Are urban mangroves emerging hotspots of non-indigenous species? A study on the dynamics of macrobenthic fouling communities in fringing red mangrove prop roots

Abstract Urbanization represents a radical transformation of natural habitats that alters all the biotic and abiotic properties governing ecosystems. Urban expansion often results in oversimplified communities, where most specialists decline or disappear few generalist exotic species become dominant. The consequences urban mangrove forests are understudied, although these systems have been altered by humans for centuries growth human population tropical coasts is expected to be faster than higher latitudes. To assess importance indigenous non-indigenous driving temporal spatial changes community structure red-mangrove prop-root macrobenthic we studied heavily from two bays Caribbean coast Colombia 2005 2021. In places/periods, richness was low, taxa were dominant (11 taxa, out 40, comprised ~ 90% total abundance) 35% those whose presence related with known stressors urbanized systems. Hence, call efforts whether emerging as hotspots biota. Community did not change within between bays, there clear, significant turnover core 2021, playing prominent role this variability. This puzzling—ecological theory asserts abundance their permanence: relatively stable through time, while rare appear disappear—but may apply stressed communities influenced