The introduction of Sargassum muticum modifies epifaunal patterns in a Moroccan seagrass meadow |
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| Authors: | Zahira Belattmania Abdellatif Chaouti Abdeltif Reani Aschwin H Engelen Margarida Machado Ester A Serrão Brahim Sabour |
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| Institution: | 1. Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, Chouaib Doukkali University, El Jadida, Morocco;2. CCMAR ‐ Centre of Marine Sciences, University of Algarve, Gambelas, Faro, Portugal |
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| Abstract: | Marine macrophytes sustain valuable epiphytic biodiversity. Nonindigenous macroalgae may induce changes in composition and structure of epifaunal assemblages and therefore support different assemblages from those associated with native species. In this study, differences in faunal community structure between the introduced fucoid Sargassum muticum and the native seagrass Cymodocea nodosa were tested over a year on an intertidal shallow sandy bottom at the southern introduction front, the El Jadida coastline (NW Morocco). Epifaunal community structure consistently differed between macrophytes through seasons, with more species‐rich assemblages associated with S. muticum than C. nodosa despite comparable abundances. The significantly greater epifauna diversity on S. muticum may be related to its structural complexity. However, the species contributing most to differences in assemblages between both macrophytes, such as Steromphala umbilicalis and S. pennanti, were found on both habitats with temporally varying abundances. Some species‐specific affinities were detected (Stenosoma cf. acuminatum, Elasmopus vachoni, Chauvetia brunnea). Nitrogen, dissolved oxygen, suspended matter and temperature were identified as the best explanatory variables contributing to the observed macroepifaunal patterns. This study provides evidence that S. muticum acts as a favourable and additional habitat for epifaunal species and supports a more diverse epifaunal assemblage in this Moroccan seagrass meadow. |
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| Keywords: | assemblage structure Atlantic coast
Cymodocea nodosa
epifauna Morocco
Sargassum muticum
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