Vertical distribution of rocky subtidal assemblages along the exposed coast of north-central Chile
| Autor: | Jaime A. Aburto, Wolfgang Stotz, Luis M. Caillaux, Sergio A. González |
|---|---|
| Rok vydání: | 2016 |
| Předmět: |
0106 biological sciences
Shore geography geography.geographical_feature_category biology Ecology 010604 marine biology & hydrobiology Pyura chilensis Aquatic Science Intertidal ecology Oceanography biology.organism_classification 010603 evolutionary biology 01 natural sciences Kelp forest Barnacle Habitat Ecology Evolution Behavior and Systematics Geology Austromegabalanus psittacus Invertebrate |
| Zdroj: | Journal of Sea Research. 107:34-47 |
| ISSN: | 1385-1101 |
| Popis: | Through a systematic study of a stretch of coast in north central Chile, the variety and vertical zonation patterns of the rocky subtidal communities are described, thereby revising apparent uniformity and lack of vertical zonation of the rocky subtidal of southeastern Pacific shores previously reported in the literature. Over the 600 km of coast studied, the following pattern of depth-zonation is described: an upper fringe (lower part of the sublittoral fringe) characterized by barren grounds dominated by calcareous encrusting algae and the sea urchin Tetrapygus niger ; an intermediate fringe (upper Infralittoral sub-zone) characterized either by deep barren grounds similar to the former, or kelp beds of Lessonia trabeculata , or an assemblage of suspension feeding organisms, as the big barnacle Austromegabalanus psittacus and/or the tunicate Pyura chilensis ; and a deep fringe (Circalittoral sub-zone) dominated by small encrusting or mobile invertebrates. This basic vertical zonation pattern of the shallow rocky subtidal communities seems to be common to most of the temperate coasts of the world. The analysis, first of the occurrence of the general zonation pattern and second of the species composition within the assemblages corresponding to each sub-zone, offers a useful framework for the assessment of the eventual impacts and changes within the shallow rocky subtidal habitat, for example within environmental monitoring programs. |
| Databáze: | OpenAIRE |
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