Biodiversity and Interactions on the Intertidal Rocky Shores of Argentina (South-West Atlantic)

Abstract

Here, we review the rocky intertidal zone and shallowsubtidal of the Argentinian coast. We start by describing patterns ofdistribution of biodiversity before considering interactions among species thatshape these patterns. Nonnative and invasive species are then discussed and putinto the context of global change and other local impacts. We conclude byconsidering the special features of Argentinean rocky shores which are shapedby their environmental setting and phylogeographic history leading to low diversity,missing functional groups for some taxa and a gradient of increasing diversitytowards higher latitudes in the south.