Rhodoliths are non-geniculate, free-living coralline red algae that can accumulate on the seafloor and form structurally complex benthic habitats supporting diverse communities known as rhodolith beds. We combined in situ collections imagery to quantify variability, over 9 months at two sites, structural complexity biodiversity of a subarctic Lithothamnion glaciale bed. show unconsolidated fram...

Abstract Macrofauna associated with the bamboo coral Isidella elongata was analysed in Balearic Basin at depths of 697–1308 m. The diversity macrofauna and specific associations identified depended on different morphological characteristics colonies, such as height or density rami. Species consisted mainly sessile fauna, cnidarians (the actinian Amphianthus dornhii solitary Desmophyllum dianthu...

The Kuril Basin and the Kuril-Kamchatka Trench are two interconnected deep-sea ecosystems both located in one of most highly productive regions world’s oceans. main distinguishing features these low oxygen concentration near-bottom water Basin, high hydrostatic pressure trench. We investigated abundance meio- macrobenthic nematodes macrofauna on floor (depths 3,300–3,366 m) area 3,432–9,539 m),...

Sandy beaches are ecologically important, physically dynamic, and heterogeneous habitats intrinsically related to human culture. However, these interactions present challenges for sandy in the Anthropocene as stressors from urbanization increase. This study investigated beach community responses local two periods. Beaches were classified into three categories: conserved (C), modified (M), urban...

S ince their discovery in the 1970s and 1980s, giant tubeworms at hydrothermal vents and cold seeps have fascinated biologists and laymen alike—not only for their alien morphology (Figure 1), but also for epitomizing the perfect animal–microbe symbiosis. They are among the biggest worms on this planet—some over 3 m long— yet they do not eat other organisms. Tubeworms thrive independently of pho...

Identifying the effects of stressors before they impact ecosystem functioning can be challenging in dynamic, heterogeneous 'real-world' ecosystems. In aquatic systems, for example, reductions in water clarity can limit the light available for photosynthesis, with knock-on consequences for secondary consumers, though in naturally turbid wave-swept estuaries, detecting the effects of elevated tur...

Long-term trends in the response of benthic macrofauna to hydrological conditions were examined in the Lavaca-Colorado Estuary, Texas. Four stations representing a range of salinities in the Lavaca-Colorado Estuary were sampled quarterly for benthic macrofauna and hydrography from April 1988 to October 2008. The relationship between climate variability and local salinity patterns and benthic po...

Nowadays, beach nourishment is widely considered as a better alternative compared to the construction of hard structures to protect a sandy coast against detrimental erosive effects, both from an ecological and an engineering perspective. The rare studies conducted on the ecological impact of beach nourishment are short-term, post hoc monitoring investigations of the benthic macrofauna. Little ...