IMIS

Publications | Institutes | Persons | Datasets | Projects | Maps
[ report an error in this record ]basket (0): add | show Print this page

Habitat complexity drives food web structure along a dynamic mangrove coast
Nauta, J.; Lammers, C.; Lexmond, R.; Christianen, M.J.A.; Borst, A.; Lamers, L.P.M.; Van Lavieren, H.; Naipal, S.; Govers, L.L. (2023). Habitat complexity drives food web structure along a dynamic mangrove coast. Mar. Pollut. Bull. 196: 115597. https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2023.115597
In: Marine Pollution Bulletin. Macmillan: London. ISSN 0025-326X; e-ISSN 1879-3363, more
Peer reviewed article  

Available in  Authors 

Author keywords
    Mangroves; Habitat complexity; Food web networks; Biodiversity; Foundation species; Facilitation

Authors  Top 
  • Nauta, J.
  • Lammers, C., more
  • Lexmond, R.
  • Christianen, M.J.A.
  • Borst, A.
  • Lamers, L.P.M.
  • Van Lavieren, H.
  • Naipal, S.
  • Govers, L.L., more

Abstract
    Structurally complex habitats, such as mangrove forests, allow for rich assemblages of species that benefit from the provided space, volume and substrate. Changes in habitat complexity can affect species abundance, diversity and resilience. In this study, we explored the effects of habitat complexity on food web networks in four developmental stages of mangrove forests with differing structural complexities: climax > degrading > colonizing > bare, by analyzing food web structure, stable isotopes and habitat complexity. We found that food webs became gradually more biodiverse (species richness: +119 %), complex (link density: +39 %), and robust (connectance: −35 %) in climax versus bare stages with increasing complexity of the mangrove forest (i.e., number of trees, leaf cover, and pneumatophore densities). This study shows that habitat complexity drives food web network structure in dynamic mangrove forests. We recommend restoration practitioners to use this food web network approach to quantify habitat restoration successes complementary to traditional biodiversity metrics.

All data in the Integrated Marine Information System (IMIS) is subject to the VLIZ privacy policy Top | Authors