugal
| | - P G Cardoso
- CIIMAR - Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, Novo Edifício Do Terminal de Cruzeiros Do Porto de Leixões, Avenida General Norton de Matos S/N, 4450-208, Matosinhos, Portugal
| | - F Arenas
- CIIMAR - Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, Novo Edifício Do Terminal de Cruzeiros Do Porto de Leixões, Avenida General Norton de Matos S/N, 4450-208, Matosinhos, Portugal
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The Configuration of Forest Cover in Ribeirão Preto: A Diagnosis of Brazil’s Forest Code Implementation. SUSTAINABILITY 2020. [DOI: 10.3390/su12145686] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
The fragmentation of forests is a consequence of human activities that intensively change the natural landscapes. In Brazil, there is a long-standing legal framework for native vegetation protection, called Forest Code. The last update is from 2012. The revisions incorporated in this restructured code (Law No. 12,651/12) encompassed new rules, rights and obligations for adequate land use management of productive systems and for environmental conservation and protection. An example of a protective measure was the creation of a Legal Reserve inside the rural properties and Areas of Permanent Protection around the watercourses. This study explored the effects of implementing the new code on the spatial and temporal evolution of forest cover fragmentation since the legal changes were set up. In that context, the area, perimeter and shape (circularity index) of forest fragments, as well as the buffer strips along watercourses, were assessed from 2010 to 2016 within the municipality of Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo state, Brazil. The assessment resorted to remote sensing techniques and visual inspection of orbital images. It was clear from the results that forest patches became more abundant but smaller, more dispersed and elongated, and that this route to fragmentation was hinged on a chaotic expansion of urban and agricultural areas. Important edge effects were anticipated from these results. The area numbers revealed that Ribeirão Preto was 7.95% covered with forest fragments in 2010, while this percentage rose to 8.03% in 2013 and reached 8.35% in 2016. Most of this increase occurred within a 30-meter wide buffer along the watercourses. This was a positive outcome. However, the numbers also revealed that forested areas smaller than 51 hectares increased from 71% in 2010 to 73% in 2016. The conclusions were that implementation of Law No. 12,651/12 is leading to an increase of forestland, but not yet promoting sustainability, namely through improved connectivity among fragments for reduction of edge effects and provision ecosystem services.
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Cassidy C, Grange LJ, Garcia C, Bolam SG, Godbold JA. Species interactions and environmental context affect intraspecific behavioural trait variation and ecosystem function. Proc Biol Sci 2020; 287:20192143. [PMID: 31992167 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2019.2143] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Functional trait-based approaches are increasingly adopted to understand and project ecological responses to environmental change; however, most assume trait expression is constant between conspecifics irrespective of context. Using two species of benthic invertebrate (brittlestars Amphiura filiformis and Amphiura chiajei), we demonstrate that trait expression at individual and community levels differs with biotic and abiotic context. We use PERMANOVA to test the effect of species identity, density and local environmental history on individual (righting and burrowing) and community (particle reworking and burrow ventilation) trait expression, as well as associated effects on ecosystem functioning (sediment nutrient release). Trait expression differs with context, with repercussions for the faunal mediation of ecosystem processes; we find increased rates of righting and burial behaviour and greater particle reworking with increasing density that are reflected in nutrient generation. However, the magnitude of effects differed within and between species, arising from site-specific environmental and morphological differences. Our results indicate that traits and processes influencing change in ecosystem functioning are products of both prevailing and historic conditions that cannot be constrained within typologies. Trait-based study must incorporate context-dependent variation, including intraspecific differences from individual to ecosystem scales, to avoid jeopardizing projections of ecosystem functioning and service delivery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camilla Cassidy
- School of Ocean and Earth Science, National Oceanography Centre Southampton, University of Southampton, European Way, Southampton SO14 3ZH, UK
| | - Laura J Grange
- School of Ocean Sciences, Bangor University, Bangor LL57 2DG, UK
| | - Clement Garcia
- Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science, Lowestoft Laboratory, Pakefield Road, Lowestoft, Suffolk NR33 0HT, UK
| | - Stefan G Bolam
- Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science, Lowestoft Laboratory, Pakefield Road, Lowestoft, Suffolk NR33 0HT, UK
| | - Jasmin A Godbold
- School of Ocean and Earth Science, National Oceanography Centre Southampton, University of Southampton, European Way, Southampton SO14 3ZH, UK
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Dolbeth M, Crespo D, Leston S, Solan M. Realistic scenarios of environmental disturbance lead to functionally important changes in benthic species-environment interactions. MARINE ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2019; 150:104770. [PMID: 31421538 DOI: 10.1016/j.marenvres.2019.104770] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2019] [Revised: 08/01/2019] [Accepted: 08/04/2019] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
Changes in community structure concurrent with environmental forcing often form a precursor to changes in species diversity, and can have substantive consequences for ecosystem functioning. Here, we assess the effects of altered levels of evenness that are representative of different levels of eutrophication and changes in salinity associated with altered precipitation patterns, on the mediation of nutrient release by sediment-dwelling invertebrate communities. We find that an adjustment towards a more even distribution of species corresponds with an increase in sediment particle reworking that, in general, translates to increased levels of nutrient release. This response, however, is dependent on the functional role of each species in the community and is influenced by concomitant changes in salinity, especially when salinity extends beyond the range typically experienced by the community. Overall, our findings highlight the dynamic nature of species contributions to functioning and reinforce the importance of understanding when, and how, the mechanistic basis of species-environment interactions are modified as the influence of abiotic and biotic factors flex under periods of directional forcing.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Dolbeth
- CIIMAR - Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, Novo Edifício do Terminal de Cruzeiros do Porto de Leixões, Avenida General Norton de Matos s/n, 4450-208 Matosinhos, Portugal; CFE - Centre for Functional Ecology, Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, Calçada Martim de Freitas, 3000-456, Coimbra, Portugal.
| | - D Crespo
- CFE - Centre for Functional Ecology, Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, Calçada Martim de Freitas, 3000-456, Coimbra, Portugal; MARE - Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre, Politécnico de Leiria, Edifício CETEMARES, Av. Porto de Pesca, 2520-630, Peniche, Portugal
| | - S Leston
- CFE - Centre for Functional Ecology, Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, Calçada Martim de Freitas, 3000-456, Coimbra, Portugal; REQUIMTE/LAQV - Pharmacy Faculty, University of Coimbra, Azinhaga de Santa Comba, 3000-548, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - M Solan
- Ocean and Earth Science, National Oceanography Centre, Southampton, University of Southampton, Waterfront Campus, European, Way, Southampton, SO14 3ZH, United Kingdom
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