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Updated: Sep 9, 2025

Bioindication Testing of Stream Environment Suitability for Young Freshwater Pearl Mussels Using In Situ Exposure Methods
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Functional-guild compositional structure and patchiness in subtidal Nanozostera macrobenthos across three contrasting

R S K Barnes1

  • 1Institute for Coastal and Marine Research, Nelson Mandela University, Gqeberha, Eastern Cape, 6031, Republic of South Africa; Department of Zoology and Entomology, Rhodes University, Makhanda, Eastern Cape, 6140, Republic of South Africa; Department of Zoology & Conservation Research Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.

Marine Environmental Research
|September 2, 2025
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Seagrass beds in three South African estuaries show two distinct macrobenthic community structures. One is dominated by microgastropods, influencing overall patchiness and potentially masking regional biogeographic effects.

Keywords:
EstuariesFunctional groupsLagoonsMacrobenthosMicrogastropodsPatchinessSouth Africa

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Area of Science:

  • Marine Ecology
  • Estuarine Ecology
  • Benthic Ecology

Background:

  • Seagrass ecosystems, particularly Nanozostera capensis, are crucial habitats supporting diverse macrobenthic communities.
  • Estuarine systems exhibit varied environmental conditions (size, morphology, hydrography) that can influence ecological structure.
  • Understanding functional guilds within seagrass macrobenthos is key to assessing ecosystem health and resilience.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate how differing environmental conditions in three adjacent warm-temperate estuaries affect the functional guild structure of seagrass-associated macrobenthos.
  • To determine the relative abundance and patchiness of 28 identifiable subtidal macrobenthic functional guilds.
  • To assess the influence of microgastropod abundance on overall macrobenthic assemblage patchiness and functional structure.

Main Methods:

  • Comparative analysis of macrobenthic functional guilds across Knysna estuarine bay, Keurbooms Lagoon, and Swartvlei estuary.
  • Quantification of relative abundance and spatial patchiness of 28 functional guilds within Nanozostera capensis beds.
  • Examination of relationships between functional group structuring, environmental variables, and spatial patchiness.

Main Results:

  • Two distinct functional-group structurings were identified: one dominated by epifaunal microgastropods feeding on periphyton, and another where this guild was insignificant.
  • Spatial variation in microgastropod abundance was a major driver of patchiness in the entire macrobenthic assemblage.
  • The dominance of microgastropods obscured potential relationships between functional composition and estuarine regions (mouth, lagoon, estuary).

Conclusions:

  • Environmental conditions in adjacent estuaries can lead to divergent macrobenthic functional guild structures.
  • Endemic microgastropods play a significant role in structuring seagrass-associated macrobenthic communities and their spatial patchiness.
  • Further research is needed to understand the biogeographic drivers and ecological significance of microgastropod dominance in these seagrass ecosystems.