Evidence map›Paper›PMID 33228627›Full record

ArticleBMC ecology2020

Composition, uniqueness and connectivity across tropical coastal lagoon habitats in the Red Sea.

Zahra Alsaffar, João Cúrdia, Xabier Irigoien, Susana Carvalho

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMC ecology, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

4 authors.

Zahra AlsaffarRed Sea Research Centre, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia.
João CúrdiaRed Sea Research Centre, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia.
Xabier IrigoienRed Sea Research Centre, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia.
Susana CarvalhoRed Sea Research Centre, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia. susana.carvalho@kaust.edu.sa.ORCID 0000-0003-1300-1953

Funding

Global Collaborative Research, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology Baseline funds
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundTropical habitats and their associated environmental characteristics play a critical role in shaping macroinvertebrate communities. Assessing patterns of diversity over space and time and investigating the factors that control and generate those patterns is critical for conservation efforts. However, these factors are still poorly understood in sub-tropical and tropical regions. The present study applied a combination of uni- and multivariate techniques to test whether patterns of biodiversity, composition, and structure of macrobenthic assemblages change across different lagoon habitats (two mangrove sites; two seagrass meadows with varying levels of vegetation cover; and an unvegetated subtidal area) and between seasons and years.

resultsIn total, 4771 invertebrates were identified belonging to 272 operational taxonomic units (OTUs). We observed that macrobenthic lagoon assemblages are diverse, heterogeneous and that the most evident biological pattern was spatial rather than temporal. To investigate whether macrofaunal patterns within the lagoon habitats (mangrove, seagrass, unvegetated area) changed through the time, we analysed each habitat separately. The results showed high seasonal and inter-annual variability in the macrofaunal patterns. However, the seagrass beds that are characterized by variable vegetation cover, through time, showed comparatively higher stability (with the lowest values of inter-annual variability and a high number of resident taxa). These results support the theory that seagrass habitat complexity promotes diversity and density of macrobenthic assemblages. Despite the structural and functional importance of seagrass beds documented in this study, the results also highlighted the small-scale heterogeneity of tropical habitats that may serve as biodiversity repositories.

conclusionsComprehensive approaches at the "seascape" level are required for improved ecosystem management and to maintain connectivity patterns amongst habitats. This is particularly true along the Saudi Arabian coast of the Red Sea, which is currently experiencing rapid coastal development. Also, considering the high temporal variability (seasonal and inter-annual) of tropical shallow-water habitats, monitoring and management plans must include temporal scales.

Indexed as

BiodiversityEcosystemAnimalsIndian OceanInvertebratesSaudi ArabiaBiodiversityInter-annual variabilityMacrobenthic communitiesRed SeaSeascape connectivitySpatial variabilityTropical habitats

Identifiers

PMID33228627
PMCPMC7686702

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.