Abstract
Few biogeographic studies of dinoflagellate cysts include the near‐shore estuarine environment. We determine the effect of estuary type, biogeography, and water quality on the spatial distribution of organic‐walled dinoflagellate cysts from the Northeast USA (Maine to Delaware) and Canada (Prince Edward Island). A total of 69 surface sediment samples were collected from 27 estuaries, from sites with surface salinities >20. Dinoflagellate cysts were examined microscopically and compared to environmental parameters using multivariate ordination techniques. The spatial distribution of cyst taxa reflects biogeographic provinces established by other marine organisms, with Cape Cod separating the northern Acadian Province from the southern Virginian Province. Species such as Lingulodinium machaerophorum and Polysphaeridinium zoharyi were found almost exclusively in the Virginian Province, while others such as Dubridinium spp. and Islandinium? cezare were more abundant in the Acadian Province. Tidal range, sea surface temperature (SST), and sea surface salinity (SSS) are statistically significant parameters influencing cyst assemblages. Samples from the same type of estuary cluster together in canonical correspondence analysis when the estuaries are within the same biogeographic province. The large geographic extent of this study, encompassing four main estuary types (riverine, lagoon, coastal embayment, and fjord), allowed us to determine that the type of estuary has an important influence on cyst assemblages. Due to greater seasonal variations in SSTs and SSSs in estuaries compared to the open ocean, cyst assemblages show distinct latitudinal trends. The estuarine context is important for understanding present‐day species distribution, the factors controlling them, and to better predict how they may change in the future.
Highlights
Marine biogeographic studies delineate distinct environmental regions of the ocean that are characterized by different species assemblages and have traditionally been carried out to explain the distribution of species, to understand the evolution of marine taxa, and to infer past climates and continental movement (Hedgepeth 1957; Hale 2010 and references within)
Ecology and Evolution published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd
S1–S8 in Appendix S2) that reflect biogeographic provinces demonstrated by other marine organisms
Summary
Marine biogeographic studies delineate distinct environmental regions of the ocean that are characterized by different species assemblages and have traditionally been carried out to explain the distribution of species, to understand the evolution of marine taxa, and to infer past climates and continental movement (Hedgepeth 1957; Hale 2010 and references within). Recent technical advances have resulted in more sophisticated marine biogeographic studies with the use of data from large-scale observation programs, satellite imagery, and genetic techniques among others (Hale et al 2013). Marine biogeographic classifications are important in ecosystem-based management (McLeod and Leslie 2009), as they provide essential data for marine biodiversity conservation (e.g., Cook and Auster 2007) and protected areas (Spalding et al 2007), and can be incorporated into climate change models that assess the effect of increased temperature on species distributions at different spatial scales (Hale et al 2013).
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