Biological-geological interactions: storm effects on macroalgal communities mediated by sediment characteristics and distribution

Abstract

The North Carolina mid-continental shelf is characterized by a complex sequence of rock suostrates, or hardbottoms, which support rich communities of invertebrates and benthic macroalgae. Three hardbottom sites in southern Onslow Bay have been studied over 3 years, including studies of sedimentology and dynamics of the surficial sand bodies and the benthic community structure. Between 1991 and 1993 at two of the sites, there were large differences in sediment characteristics and depth at several of the zones sampled. These differences coincided with considerable variability in the abundance and species composition of the macroalgal community. In sampling zones where there was consistently low sediment coverage, algal biomass was uniformly high. There was only sparse, if any, macroalgal growth where gravelly sand or fine sand covered the hard substrate. Based on hindcasting of bottom currents generated by the March 1993 ‘storm of the century’, it appears that this episodic event cleared fine sand from upper flat hardbottoms, resulting in considerable colonization and growth of macroalgae between the summers of 1992 and 1993. Macroalgae continued to be excluded from areas of gravelly sand, even after storm passage. Furthermore, the storm did not have any significant effects on scarps and ramp areas where sediment cover was already low. Therefore, distribution and characteristics of sediments influenced where the storm was to have biological consequences. Based on the wide areal extent of the upper flat hardbottoms in Onslow Bay, the newly formed macroalgal meadows represent a significant increase in benthic biomass and habitat complexity on a regional scale with potentially important ecological consequences.