Effects of seagrass (Cymodocea nodosa) restoration on nematode biodiversity

Abstract

Seagrass meadows are hot spots of biodiversity and play a key role in the provisioning of ecosystem goods and services but are often subjected to a regression due to a combination of multiple anthropogenic and climate-induced impacts. The ecological restoration of these habitat-forming species is a priority to reverse biodiversity loss and for the recovery of key ecosystem functions. Here we investigated the effects of seagrass (Cymodocea nodosa) restoration action on benthic biodiversity recovery assessed by a time-series analysis carried out for one year. We used nematode assemblages, the most widespread metazoan on global sediments, as a proxy of benthic biodiversity and compared the species richness, expected species number (ES51) and composition in donor and in restored seagrasses and in the adjacent unvegetated sediments. One year after the intervention, nematode biodiversity in restored seagrasses was more similar to that of the donor site than in unvegetated sediments, suggesting a progressive recovery. Overall, the nematode biodiversity of the restored seagrasses resulted in an intermediate level between unvegetated and pristine seagrass meadows, providing evidence that restoration intervention contributed to biodiversity recovery. Pristine and restored seagrass meadows hosted a high number of exclusive species, which resulted in an increase in the overall biodiversity in the investigated location. Our results indicate that the restoration of seagrass meadows has positive effects on benthic biodiversity and contributes to enhance the local biodiversity.