Connectivity, neutral theories and the assessment of species vulnerability to global change in temperate estuaries

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• 作者：Guillem Chust ; Aitor Albaina ; Aizkorri Aranburu ; ¨¢ngel Borja ; Onno E. Diekmann ; Andone Estonba ; Javier Franco ; Joxe M. Garmendia ; Mikel Iriondo ; I?igo Muxika ; Fern ; o Rendo ; J. Germ¨¢n Rodr¨ªguez ; Ots ; a Ruiz-Larra?aga ; Ester A. Serr?o ; Mireia Valle
• 关键词：Zostera ; Cerastoderma ; diversity ; climate change ; estuary ; neutral theory
• 刊名：Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science
• 出版年：2013
• 出版时间：10 October, 2013
• 年：2013
• 卷：131
• 期：Complete
• 页码：52-63
• 全文大小：1252 K

文摘

One of the main adaptation strategies to global change scenarios, aiming to preserve ecosystem functioning and biodiversity, is to maximize ecosystem resilience. The resilience of a species metapopulation can be improved by facilitating connectivity between local populations, which will prevent demographic stochasticity and inbreeding. This investigation estimated the degree of connectivity among estuarine species along the north-eastern Iberian coast, in order to assess community vulnerability to global change scenarios. To address this objective, two connectivity proxy types have been used based upon genetic and ecological drift processes: 1) DNA markers for the bivalve cockle (m>Cerastoderma edulem>) and seagrass m>Zostera nolteim>, and 2) the decrease in the number of species shared between two sites with geographic distance. Neutral biodiversity theory predicts that dispersal limitation modulates this decrease, and this has been explored in estuarine plants and macroinvertebrates. Results indicate dispersal limitation for both saltmarsh plants and seagrass beds community and m>Z.?nolteim> populations; this suggests they are especially vulnerable to expected climate changes on their habitats. In contrast, unstructured spatial pattern found in macroinvertebrate communities and in m>C.?edulem> genetic populations in the area suggests that estuarine soft-bottom macroinvertebrates with planktonic larval dispersal strategies may have a high resilience capacity to moderate changes within their habitats. Our findings allow environmental managers to prioritize the most vulnerable species and habitats to be restored.