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Characterizing the role benthos plays in large coastal seas and estuaries: A modular approach |
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| Authors: | Ken R Tenore Jeff Terwin Jack Blanton Drew Carey A Fred Holland Paul Montagna Rutger Rosenberg Martin Sprung |
| Institution: | a Chesapeake Biological Laboratory, University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, Box 38. Solomons, MD 20688, USA b Department Biology and Environmental Science, University New Haven, 300 Boston Post Road, West Haven, CT 06516, USA c North Shore Country Day School, 310 Green Bay Rd., Winnetka IL 60093, USA d Marine Laboratory of Guia, Sciences Faculty of Lisbon University (FCUL), Estrada do Guincho, 2750 Cascais, Portugal e Skidaway Institute of Oceanography, 10 Ocean Science Circle, Savannah, GA 31411, USA f Coastal Vision, 215 Eustis Ave., Newport, RI 02840, USA g Virginia Institute of Marine Science, 1208 Greate Road, Gloucester Pt., VA 23062, USA h National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science, Hollings Marine Laboratory, 331 Fort Johnson Rd., Charleston, SC 29412, USA i Instituto Español de Oceanografía, Avda. de Brasil 31, 28020 Madrid, Spain j University of Texas at Austin, Marine Science Institute, 750 Channel View Drive, Port Aransas, Texas 78373, USA k U. S. Geological Survey (retired), 1189 Harker Avenue, Palo Alto, CA 94301, USA l Department of Marine Ecology, Göteborg University, Kristineberg Marine Research Station, 450 34 Fiskebäckskil, Sweden m Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies, Department of Biology, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal n Department of Marine Sciences, University of Connecticut—Avery Point Campus, 1084, Shennecossett Road, Groton, CT 06340, USA |
| Abstract: | Ecologists studying coastal and estuarine benthic communities have long taken a macroecological view, by relating benthic community patterns to environmental factors across several spatial scales. Although many general ecological patterns have been established, often a significant amount of the spatial and temporal variation in soft-sediment communities within and among systems remains unexplained. Here we propose a framework that may aid in unraveling the complex influence of environmental factors associated with the different components of coastal systems (i.e. the terrestrial and benthic landscapes, and the hydrological seascape) on benthic communities, and use this information to assess the role played by benthos in coastal ecosystems. A primary component of the approach is the recognition of system modules (e.g. marshes, dendritic systems, tidal rivers, enclosed basins, open bays, lagoons). The modules may differentially interact with key forcing functions (e.g. temperature, salinity, currents) that influence system processes and in turn benthic responses and functions. Modules may also constrain benthic characteristics and related processes within certain ecological boundaries and help explain their overall spatio-temporal variation. We present an example of how benthic community characteristics are related to the modular structure of 14 coastal seas and estuaries, and show that benthic functional group composition is significantly related to the modular structure of these systems. We also propose a framework for exploring the role of benthic communities in coastal systems using this modular approach and offer predictions of how benthic communities may vary depending on the modular composition and characteristics of a coastal system. |
| Keywords: | Benthic Coastal Estuary Functional groups Geomorphology Macrofauna Modules |
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