ArticleAnnals of botany2024
The north-south divide? Macroalgal functional trait diversity and redundancy varies with intertidal aspect.
Article in Annals of botany, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.
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2 citing papers in PubMed, 14 citations in OpenAlex.
- Integrative taxonomic revision of three Camellia species from section Tuberculata (Camellia, Theaceae) by morphological, anatomical, palynological, and molecular evidence.Botanical studies · 2026Article
- Victim of changes? Marine macroalgae in a changing world.Annals of botany · 2024Review
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5 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.
Funding
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND
aimsMarine macroalgae ('seaweeds') are critical to coastal ecosystem structure and function, but also vulnerable to the many environmental changes associated with anthropogenic climate change (ACC). The local habitat conditions underpinning observed and predicted ACC-driven changes in intertidal macroalgal communities are complex and probably site-specific and operate in addition to more commonly reported regional factors such as sea surface temperatures.
methodsWe examined how the composition and functional trait expression of macroalgal communities in SW England varied with aspect (i.e. north-south orientation) at four sites with opposing Equator- (EF) and Pole-facing (PF) surfaces. Previous work at these sites had established that average annual (low tide) temperatures vary by 1.6 °C and that EF-surfaces experience six-fold more frequent extremes (i.e. >30 °C). KEY
resultsPF macroalgal communities were consistently more taxon rich; 11 taxa were unique to PF habitats, with only one restricted to EF. Likewise, functional richness and dispersion were greater on PF-surfaces (dominated by algae with traits linked to rapid resource capture and utilization, but low desiccation tolerance), although differences in both taxon and functional richness were probably driven by the fact that less diverse EF-surfaces were dominated by desiccation-tolerant fucoids.
conclusionsAlthough we cannot disentangle the influence of temperature variation on algal ecophysiology from the indirect effects of aspect on species interactions (niche pre-emption, competition, grazing, etc.), our study system provides an excellent model for understanding how environmental variation at local scales affects community composition and functioning. By virtue of enhanced taxonomic diversity, PF-aspects supported higher functional diversity and, consequently, greater effective functional redundancy. These differences may imbue PF-aspects with resilience against environmental perturbation, but if predicted increases in global temperatures are realized, some PF-sites may shift to a depauperate, desiccation-tolerant seaweed community with a concomitant loss of functional diversity and redundancy.
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