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Ashford OS, Guan S, Capone D, Rigney K, Rowley K, Cordes EE, Cortés J, Rouse GW, Mendoza GF, Sweetman AK, Levin LA. Relationships between biodiversity and ecosystem functioning proxies strengthen when approaching chemosynthetic deep-sea methane seeps. Proc Biol Sci 2021; 288:20210950. [PMID: 34403635 PMCID: PMC8370799 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2021.0950] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
As biodiversity loss accelerates globally, understanding environmental influence over biodiversity-ecosystem functioning (BEF) relationships becomes crucial for ecosystem management. Theory suggests that resource supply affects the shape of BEF relationships, but this awaits detailed investigation in marine ecosystems. Here, we use deep-sea chemosynthetic methane seeps and surrounding sediments as natural laboratories in which to contrast relationships between BEF proxies along with a gradient of trophic resource availability (higher resource methane seep, to lower resource photosynthetically fuelled deep-sea habitats). We determined sediment fauna taxonomic and functional trait biodiversity, and quantified bioturbation potential (BPc), calcification degree, standing stock and density as ecosystem functioning proxies. Relationships were strongly unimodal in chemosynthetic seep habitats, but were undetectable in transitional 'chemotone' habitats and photosynthetically dependent deep-sea habitats. In seep habitats, ecosystem functioning proxies peaked below maximum biodiversity, perhaps suggesting that a small number of specialized species are important in shaping this relationship. This suggests that absolute biodiversity is not a good metric of ecosystem 'value' at methane seeps, and that these deep-sea environments may require special management to maintain ecosystem functioning under human disturbance. We promote further investigation of BEF relationships in non-traditional resource environments and emphasize that deep-sea conservation should consider 'functioning hotspots' alongside biodiversity hotspots.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oliver S Ashford
- Integrative Oceanography Division, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California San Diego, San Diego, CA 92007, USA
| | - Shuzhe Guan
- Integrative Oceanography Division, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California San Diego, San Diego, CA 92007, USA
| | - Dante Capone
- Integrative Oceanography Division, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California San Diego, San Diego, CA 92007, USA.,University of California, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, USA
| | - Katherine Rigney
- Integrative Oceanography Division, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California San Diego, San Diego, CA 92007, USA.,Carleton College, Northfield, MN 55057, USA
| | - Katelynn Rowley
- Integrative Oceanography Division, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California San Diego, San Diego, CA 92007, USA
| | - Erik E Cordes
- Department of Biology, Temple University, Temple, PA 19122, USA
| | - Jorge Cortés
- CIMAR, Universidad de Costa Rica, San José, Costa Rica
| | - Greg W Rouse
- Integrative Oceanography Division, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California San Diego, San Diego, CA 92007, USA
| | - Guillermo F Mendoza
- Integrative Oceanography Division, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California San Diego, San Diego, CA 92007, USA
| | - Andrew K Sweetman
- The Lyell Centre for Earth and Marine Science and Technology, Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Lisa A Levin
- Integrative Oceanography Division, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California San Diego, San Diego, CA 92007, USA.,Center for Marine Biodiversity and Conservation, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California San Diego, San Diego, CA 92093, USA
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