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Template for using biological trait groupings when exploring large-scale variation in seafloor multifunctionality.
Anna Villnäs1, Judi Hewitt2, Martin Snickars3
1Tvärminne Zoological Station, University of Helsinki, J.A. Palménin tie 260, FI-10900, Hanko, Finland.
Ecological Applications : a Publication of the Ecological Society of America
|September 24, 2017
Summary
This study introduces a method to estimate seafloor ecosystem functionality using biological traits. Environmental changes significantly influence these traits and overall ecosystem multifunctionality, crucial for marine spatial planning.
Area of Science:
- Marine Ecology
- Ecosystem Functionality Assessment
- Biodiversity Conservation
Background:
- Understanding large-scale spatial variation in ecosystem properties is crucial for effective conservation.
- Benthic ecosystems play a vital role in marine environments.
- Existing methods for assessing ecosystem functionality at large scales are limited.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a template for estimating ecosystem functionality across large spatial scales using biological trait groupings.
- To quantify benthic ecosystem multifunctionality by integrating bioturbation, community stability, and juvenile dispersal.
- To identify coastal areas with varying potential for key benthic ecosystem properties.
Main Methods:
- Statistically defining functional trait subgroups relevant to bioturbation, community stability, and juvenile dispersal.
- Scoring trait subgroups by weighted ecological impact to estimate ecosystem property expression.
- Calculating benthic ecosystem multifunctionality by normalizing and summing individual property values.
- Analyzing a spatially extensive benthic dataset to identify patterns in trait subgroups and multifunctionality.
Main Results:
- Identification of coastal areas with high and low potential for specific benthic ecosystem properties and overall multifunctionality.
- Demonstration that environmental change is a major driver of spatial variation in functional trait subgroups.
- Significant correlation found between environmental changes and benthic ecosystem multifunctionality.
- Validation of the simplified approach for estimating seafloor ecosystem functionality.
Conclusions:
- The developed trait-grouping method provides a viable approach to estimate seafloor ecosystem functionality at large scales.
- Environmental factors are key determinants of benthic ecosystem properties and multifunctionality.
- This approach offers valuable insights for marine spatial planning and resource management.
- The study highlights the importance of considering biological traits for understanding and conserving marine ecosystems.
Keywords:
Baltic Seabenthic communitiesecosystem multifunctionalitygroupings of biological traitsmarine spatial planningsediment ecosystem functionspatial distributionMore Related Videos
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