1°C warming increases spatial competition frequency and complexity in Antarctic marine macrofauna

Barnes, D.K.A. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9076-7867; Ashton, G.V.; Morley, S.A. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7761-660X; Peck, L.S. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3479-6791. 2021 1°C warming increases spatial competition frequency and complexity in Antarctic marine macrofauna. Communications Biology, 4, 208. 7, pp. https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-021-01742-w

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Official URL: https://www.nature.com/articles/s42003-021-01742-w

Abstract/Summary

Environmental conditions of the Southern Ocean around Antarctica have varied little for >5 million years but are now changing. Here we investigated how warming affects competition for space. Little considered in the polar regions, this is a critical component of biodiversity response. Change in competition in response to environment forcing might be detectable earlier than individual species presence/absence or performance measures (e.g. growth). Examination of fauna on artificial substrata in Antarctica’s shallows at ambient or warmed temperature found that, mid-century predicted 1°C warming (throughout the year or just summer-only), increased the probability of individuals encountering spatial competition, as well as density and complexity of such interactions. 2°C, late century predicted warming, increased variance in the probability and density of competition, but overall, competition did not significantly differ from ambient (control) levels. In summary only 1°C warming increased probability, density and complexity of spatial competition, which seems to be summer-only driven.

Item Type:	Publication - Article
Digital Object Identifier (DOI):	https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-021-01742-w
ISSN:	2399-3642
Date made live:	22 Feb 2021 10:17 +0 (UTC)
URI:	https://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/528227

Item Type:

Publication - Article

Digital Object Identifier (DOI):

https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-021-01742-w

ISSN:

2399-3642

Date made live:

22 Feb 2021 10:17 +0 (UTC)

URI:

https://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/528227