Abstract
The physical characteristics and environmental versatility of the alga Halopteris scoparia (Phaeophyta, Sphacelariales) make it a suitable substrate for development of epiphytic communities. Spatial variation of the epifauna on this alga in Algeciras Bay (southern Spain) in response to different environmental conditions is investigated. There is a clear difference in community composition between external and internal areas of the bay, with an important group of species present in only one of the areas (e.g., in outer areas crustaceans such as Tanais dulongii or Amphilochus neapolitanus or the polychaete Nicolea venustula; and species from inner areas such as the crustacean Jassa marmorata and the mollusc Alvania montagui or Rissoa similis). The external zone shows high hydrodynamics and low sedimentation rates, whereas in the internal one, there is a high sedimentation rate (as a result of two main rivers, a less strong current regime, and the presence of urban and industrial wastes). The conditions prevailing in the internal zone of the bay are unfavourable for most of the epifaunal species in the external bay areas.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Boaden PJS, O'Connor RJ and Seed R (1975) The composition and zonation of a Fucus serratus community in Strangford Lough, Co. Down. J Exp Mar Biol Ecol 17: 111–136
Camiñas JA (1987) La Bahía de Algeciras: Características oceanográficas y biológicas. Contaminación y áreas de protección. Delegación de Ecología y Medio Ambiente, Ayuntamiento Algeciras, 34 pp
Carballo JL, Sánchez-Moyano JE and García-Gómez JC (1994) Taxonomic and ecological remarks on boring sponges (Clionidae) from the Straits of Gibraltar (southern Spain): tentative bioindicators? Zool J Linnean Soc 112: 407–424
Carballo JL, Naranjo SA and García-Gómez JC (1996) Use of marine sponges as stress indicators in marine ecosystems at Algeciras Bay (southern Iberian Peninsula). Mar Ecol Prog Ser 135: 109–122
Clarke KR (1993) Non-parametric multivariate analyses of changes in community structure. Aust J Ecol 18: 117–143
Conradi M, López-González PJ and García-Gómez JC (1997) The amphipod community as a bioindicator in Algeciras Bay (Southern Iberian Peninsula) based on a spatio-temporal distribution. P.S.Z.N.I.:Mar Ecol 18(2): 97–111
Dahl E (1948) On the smaller Arthropoda of marine algae, especially in the polyhaline waters off the Swedish west coast. Diss Lund (Undersökn över Öresund 35), 193 pp
Dean RL and Connell JH (1987) Marine invertebrates in an algal succession. III. Mechanisms linking habitat complexity and diversity. J Exp Mar Biol Ecol 109: 249–273
Dodds WK (1991) Community interactions between the filamentous alga Cladophora glomerata (L.) Kuetzing, its epiphytes, and epiphyte grazers. Oecologia 85: 572–580
Dommasnes A (1968) Variations in the meiofauna of Corallina officinalis L. with wave exposure. Sarsia 34: 117–124
Edgar GJ (1983) The ecology of south-east Tasmanian phytal animal communities. IV. Factors affecting the distribution of amphitoid amphipods among algae. J Exp Mar Biol Ecol 70: 205–225
Estacio FJ, García-Adiego EM, Fa DA, García-Gómez JC, Daza JL, Hortas F and Gómez-Ariza JL (1997) Ecological analysis in a polluted area of Algeciras Bay (Southern Spain): external ‘versus’ internal outfalls and environmental implications. Mar Poll Bull 34 (10): 780–793
Fretter V and Manly R (1977) Algal associations of Tricolia pullus, Lacuna vincta and Cerithiopsis tubercularis (Gastropoda) with special reference to the settlement of their larvae. J Mar Biol Ass UK 57: 999–1017
Gambi MC, Buia MC, Casola E and Scardi M (1989) Estimates of water movement in Posidonia oceanica beds: a first approach. Int Workshop Posidonia Beds 2: 101–112
Gibbons MJ (1988) The impact of sediment accumulations, relative habitat complexity and elevation on rocky shore meiofauna. J Exp Mar Biol Ecol 122: 225–241
Grahame J and Hanna FS (1989) Factors affecting the distribution of the epiphytic fauna of Corallina officinalis (L.) on an exposed rocky shore. Ophelia 30 (2): 113–129
Hacker SD and Steneck RS (1990) Habitat architecture and the abundance and body-size-dependent habitat selection of a phytal amphipod. Ecology 71 (6): 2269–2285
Hagerman L (1966) The macro-and microfauna associated with Fucus serratus L. with some ecological remarks. Ophelia 3: 1–43
Hall MO and Bell SS (1988) Response of small motile epifauna to complexity of epiphytic algae on seagrass blades. J Mar Res 46: 613–630
Hicks GR (1980) Structure of phytal harpacticoid copepod assemblages and the influence of habitat complexity and turbidity. J Exp Mar Biol Ecol 44: 157–192
Martin-Smith KM (1993) Abundance of mobile epifauna: the role of habitat complexity and predation by fishes. J Exp Mar Biol Ecol 174: 243–260
Moore PG (1972) Particulate matter in the sublittoral zone of an exposed coast and its ecological significance with special reference to the fauna inhabiting kelp holdfasts. J Exp Mar Biol Ecol 10: 59–80
Naranjo SA, Carballo JL and García-Gómez JC (1996) Effects of environmental stress on ascidian populations in Algeciras Bay (southern Spain). Possible marine bioindicators? Mar Ecol Prog Ser 144: 119–131
Russo AR (1989) Fluctuations of epiphytal gammaridean amphipods and their seaweed hosts on an hawaiian algal reef. Crustaceana 57 (1): 25–37
Sánchez-Moyano JE (1996) Variación espacio-temporal en la composición de las comunidades animales asociadas a macroalgas como respuestas a cambios en el medio. Implicaciones en la caracterización ambiental de las áreas costeras. Doctoral Thesis, Univ. Sevilla, 407 pp
Sánchez-Moyano JE and García-Gómez JC (1998) The arthropod community, especially Crustacea, as a bioindicator in Algeciras Bay (Southern Spain) based on a spatial distribution. J Coast Res 14 (3): 1119–1133
Sánchez-Moyano JE, Estacio FJ, García-Adiego EM and García-Gómez JC (2000) The molluscan epifauna of the alga Halopteris scoparia in Southern Spain as a bioindicator of coastal environmental conditions. J Mollus Stud 66: 431–448
Schneider FI and Mann KH (1991) Species specific relationships of invertebrates to vegetation in a seagrass bed. II. Experiments on the importance of macrophyte shape, epiphyte cover and predation. J Exp Mar Biol Ecol 145: 119–139
Southgate T (1982) The biology of Barleeia unifasciata (Gastropoda: Prosobranchia) in red algal turfs in S.W. Ireland. J Mar Biol Ass UK 62: 461–468
Stoner AW and Lewis FG (1985) The influence of quantitative and qualitative aspects of habitat complexity in tropical seagrass meadows. J Exp Mar Biol Ecol 94: 19–40
Strickland JDH and Parson TR (1969) A practical handbook of sea water analysis. Fish Res Board. Canad Bull 167
Tararam AS and Wakabara Y (1981) The mobile fauna-especially gammaridea-of Sargassum cymosum. Mar Ecol Prog Ser 5: 157–163
Ter Braak CJF (1986) Canonical correspondence analysis: a new eigenvector technique for multivariate direct gradient analysis. Ecology 67 (5): 1167–1179
Warwick RM and Clarke KR (1991) A comparison of somemethods for analysing changes in benthic community structure. JMar Biol Ass UK 71: 225–244
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Sánchez-Moyano, J., García-Adiego, E., Estacio, F. et al. Effect of environmental factors on the spatial distribution of the epifauna of the alga Halopteris scoparia in Algeciras Bay, Southern Spain. Aquatic Ecology 34, 355–367 (2000). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1011411414342
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1011411414342