A shift of ecosystem engineers during the succession of an intertidal benthic community associated with natural and anthropogenic disturbances

GARAFFO, GRISELDA VALERIA; BECHERUCCI, MARÍA EUGENIA; LLANOS, ELIZABETH NOEMI; VALLARINO, EDUARDO ALBERTO

Regional Studies in Marine Science

Elsevier

Año: 2019 vol. 31

2352-4855

Temporal variation and sewage pollution were assessed on the recruitment of two benthic ecosystemsengineer species during an experimental succession. The re-colonisation of the spionid polychaeteBoccardia proboscidea and the mussel Brachidontes rodriguezii reached a maximum cover recruitmentof 80 % after 12 and 20 weeks, respectively in plots cleared in spring. While in plots cleared in autumnB. proboscidea remained dominant from the initial re-colonisation to final successional stages. Thesettlement of the green algae Ulva hookeriana was facilitated by B. rodriguezii. The spionid polychaetehad an abundance peak during spring, replacing B. rodriguezii and dominated the sewage-polluted area.However, the mussel returned to be the dominant species after a wind-wave?storm. An environmentaldisturbance like the documented storm was an important structuring factor of the studied community,with implications on the intertidal diversity, as it may change the dominance of the ecosystemengineers in the local sewage-impacted area.