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Do changes in microhabitat availability within a Marine Reserve reduce the species richness of small mobile macrofauna and meiofauna?

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 September 2011

Matthew R. Lee  and
Juan Carlos Castilla
Matthew R. Lee*
Affiliation:
Center for Advanced Studies in Ecology and Biodiversity, and Estacion Costera de Investigaciones Marinas, Departamento de Ecologia, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Alameda 340, Santiago, CP6513677, Chile
Juan Carlos Castilla
Affiliation:
Center for Advanced Studies in Ecology and Biodiversity, and Estacion Costera de Investigaciones Marinas, Departamento de Ecologia, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Alameda 340, Santiago, CP6513677, Chile
*
Correspondence should be addressed to: M.R. Lee, Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo de Recursos y Ambientes Costeras (in Mar), Universidad de Los Lagos, Camino a Chinquihue km.6, Puerto Montt Chile email: matt@matthewlee.org
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Abstract

Extensive beds of the mussel Perumytilus purpuratus are a common feature of the mid-intertidal along the Chilean coast. The beds are an alternative stable state that results from the anthropogenic removal of the keystone predator Concholepas concholepas. The mussel beds constitute an important microhabitat that supports a large number of small mobile macrofaunal and meiofaunal species. This paper seeks to determine if the absence of extensive mussel beds within a Marine Reserve results in a reduced species richness. We used ‘live’ artificial mussel beds on plates to determine the species richness of fauna both inside and outside the Marine Reserve. There were no significant differences in the species richness (Smean) on plates inside and outside the Marine Reserve but there were differences with the natural mussel beds. Though the assemblages on the plates did not reach maturity ‘live’, artificial mussel beds could prove a useful tool for assessing the species richness of small mobile macrofauna and meiofauna.

Keywords

small mobile macrofaunameiofaunamussel bedsPerumytilus purpuratusmicrohabitatsredundancy
Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom , Volume 92 , Issue 6 , September 2012 , pp. 1283 - 1288
Copyright
Copyright © Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom 2011

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