Marine Invasions in a Changing Climate (MICC)

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Publications

New species and new records of bryozoans from shallow waters of Madeira Island

Publication . Souto, Javier; Kaufmann, Manfred J.; Canning-Clode, João

Two new species of bryozoans encrusting subtidal rocks are described from the shallow waters of Madeira Island. We de scribe one cyclostome, Favosipora purpurea sp. nov., which represents the first record of this genus in the Atlantic Ocean, and one cheilostome, Rhynchozoon papuliferum sp. nov. In addition, one species, Beania maxilladentata, is recorded for the first time outside of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Six other species previously recorded in Madeira are redescribed to provide new data and SEM images.

2015Journal article

Open access

Shallow subtidal macroalgae in the North-eastern Atlantic archipelagos (Macaronesian region): a spatial approach to community structure

Publication . Sangil, Carlos; Martins, Gustavo M.; Hernández, José Carlos; Alves, Filipe; Neto, Ana I.; Ribeiro, Cláudia; León-Cisneros, Karla; Canning-Clode, João; Rosas-Alquicira, Edgar; Mendoza, José Carlos; Titley, Ian; Wallenstein, Francisco; Couto, Ruben P.; Kaufmann, Manfred

Shallow subtidal macroalgal communities in the North-eastern Atlantic archipelagos (Azores, Madeira, Canaries and Cape Verde) were studied in order to identify their spatial organization patterns and the main drivers of change. Fifteen islands and 145 sites across 15º of latitude and 2850 km were sampled. We found high spatial variability across the scales considered (archipelago, island and site). The structure of macroalgal communities differed among archipelagos, except between Madeira and the Canaries, which were similar. Across a latitudinal gradient, macroalgal communities in the Azores were clearly separated from the other archipelagos; communities in Madeira and the Canaries occupied an intermediate position, while those in Cape Verde appeared at the opposite end of the gradient. In the Azores, species with warm-temperate affinities dominated commu nities. Cape Verde communities were, in contrast, dominated by tropical taxa, whereas in the subtropical Canaries and Madeira there was a mixture of species with colder and warmer affinities. Apart from crustose coralline algae, the Dictyotales were the group with greatest cover; larger and longer-lived species were progressively replaced by short-lived species along a latitudinal gradient from north to south. The perennial species Zonaria tournefortii dominated the sea-bottom in the Azores, the semi perennial Lophophora variegata in the Canaries, the filamentous algae in Madeira and the ephemeral Dictyota dichotoma in Cape Verde. We hypothesized that the differences among archipelagos could be explained by synergies between temperature and herbivory, which increased in diversity southwards, especially in Cape Verde. This was supported by the predominance of non crustose macroalgae in the Azores and of crustose macroalgae in Cape Verde, as would be predicted from the greater herbivore activity. At the scale of islands and sites, the same set of environmental variables drove differences in macroalgal community structure across all the Macaronesian archipelagos.

2018Journal article

Open access

Local benthic assemblages in shallow rocky reefs find refuge in a marine protected area at Madeira Island

Publication . Alves, Filipe; Canning-Clode, João; Ribeiro, Cláudia; Gestoso, Ignacio; Kaufmann, Manfred

The patterns of variability in the composition and structure of benthic communities along two depth strata (5 and 10 m) and the presence of sea urchins in structuring the subtidal rocky reefs were quantified in a long-established coastal marine protected area (Garajau MPA) and in two size equivalent and contiguous impacted areas (one highly urbanized and other with high fishing pressure) at Madeira Island (northeast Atlantic). Results suggest i) the MPA could be acting as a refuge for local biodiversity, ii) communities from the highly fished area could be suffering an impoverishment of local biodiversity, and iii) communities from the highly urbanized area would be enriched by the establishment of opportunistic species. These findings support that the level of human-pressure likely plays an important role in the composition of benthic communities in this insular ecosystem, although this was more relevant at the shallower stratum where the key grazer Diadema africanum explained 65% of the variance of benthic assemblages. It is suggested that this MPA small dimension and proximity to human impacted areas are limiting the survival of predators of the D. africanum.

2018Journal article

Open access