Successional Processes in Antarctic Benthic Algae

CAMPANA, GABRIELA LAURA; ZACHER, KATHARINA; MOMO, FERNANDO R.; DEREGIBUS, DOLORES; DEBANDI, JUAN IGNACIO; FERREYRA, GUSTAVO A.; FERRAIRO, MARTA E.; QUARTINO, MARÍA LILIANA

Antarctic Seaweeds

Springer

Año: 2020; p. 241 - 264

Despite the importance of benthic algal communities to Antarctic coastalecosystems, much information about their dynamics is still needed. Primary successionprocesses in the Antarctic benthos are frequently initiated by ice-mediated disturbanceand by the creation of denuded substrate following glacier retreat, bothexpected to increase in the future. Primary succession of benthic algae starts withrapid colonization by diatoms, ephemeral green algal filaments and propagules ofannual and pseudoperennial macroalgae. Early stages of macroalgae can be particularlyvulnerable to environmental stress factors, being critical for the structure ofmature communities. The Antarctic environment is severely affected by globalchange, and successional patterns can change due to species-specific susceptibilitiesto abiotic and biotic drivers, introducing changes in the matter and energy flow inthe coastal food webs.This chapter summarizes new advances in our knowledge on the successionaldynamics of benthic primary producers in the Antarctic hard-bottom benthos.Manipulative experiments on the effects of grazing and ultraviolet (UV) radiation asdrivers of the succession at early stages and long-term experiments carried out atsites with different environmental conditions are compiled. The gathered informationcan contribute to achieve a deeper knowledge of these