Recovery of the brown alga Fucus gardneri following a range of removal intensities

The consequences of disturbance are known to be non-linear functions of disturbance intensity. In this study, we investigate the effects of a range of disturbance intensities by experimentally manipulating the cover of Fucus gardneri, a dominant intertidal alga. The effects of disturbance on subsequ...

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Published inAquatic botany Vol. 71; no. 4; pp. 273 - 280
Main Authors Speidel, Markus, Harley, Christopher D.G, Wonham, Marjorie J
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Elsevier B.V 01.12.2001
Subjects
Disturbance intensity
Fucus
Fucus gardneri
Invertebrata
Non-linear dynamics
Phaeophyta
Recovery
Disturbance intensity
Recovery
Fucus gardneri
Non-linear dynamics
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Summary:The consequences of disturbance are known to be non-linear functions of disturbance intensity. In this study, we investigate the effects of a range of disturbance intensities by experimentally manipulating the cover of Fucus gardneri, a dominant intertidal alga. The effects of disturbance on subsequent Fucus recovery were similar for canopy reductions of 0–80%. However, complete removal of all Fucus individuals delayed Fucus recovery, as measured by canopy cover, by at least several months. Despite changes in the dominant alga, the abundance of invertebrates and other algae did not respond to cover manipulation. Our results suggest that the recovery from small-scale disturbances is enhanced if at least a few individuals survive the event. Only by examining a variety of levels of natural or anthropogenic disturbance will ecologists be able to understand observed recovery patterns and design management strategies.
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ISSN:0304-3770
1879-1522
DOI:10.1016/S0304-3770(01)00191-7