Seawater Acidification Affects Beta-Diversity of Benthic Communities at a Shallow Hydrothermal Vent in a Mediterranean Marine Protected Area (Underwater Archaeological Park of Baia, Naples, Italy)

Type Article
Date 2020-12
Language English
Author(s) Appolloni Luca1, 2, Zeppilli DanielaORCID3, Donnarumma Luigia1, 2, Baldrighi Elisa3, 4, Chianese Elena1, Russo Giovanni Fulvio1, 2, Sandulli Roberto1, 2
Affiliation(s) 1 : Department of Science and Technology (DiST), Marine Ecology Laboratory, Parthenope University of Naples, Centro Direzionale—Isola C4, 80143 Napoli, Italy
2 : Consorzio Nazionale Interuniversitario per le Scienze del Mare (CoNISMa) Rome, URL-Centro Direzionale—Isola C4, 80143 Napoli, Italy
3 : Laboratoire Environnement Profond, Institut Français de Recherche pour l’Exploitation de la MER (IFREMER), 29280 Plouzané, France
4 : Istituto per le Risorse Biologiche e le Biotecnologie Marine (IRBIM), Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR), 60125 Ancona, Italy
Source Diversity-basel (1424-2818) (MDPI AG), 2020-12 , Vol. 12 , N. 12 , P. 464 (19p.)
DOI 10.3390/d12120464
WOS© Times Cited 8
Note This article belongs to the Special Issue Marine Protected Areas Management and Monitoring
Keyword(s) Marine Protected Areas, hydrothermal vents, &#946, -diversity, acidification, climate changes
Abstract

One of the most important pieces of climate change evidence is ocean acidification. Acidification effects on marine organisms are widely studied, while very little is known regarding its effects on assemblages’ β-diversity. In this framework, shallow hydrothermal vents within a Marine Protected Area (MPA) represent natural ecosystems acting as laboratory set-ups where the continuous carbon dioxide emissions affect assemblages with consequences that can be reasonably comparable to the effects of global water acidification. The aim of the present study is to test the impact of seawater acidification on the β-diversity of soft-bottom assemblages in a shallow vent field located in the Underwater Archeological Park of Baia MPA (Gulf of Naples, Mediterranean Sea). We investigated macro- and meiofauna communities of the ‘Secca delle fumose’ vent system in sites characterized by sulfurous (G) and carbon dioxide emissions (H) that are compared with control/inactive sites (CN and CS). Statistical analyses were performed on the most represented macrobenthic (Mollusca, Polychaeta, and Crustacea), and meiobenthic (Nematoda) taxa. Results show that the lowest synecological values are detected at H and, to a lesser extent, at G. Multivariate analyses show significant differences between hydrothermal vents (G, H) and control/inactive sites; the highest small-scale heterogeneities (measure of β-diversity) are detected at sites H and G and are mainly affected by pH, TOC (Total Organic Carbon), and cations concentrations. Such findings are probably related to acidification effects, since MPA excludes anthropic impacts. In particular, acidification markedly affects β-diversity and an increase in heterogeneity among sample replicates coupled to a decrease in number of taxa is an indicator of redundancy loss and, thus, of resilience capacity. The survival is assured to either tolerant species or those opportunistic taxa that can find good environmental conditions among gravels of sand.

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How to cite 

Appolloni Luca, Zeppilli Daniela, Donnarumma Luigia, Baldrighi Elisa, Chianese Elena, Russo Giovanni Fulvio, Sandulli Roberto (2020). Seawater Acidification Affects Beta-Diversity of Benthic Communities at a Shallow Hydrothermal Vent in a Mediterranean Marine Protected Area (Underwater Archaeological Park of Baia, Naples, Italy). Diversity-basel, 12(12), 464 (19p.). Publisher's official version : https://doi.org/10.3390/d12120464 , Open Access version : https://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00663/77470/