Premium
Canopy interactions and physical stress gradients in subtidal communities
Author(s) -
Bennett Scott,
Wernberg Thomas,
Bettignies Thibaut,
Kendrick Gary A.,
Anderson Robert J.,
Bolton John J.,
Rodgers Kirsten L.,
Shears Nick T.,
Leclerc JeanCharles,
Lévêque Laurent,
Davoult Dominique,
Christie Hartvig C.
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
ecology letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 6.852
H-Index - 265
eISSN - 1461-0248
pISSN - 1461-023X
DOI - 10.1111/ele.12446
Subject(s) - ecology , interspecific competition , intraspecific competition , canopy , ecosystem , habitat , biology , algae , marine ecosystem , environmental science
Species interactions are integral drivers of community structure and can change from competitive to facilitative with increasing environmental stress. In subtidal marine ecosystems, however, interactions along physical stress gradients have seldom been tested. We observed seaweed canopy interactions across depth and latitudinal gradients to test whether light and temperature stress structured interaction patterns. We also quantified interspecific and intraspecific interactions among nine subtidal canopy seaweed species across three continents to examine the general nature of interactions in subtidal systems under low consumer pressure. We reveal that positive and neutral interactions are widespread throughout global seaweed communities and the nature of interactions can change from competitive to facilitative with increasing light stress in shallow marine systems. These findings provide support for the stress gradient hypothesis within subtidal seaweed communities and highlight the importance of canopy interactions for the maintenance of subtidal marine habitats experiencing environmental stress.