Changes in invertebrate assemblages inhabiting Lessonia spicata (Phaeophyceae) holdfasts after the 2010 earthquake-mediated coastal uplift in Chile

On February 27th 2010, a mega-earthquake struck Chile causing coastal coseismic uplift. In this study we compared the invertebrate fauna from uplifted (UH) and non-uplifted (NH) Lessonia spicata kelp holdfasts. Multivariate analysis of the assemblage structure revealed different faunal composition between holdfasts, the anemone Phymactis clematis and the mussel Perumytilus purpuratus displayed the highest contribution to these differences, being most abundant in UH. A preference to inhabit in UH is most likely to be related to food availability and capacity to thrive with high salinity and desiccation, while NH became habitat for a rare primary ecological succession. The present study helps to understand ecological implications of such rare events.

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Ortega,Karla J, Sáez,Claudio A, Macaya,Erasmo C
Format: Digital revista
Language:English
Published: Universidad de Valparaíso. Facultad de Ciencias del Mar 2014
Online Access:http://www.scielo.cl/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0718-19572014000100014
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