Heat wave intensity can vary the cumulative effects of multiple environmental stressors on Posidonia oceanica seedlings

Climate change is introducing new stressors into already stressed ecosystems. Among these, extreme events such as heat waves play a crucial role in determining the structure of ecosystems. We tested single and combined effects of overgrazing, burial and heat waves on the seedlings of the habitat-for...

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Published inMarine environmental research Vol. 159; p. 105001
Main Authors Guerrero-Meseguer, Laura, Marín, Arnaldo, Sanz-Lázaro, Carlos
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published London Elsevier Ltd 01.07.2020
Elsevier BV
Subjects
Additives
Burial
Climate change
Ecosystems
Environmental changes
Environmental effects
Environmental stress
Extreme events
Habitat-forming species
Heat
Heat waves
Heatwaves
Overgrazing
Posidonia oceanica
Sea grasses
Seagrass
Seedlings
Burial
Climate change
Seagrass
Extreme events
Overgrazing
Habitat-forming species
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Summary:Climate change is introducing new stressors into already stressed ecosystems. Among these, extreme events such as heat waves play a crucial role in determining the structure of ecosystems. We tested single and combined effects of overgrazing, burial and heat waves on the seedlings of the habitat-forming species Posidonia oceanica. At current heat wave temperatures, overgrazing in isolation had more deleterious effects than seed burial, and effects were synergistic and additive when both factors co-occurred. The combined effect of overgrazing and seed burial with current heat waves could hamper P. oceanica seedling development, with similar or even higher levels than the sole effect of heat waves in the near future (29 °C). The effects of overgrazing and seed burial are expected to be overridden if heat waves temperatures exceed 29 °C. These results suggest that co-occurring environmental stressors, in combination with current heat waves, could compromise the sexual recruitment of this seagrass. •Overgrazing and seed burial can have synergistic negative effects on the plant .•Their effects are overridden by heat waves above 29 °C.•Heat waves can override the effect of other stressors.•Heat waves can pose a threat to the future of shallow meadows of this seagrass.
Bibliography:ObjectType-Article-1
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ISSN:0141-1136
1879-0291
DOI:10.1016/j.marenvres.2020.105001