Browsing by Author "Bulleri, Fabio"
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- Harnessing positive species interactions as a tool against climate-driven loss of coastal biodiversityPublication . Bulleri, Fabio; Eriksson, Britas Klemens; Queiros, Ana; Airoldi, Laura; Arenas, Francisco; Arvanitidis, Christos; Bouma, Tjeerd J.; Crowe, Tasman P.; Davoult, Dominique; Guizien, Katell; Ivesa, Ljiljana; Jenkins, Stuart R.; Michalet, Richard; Olabarria, Celia; Procaccini, Gabriele; Serrao, Ester; Wahl, Martin; Benedetti-Cecchi, LisandroHabitat-forming species sustain biodiversity and ecosystem functioning in harsh environments through the amelioration of physical stress. Nonetheless, their role in shaping patterns of species distribution under future climate scenarios is generally overlooked. Focusing on coastal systems, we assess how habitat-forming species can influence the ability of stress-sensitive species to exhibit plastic responses, adapt to novel environmental conditions, or track suitable climates. Here, we argue that habitat-former populations could be managed as a nature-based solution against climate-driven loss of biodiversity. Drawing from different ecological and biological disciplines, we identify a series of actions to sustain the resilience of marine habitat-forming species to climate change, as well as their effectiveness and reliability in rescuing stress-sensitive species from increasingly adverse environmental conditions.
- Marine protected areas promote stability of reef fish communities under climate warmingPublication . Benedetti-Cecchi, Lisandro; Bates, Amanda E.; Strona, Giovanni; Bulleri, Fabio; Horta E Costa, Barbara; Edgar, Graham J.; Hereu, Bernat; Reed, Dan C.; Stuart-Smith, Rick D.; Barrett, Neville S.; Kushner, David J.; Emslie, Michael J.; García-Charton, Jose Antonio; Gonçalves, Emanuel J.; Aspillaga, EnekoProtection from direct human impacts can safeguard marine life, yet ocean warming crosses marine protected area boundaries. Here, we test whether protection offers resilience to marine heatwaves from local to network scales. We examine 71,269 timeseries of population abundances for 2269 reef fish species surveyed in 357 protected versus 747 open sites worldwide. We quantify the stability of reef fish abundance from populations to metacommunities, considering responses of species and functional diversity including thermal affinity of different trophic groups. Overall, protection mitigates adverse effects of marine heatwaves on fish abundance, community stability, asynchronous fluctuations and functional richness. We find that local stability is positively related to distance from centers of high human density only in protected areas. We provide evidence that networks of protected areas have persistent reef fish communities in warming oceans by maintaining large populations and promoting stability at different levels of biological organization. Protected areas are meant to defend species from direct exploitation and habitat loss, but they might also reduce climate change impacts. Here, the authors show that marine protected areas mitigate the impacts of marine heatwaves on reef fish communities.
- Positive species interactions structure rhodolith bed communities at a global scalePublication . Bulleri, Fabio; Schubert, Nadine; Hall‐Spencer, Jason M.; Basso, Daniela; Burdett, Heidi L.; Francini‐Filho, Ronaldo B.; Grall, Jacques; Horta, Paulo A.; Kamenos, Nicholas A.; Martin, Sophie; Nannini, Matteo; Neves, Pedro António Nobre Soares Pinto das; Olivé, Irene; Peña, Viviana; Ragazzola, Federica; Ribeiro, Cláudia; Rinde, Eli; Sissini, Marina; Tuya, Fernando; Silva, JoãoRhodolith beds are diverse and globally distributed habitats. Nonetheless, the role of rhodoliths in structuring the associated species community through a hierarchy of positive interactions is yet to be recognised. In this review, we provide evidence that rhodoliths can function as foundation species of multi-level facilitation cascades and, hence, are fundamental for the persistence of hierarchically structured communities within coastal oceans. Rhodoliths generate facilitation cascades by buffering physical stress, reducing consumer pressure and enhancing resource availability. Due to large variations in their shape, size and density, a single rhodolith bed can support multiple taxonomically distant and architecturally distinct habitat-forming species, such as primary producers, sponges or bivalves, thus encompassing a broad range of functional traits and providing a wealth of secondary microhabitat and food resources. In addition, rhodoliths are often mobile, and thus can redistribute associated species, potentially expanding the distribution of species with short-distance dispersal abilities. Key knowledge gaps we have identified include: the experimental assessment of the role of rhodoliths as basal facilitators; the length and temporal stability of facilitation cascades; variations in species interactions within cascades across environmental gradients; and the role of rhodolith beds as climate refugia. Addressing these research priorities will allow the development of evidence-based policy decisions and elevate rhodolith beds within marine conservation strategies.