Algae as hosts for epifaunal bryozoans: Role of functional groups and taxonomic relatedness |
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| Authors: | María G Liuzzi Juan López Gappa |
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| Institution: | 1. Agrocampus Ouest, UMR 985 ESE Ecologie et santé des écosystèmes, F-35042 Rennes, France;2. Ifremer, EMH, rue de l''île d''Yeu, BP 21105, 44311 Nantes Cedex 03, France;3. Ifremer, LRH-LR, Place Gaby Coll, 17137 L''Houmeau, France;1. Institut de Recerca de la Biodiversitat, Departament de Biologia Animal, Universitat de Barcelona, Avinguda Diagonal 643, 08028 Barcelona, Spain;2. IRTA, Aqüicultura, Cultius Aquàtics, 43540 Sant Carles de la Ràpita, Tarragona, Spain;3. c/Nou 8, 43839 Creixell, Tarragona, Spain;1. CFE, Center for Functional Ecology, Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, Apartado 3046, 3001-401 Coimbra, Portugal;2. Department of Chemistry & Center for Environmental and Marine Studies (CESAM), University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal;3. School of Technology and Management, Polytechnic of Viana do Castelo, Avenida do Atlântico, 4900-348 Viana do Castelo, Portugal |
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| Abstract: | Macroalgae build biogenic habitats which give shelter and provide a suitable physical environment for a great variety of organisms. Structural complexity of algal substrates may influence the composition of their attached epifauna. The aim of this study is to test whether the taxonomic relatedness of the algal hosts and the functional groups to which they belong influence the species richness and composition of their epifaunal bryozoans. We analysed 36 algal genera from the Atlantic coast of South America between 42°S and Cape Horn. Changes in bryozoan species richness (number of species) among different algal functional groups (filamentous algae, foliose algae, corticated foliose algae, corticated macrophytes) were non-significant. The composition of the epifaunal assemblages differed significantly only between filamentous and foliose algae. Sheet-like bryozoans (i.e. encrusting, pluriserial colonies) were more frequent on foliose than on filamentous algae, while runner-like species (i.e. uniserial stolons) were characteristic epibionts on filamentous thallii. Similarity of bryozoan assemblages increased with increasing taxonomic relatedness of their hosts. As most filamentous seaweeds analysed in this study are members of the Order Ceramiales, the influence of algal taxonomic relatedness and functional groups on the composition of their bryozoan assemblages can be viewed as two different aspects of the same phenomenon. |
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