Influence of the density of Caulerpa prolifera (Chlorophyta) on the composition of the macrofauna in a meadow in Algeciras Bay (Southern Spain)

Abstract

The coverage and biomass fluctuations of Caulerpa prolifera (Chlorophyta) were used to assess the influence of the alga on the composition of its associated animal community, on a small spatial scale. Bymeans of ordination analysis, based on species abundance, a series of groups, related to the different algal density recorded, were obtained: those stations with highest algal biomass (stations 1, 2 and 8) and the remaining stations (medium and low biomass). According to a canonical correspondence analysis, total algal biomass, coverage and percentage of organic matter explained the differences in the composition of the macrobenthic communities. The response of some species to the spatial distribution of the alga are also discussed. In conclusion, the patchiness of Caulerpa beds cause a high degree of heterogeneity in a spatially reduced system, suggesting the importance of these sites for the biodiversity in coastal ecosystems.