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β-diversity of deep-sea holothurians and asteroids along a bathymetric gradient (NE Atlantic)

Wagstaff, M.C.; Howell, K.L.; Bett, B.J. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4977-9361; Billett, D.S.M.; Brault, S.; Stuart, C.T.; Rex, M.A.. 2014 β-diversity of deep-sea holothurians and asteroids along a bathymetric gradient (NE Atlantic). Marine Ecology Progress Series, 508. 177-185. 10.3354/meps10877

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Abstract/Summary

ABSTRACT: Measuring and understanding patterns of β-diversity remain major challenges in community ecology. Recently, β-diversity has been shown to consist of 2 distinct components: (1) spatial turnover and (2) species loss leading to nestedness. Both components structure deep-sea macrofaunal assemblages but vary in importance among taxa and ocean basins and with energy availability. Here, we present the first evidence for turnover and nestedness along a bathymetric gradient in 2 major megafaunal taxa, holothurians and asteroids. Turnover is the dominant component of β-diversity throughout bathyal and abyssal zones in both taxa, despite major differences in β-diversity and trophic composition. High spatial turnover suggests a role for evolutionary adaptation to environmental circumstances within depth bands. This pattern differs fundamentally from those in some macrofaunal groups in low-energy environments where abyssal nestedness is high and diversity low, with diversity maintained partly by source-sink dynamics.

Item Type: Publication - Article
Digital Object Identifier (DOI): 10.3354/meps10877
ISSN: 0171-8630
Additional Keywords: Beta diversity, Nestedness, Turnover, Source-sink dynamics, Deep sea, Echinoderms, Asteroids, Holothurians
Date made live: 04 Sep 2014 12:24 +0 (UTC)
URI: https://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/508311

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