Spatial and temporal variation of kelp forests and associated macroalgal assemblages along the Portuguese coast
Daniela Pinho A E , Iacopo Bertocci A , Francisco Arenas A , João N. Franco A , David Jacinto B , João J. Castro B , Raquel Vieira A , Isabel Sousa-Pinto A , Thomas Wernberg C and Fernando Tuya D
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations
A CIIMAR/CIMAR, Centro Interdisciplinar de Investigação Marinha e Ambiental, Rua dos Bragas 289, PT-4050-123 Porto, Portugal.
B MARE – Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre, Laboratório de Ciências do Mar, Universidade de Évora, Apartado 190, PT-7521-903 Sines, Portugal.
C School of Plant Biology & UWA Oceans Institute (M470), University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA 6009, Australia.
D ECOAQUA, Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, E-35017, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Canary Islands, Spain.
E Corresponding author. Email: danielalealcmp@gmail.com
Marine and Freshwater Research 67(1) 113-122 https://doi.org/10.1071/MF14318
Submitted: 22 June 2014 Accepted: 26 January 2015 Published: 10 July 2015
Abstract
Kelp communities are in decline in many regions. Detecting and addressing population declines require knowledge of patterns of spatial and temporal variation in the distribution and abundance of kelps and their associated organisms. We quantified kelp and associated macroalgal assemblages three times over a period of 2 years, at three regions along a natural gradient in temperature and nutrient availability across the Portuguese coast. Kelps were mostly found at the northern cool region (Viana do Castelo), which was also clearly separated from the two more southerly regions (Peniche, Sines) in terms of algal assemblage structure. This pattern was consistent, although varying in intensity, through time, providing support for this general spatial configuration. The overall richness of taxa increased towards lower latitudes. These findings indicated that kelp beds in southern Europe are currently restricted to northern Portugal, though supporting less diverse macroalgal assemblages compared with those located in central and southern Portugal.
Additional keywords: latitudinal gradient, macroalgal assemblage structures, subtidal.
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