First insights into the meiofauna community of a maerl bed in the Bay of Brest (Brittany)

Authors

  • Federica Rebecchi Laboratoire Environnement Profond, Institut Français de Recherche pour l’Exploitation de la Mer (IFREMER) - Departement of Biology, University of Naples Federico II - Laboratoire des Sciences de l’Environnement Marin (UMS 3113), Institut Universitaire Européen de la Mer/Université de Bretagne Occidentale - Institute for Biological Resources and Marine Biotechnologies (IRBIM), Italian National Research Council (CNR) https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4762-9263
  • Daniela Zeppilli Laboratoire Environnement Profond, Institut Français de Recherche pour l’Exploitation de la Mer (IFREMER) https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0809-2566
  • Elisa Baldrighi Laboratoire Environnement Profond, Institut Français de Recherche pour l’Exploitation de la Mer (IFREMER) - Institute for Biological Resources and Marine Biotechnologies (IRBIM), Italian National Research Council (CNR) https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3671-8471
  • Anna Di Cosmo Departement of Biology, University of Naples Federico II https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1018-9957
  • Gianluca Polese Departement of Biology, University of Naples Federico II https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6322-7769
  • Alessandro Pisaniello Laboratoire Environnement Profond, Institut Français de Recherche pour l’Exploitation de la Mer (IFREMER) - Departement of Biology, University of Naples Federico II - Laboratoire des Sciences de l’Environnement Marin (UMS 3113), Institut Universitaire Européen de la Mer/Université de Bretagne Occidentale - School of Biological Sciences, University of Auckland https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1729-3797
  • Jacques Grall Laboratoire des Sciences de l’Environnement Marin (UMS 3113), Institut Universitaire Européen de la Mer/Université de Bretagne Occidentale https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3107-6740

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.3989/scimar.05230.024

Keywords:

rhodolith beds, Bay of Brest, meiobenthos, Nematoda, biodiversity, taxonomy

Abstract


Maerl beds, particularly those of Brittany, are important, structurally complex biogenic coastal habitats that form a unique ecosystem with high benthic biodiversity. Although they are relatively well studied throughout Europe, several faunal groups of maerl beds, such as those belonging to the meiofauna, have received little attention. We investigated the meiofaunal abundance, distribution and community structure, with a focus on nematode biomass and diversity, in a maerl area in the Bay of Brest, Brittany, compared with that on a sandy beach (Anse de Dinan, Brittany). Meiofauna was five times more abundant on the maerl bed than on the sandy beach, and 1.5 times more diversified (12 vs. 8 taxa, respectively). Nematode diversity was more than three times higher on the maerl bed than on the sandy beach and showed a distinctive nematode community that was absent from the sandy beach. Maerl beds create more heterogeneous microhabitats and promote a higher diversification of meiofauna and nematode communities than sandy beaches.

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Published

2022-04-07

How to Cite

1.
Rebecchi F, Zeppilli D, Baldrighi E, Di Cosmo A, Polese G, Pisaniello A, Grall J. First insights into the meiofauna community of a maerl bed in the Bay of Brest (Brittany). Sci. mar. [Internet]. 2022Apr.7 [cited 2024Apr.25];86(1):e024. Available from: https://scientiamarina.revistas.csic.es/index.php/scientiamarina/article/view/1913

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