2022•Firenze University Press eBooksOpen access
Seagrass detritus as marine macroinvertebrates attractor
Valentina Costa, Renato Chemello, Davide Iaciofano, Sabrina Lo Brutto, Francesca Rossi
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Abstract
Seagrass detritus is used as food, physical habitat and shelter. Using natural and artificial detritus, we tested if: 1) the colonisation was related to substrate availability rather than food 2) the assemblages were similar according to meadow structural complexity. A total of 11,270 invertebrates were identified. Neither the habitat complexity, nor the substrate type shown any effects on the colonisation, with both substrates acting as a faunal magnet. The detritus can be colonised by a rich and diverse community, highlighting its important role in maintaining the seagrass meadow biodiversity