The relative contribution of non-selection and selection processes in marine benthic assemblages. uri icon

abstract

  • We tested the hypothesis that the ubiquity of marine meiofaunal nematodes and their indiscriminate passive dispersal create assemblages that are less limited by its environment; whereas the relatively smaller population sizes of macrofauna, associated with their ability to track environmental conditions before settlement, renders their distribution more environmentally-restricted. We compared the empirical distribution of macrofauna and nematode species with that of communities simulated under different assumptions of selection (e.g. environmental filtering) and non-selection (e.g. dispersal limitation) processes. Selection processes were the prime driver of both meio- and macrofauna assemblages, with rare species strongly contributing to this component. The total number of species explained by non-selection processes was 27% higher in nematodes than in macrofauna. Our results underline the importance of a species-level approach to determine the contribution of selection and non-selection assembly processes. Moreover, they highlight the important yet overlooked role of dispersal and stochastic processes in determining species dynamics.

published proceedings

  • Mar Environ Res

author list (cited authors)

  • Vieira, D. C., Gallucci, F., Corte, G. N., Checon, H. H., Zacagnini Amaral, A. C., & Fonseca, G.

complete list of authors

  • Vieira, Danilo Cândido||Gallucci, Fabiane||Corte, Guilherme Nascimento||Checon, Helio Herminio||Zacagnini Amaral, Antônia Cecília||Fonseca, Gustavo

publication date

  • January 2021