The effects of El Niño‐Southern Oscillation events on intertidal seagrass beds over a long‐term timescale

• Published in: Global change biology Vol. 24; no. 10; pp. 4566 - 4580
• Main Authors: Lin, Hsing‐Juh, Lee, Chen‐Lu, Peng, Shang‐En, Hung, Meng‐Chi, Liu, Pi‐Jen, Mayfield, Anderson B.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.10.2018
• Subjects: anthropogenic activities; Anthropogenic factors; Biomass; canopy height; Drought; drought tolerance; Ecosystem; El Nino; El Nino phenomena; El Nino-Southern Oscillation; ENSO; Eutrophication; Grasses; habitats; Halodule uninervis; Hydrocharitaceae - physiology; Intertidal environment; Intertidal zone; La Nina; La Niña; Leaves; littoral zone; Mineral nutrients; Nitrogen - analysis; nitrogen content; Nutrient enrichment; Ocean currents; Periphyton; Plant cover; Plant Leaves; Sea grasses; seagrasses; Seawater; Seawater - chemistry; Southern Oscillation; Thalassia hemprichii; Tropical climate; periphyton; La Niña; Thalassia hemprichii; Halodule uninervis; ENSO; eutrophication
• ISSN: 1354-1013; 1365-2486; 1365-2486
• DOI: 10.1111/gcb.14404

El Niño‐Southern Oscillation (ENSO) events can cause dramatic changes in marine communities. However, we know little as to how ENSO events affect tropical seagrass beds over decadal timescales. Therefore, a diverse array of seagrass (Thalassia hemprichii) habitat types were surveyed once every 3 months for 16 years (January 2001 to February 2017) in a tropical intertidal zone that is regularly affected by both ENSO events and anthropogenic nutrient enrichment. La Niña and El Niño events had distinct effects on the biomass and growth of T. hemprichii. During La Niña years, higher (a) precipitation levels and (b) seawater nitrogen concentrations led to increases in seagrass leaf productivity, canopy height, and biomass. However, the latter simultaneously stimulated the growth of periphyton on seagrass leaves; this led to decreases in seagrass cover and shoot density. More frequent La Niña events could, then, eventually lead to either a decline in intertidal seagrass beds or a shift to another, less drought‐resistant seagrass species in those regions already characterized by eutrophication due to local anthropogenic activity. La Niña and El Niño events had distinct effects on the biomass and growth of the seagrass Thalassia hemprichii. During La Niña years, higher precipitation levels and seawater nitrogen concentrations led to increase in leaf productivity, canopy height, and biomass. However, the latter simultaneously stimulated the growth of periphyton on seagrass leaves; this led to decreases in seagrass cover and shoot density. More frequent La Niña events could, then, eventually lead to either a decline in intertidal seagrass beds or a shift to another, less drought‐resistant seagrass species in those regions already characterized by eutrophication due to local anthropogenic activity.