Abstract
Intertidal and subtidal communities are characterized by habitat-forming species (e.g., macroalgae, corals, eelgrass, sponges) that perform essential ecosystem services such as provide food, shelter and nursery habitats for a variety of organisms, including economically important shellfish and fish species. Habitat-forming species are spatially dominant organisms whose biogenic structure enhances species co-existence through the creation of fine-scale, complex matrices in which smaller organisms find refuge from competitors or predators. Given that habitat-forming species are critical for ecosystem function, conservation strategies are prioritizing them for protection and restoration. This talk centers around three studies of habitat-forming species. The first study uses ROVs to map and characterize habitat-forming species and their associated species in the Antarctic. The second uses experimental approaches to investigate the consequences of seaweed habitat-forming to ecosystem processes in salt marshes. The third study involves recent studies using acoustic techniques to identify and characterize seaweed species in the Gulf of Maine.
Presenter Bio
Jenn Dijkstra has a B.A. from the University of New Brunswick, a M.Sc. in Marine Biology from the University of Bremen and a Ph.D. in Zoology from the University of New Hampshire. Before joining the Center for Coastal and Ocean Mapping, she was a Postdoctoral Fellow at the Wells National Estuarine Research Reserve.
Publication Date
4-25-2014
Document Type
Presentation
Recommended Citation
Dijkstra, Jenn, "Identification, Characterization and Consequences of Habitat-forming Species" (2014). Seminars. 145.
https://scholars.unh.edu/ccom_seminars/145