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<p>Kelps, as habitat-forming species, play a crucial role in structuring ecosystems by providing habitat and refuge. They influence abiotic factors that affect resource availability, impacting the abundance and diversity of sub-canopy epifauna. Since the introduced kelp <i>Undaria pinnatifida</i> (hereafter <i>Undaria</i>) is the only kelp in the intertidal zones of San Matías Gulf (Argentina), we evaluated the abundance and composition of invertebrate assemblages, considering separately its holdfast and frond to assess the role of <i>Undaria</i> as a habitat-forming species. In two intertidal sites, we seasonally sampled invertebrates associated with three microhabitats: <i>Undaria</i>’s frond, <i>Undaria</i>’s holdfast and <i>Undaria</i>-free substrate. In both study sites, Baliza San Matías (BSM) and Punta Verde (PV), invertebrate richness and abundance showed significant interactions between ‘microhabitat’ and ‘season’. Species richness was consistently lower in fronds, differing significantly from holdfasts and substrates. Differences between holdfasts and substrates occurred only in winter and spring in BSM and in winter in PV. In BSM, invertebrate abundance always differed between fronds (83.4 ± 5.25; mean ± SE) and holdfasts (570 ± 47.82), but fronds differed from substrates (773.5 ± 243.85) only in autumn and winter. In PV, invertebrate abundance in fronds (83.4 ± 11.63) always differed from the other microhabitats, while holdfasts (2170.16 ± 159.4) and substrates (1642.08 ± 311.04) never did. Beta diversity revealed compositional differences between sites, with larger dissimilarities in fronds (due to both turnover and nestedness), while dissimilarities in holdfasts and substrates were mainly driven by turnover. Our results suggest that <i>Undaria</i> shelters a distinct, richer and more even invertebrate assemblage than the surrounding substrate, supporting the idea that it can function as a habitat-forming species. Though its structural effects are seasonal, <i>Undaria</i> provides new habitat and structure for invertebrate assemblages in San Matías Gulf coastal ecosystems.</p>

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Undaria pinnatifida Creates Novel Habitats and Drives Benthic Invertebrate Community Shifts in North Patagonia

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2025年10月2日

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  • Andrea Evangelina Arcángel,
  • Catalina Di Rossi,
  • Maite Narvarte,
  • Patricio Javier Pereyra,
  • Lorena Pía Storero

摘要

Kelps, as habitat-forming species, play a crucial role in structuring ecosystems by providing habitat and refuge. They influence abiotic factors that affect resource availability, impacting the abundance and diversity of sub-canopy epifauna. Since the introduced kelp Undaria pinnatifida (hereafter Undaria) is the only kelp in the intertidal zones of San Matías Gulf (Argentina), we evaluated the abundance and composition of invertebrate assemblages, considering separately its holdfast and frond to assess the role of Undaria as a habitat-forming species. In two intertidal sites, we seasonally sampled invertebrates associated with three microhabitats: Undaria’s frond, Undaria’s holdfast and Undaria-free substrate. In both study sites, Baliza San Matías (BSM) and Punta Verde (PV), invertebrate richness and abundance showed significant interactions between ‘microhabitat’ and ‘season’. Species richness was consistently lower in fronds, differing significantly from holdfasts and substrates. Differences between holdfasts and substrates occurred only in winter and spring in BSM and in winter in PV. In BSM, invertebrate abundance always differed between fronds (83.4 ± 5.25; mean ± SE) and holdfasts (570 ± 47.82), but fronds differed from substrates (773.5 ± 243.85) only in autumn and winter. In PV, invertebrate abundance in fronds (83.4 ± 11.63) always differed from the other microhabitats, while holdfasts (2170.16 ± 159.4) and substrates (1642.08 ± 311.04) never did. Beta diversity revealed compositional differences between sites, with larger dissimilarities in fronds (due to both turnover and nestedness), while dissimilarities in holdfasts and substrates were mainly driven by turnover. Our results suggest that Undaria shelters a distinct, richer and more even invertebrate assemblage than the surrounding substrate, supporting the idea that it can function as a habitat-forming species. Though its structural effects are seasonal, Undaria provides new habitat and structure for invertebrate assemblages in San Matías Gulf coastal ecosystems.