Artículo
Cordgrass canopy elicits weak effects on sediment properties and microphytobenthic abundance in a harsh environment
Firstater, Fausto Nahuel
; Narvarte, Maite Andrea
; Alvarez, María Fernanda
; Fanjul, Maria Eugenia
; Iribarne, Oscar Osvaldo





Fecha de publicación:
05/2016
Editorial:
Inter-Research
Revista:
Marine Ecology Progress Series
ISSN:
0171-8630
Idioma:
Inglés
Tipo de recurso:
Artículo publicado
Clasificación temática:
Resumen
The magnitude of the outcome of ecosystem engineering is context-dependent; asenvironmental stresses increase, habitat amelioration by ecosystem engineers becomes more relevant. Moreover, the individual- and population-level traits of ecosystem engineers can affect their ability to reduce environmental stress. On the Patagonian shores of Argentina (SW Atlantic,41° S), the intertidal community is exposed to harsh conditions. We predicted that in this severe environment, variation in the above-ground structure of the smooth cordgrass Spartina alterniflora should buffer the physical stress on the substrate through shading and reduction of wind and water flow energy, ultimately affecting the sediment properties and microphytobenthic biomass. To test this hypothesis, we experimentally manipulated cordgrass density at the edge and inner marsh of a S. alterniflora meadow during both summer and winter. In summer, evaporation andtemperature were higher in clipped plots, while in winter, evaporation varied across densities and location treatments, with higher sediment water content in the inner marsh. No effect of S. alterniflora density or location were observed on sediment organic matter or chl a concentration, and mean sediment grain size was always smaller inside the marsh. In summer, extracellular polymeric substance (EPS) content was higher in clipped plots inside the marsh, however this did not differ from the other density treatments at this location. Overall, shading had weak effects on sediment properties and microphytobenthic biomass, and most observed differences were attributable to grain size. We speculate that the harsh conditions of this system overwhelm the ecosystem engineering effects of S. alterniflora, probably because of its relatively small aboveground biomass.
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Colecciones
Articulos(IIMYC)
Articulos de INSTITUTO DE INVESTIGACIONES MARINAS Y COSTERAS
Articulos de INSTITUTO DE INVESTIGACIONES MARINAS Y COSTERAS
Articulos(ILPLA)
Articulos de INST.DE LIMNOLOGIA "DR. RAUL A. RINGUELET"
Articulos de INST.DE LIMNOLOGIA "DR. RAUL A. RINGUELET"
Citación
Firstater, Fausto Nahuel; Narvarte, Maite Andrea; Alvarez, María Fernanda; Fanjul, Maria Eugenia; Iribarne, Oscar Osvaldo; Cordgrass canopy elicits weak effects on sediment properties and microphytobenthic abundance in a harsh environment; Inter-Research; Marine Ecology Progress Series; 550; 5-2016; 101-110
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