Mass Mortality of Foundation Species on Rocky Shores: Testing a Methodology for a Continental Monitoring Program

MENDEZ, MARÍA M.; LIVORE, JUAN P.; MÁRQUEZ, FEDERICO; BIGATTI, GREGORIO

FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE

Frontiers Media SA

Año: 2021 vol. 8

2296-7745

Global concern around substantial losses of biodiversity has led to the developmentof a number of monitoring programs. Networks were established to obtain appropriatedata on the spatial and temporal variation of marine species on rocky shores. Recently,the Marine Biodiversity Observation Network Pole to Pole of the Americas (MBONP2P) program was established and is coordinating biodiversity surveys along coastalareas throughout the continent. The goal of this paper was to test the usefulness andadequacy of a methodology proposed for the MBON P2P program. Changes in benthicassemblage cover were studied on monitored sites in northern Patagonia before andafter the 2019 austral summer. Long-term dynamics of mussel bed is described basedon existing data. Results showed that assemblages before the 2019 austral summerwere different from assemblages after it. Thus, a mussel mass mortality event could bedetected with this methodology. It took less than a year for mussel cover to drop from 90to almost 0%; even where substantial changes in mussel bed cover were not registeredin the previous ∼20 years at the study area. This simple methodology is an adequatetool for monitoring rocky intertidal habitats. Yearly monitoring is needed, as a minimum,to perceive this kind of process timely. Real-time detection offers the opportunity ofproperly understanding the causes that lead to the loss of key community components,such as these foundation species. Furthermore, it would provide early warning todecision-makers enhancing the chances of conservation of natural environments andtheir ecosystem services.