Austin, A. N. and Hansen, J. P. and Donadi, Serena and Bergström, Ulf and Eriksson, B. K. and Sundblad, Göran and Eklof, J. S.
(2021).
Synergistic Effects of Rooted Aquatic Vegetation and Drift Wrack on Ecosystem Multifunctionality.
Ecosystems. 24
, 1670-1686
[Research article]
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Abstract
Ecosystem multifunctionality is an increasingly popular concept used to approximate multifaceted ecosystem functioning, which in turn may help advance ecosystem-based management. However, while experimental studies have shown a positive effect of diversity on multifunctionality, observational studies from natural systems-particularly aquatic-are scarce. Here, we tested the relative importance of species richness and cover of rooted aquatic vegetation, as well as cover of the loose-lying form of the macroalgae bladderwrack (Fucus vesiculosus), for ecosystem multifunctionality in shallow bays along the western Baltic Sea coast. We estimated multifunctionality based on four indicators of functions that support ecosystem services: recruitment of large predatory fish, grazer biomass, inverted 'nuisance' algal biomass, and water clarity. Piecewise path analysis showed that multifunctionality was driven by high cover of rooted aquatic vegetation and bladderwrack, particularly when the two co-occurred. This synergistic effect was nearly three times as strong as a negative effect of land-derived nitrogen loading. Species richness of aquatic vegetation indirectly benefitted multifunctionality by increasing vegetation cover. Meanwhile, high bladderwrack cover tended to decrease vegetation species richness, indicating that bladderwrack has both positive and negative effects on multifunctionality. We conclude that managing for dense and diverse vegetation assemblages may mitigate effects of anthropogenic pressures (for example, eutrophication) and support healthy coastal ecosystems that provide a range of benefits. To balance the exploitation of coastal ecosystems and maintain their multiple processes and services, management therefore needs to go beyond estimation of vegetation cover and consider the diversity and functional types of aquatic vegetation.
Authors/Creators: | Austin, A. N. and Hansen, J. P. and Donadi, Serena and Bergström, Ulf and Eriksson, B. K. and Sundblad, Göran and Eklof, J. S. | ||||||
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Title: | Synergistic Effects of Rooted Aquatic Vegetation and Drift Wrack on Ecosystem Multifunctionality | ||||||
Series Name/Journal: | Ecosystems | ||||||
Year of publishing : | 2021 | ||||||
Volume: | 24 | ||||||
Page range: | 1670-1686 | ||||||
Number of Pages: | 17 | ||||||
Publisher: | SPRINGER | ||||||
ISSN: | 1432-9840 | ||||||
Language: | English | ||||||
Publication Type: | Research article | ||||||
Article category: | Scientific peer reviewed | ||||||
Version: | Published version | ||||||
Copyright: | Creative Commons: Attribution 4.0 | ||||||
Full Text Status: | Public | ||||||
Subjects: | (A) Swedish standard research categories 2011 > 1 Natural sciences > 106 Biological Sciences (Medical to be 3 and Agricultural to be 4) > Ecology | ||||||
Keywords: | Ecosystem functions, Aquatic vegetation, Drift algae, Structural equation modeling (SEM), Diversity, Baltic Sea | ||||||
URN:NBN: | urn:nbn:se:slu:epsilon-p-111486 | ||||||
Permanent URL: | http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:slu:epsilon-p-111486 | ||||||
Additional ID: |
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ID Code: | 26242 | ||||||
Faculty: | NJ - Fakulteten för naturresurser och jordbruksvetenskap | ||||||
Department: | (NL, NJ) > Department of Aquatic Resources | ||||||
Deposited By: | SLUpub Connector | ||||||
Deposited On: | 30 Nov 2021 09:25 | ||||||
Metadata Last Modified: | 30 Nov 2021 09:31 |
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