Influence of habitat structure and environmental regime on spatial distribution patterns of macroinvertebrate assemblages associated with seagrass beds in a southern Gulf of Mexico coastal lagoon

Abstract

AbstractSeagrass meadows are important for their ecological functions and ecosystem services, including habitat and shelter for a high diversity of species. The present study aims to assess the spatial distribution patterns of macroinvertebrate assemblages associated with Thalassia testudinum beds in a tropical coastal lagoon of the southern Gulf of Mexico. Environmental variables and core samples were taken from three shallow beds with different degrees of exposure to wind-driven waves: protected, exposed and semi-exposed. A total of 40 benthic macroinvertebrate species were recorded, molluscs being the most important group in terms of diversity and abundance. The highest species richness was recorded at the semi-exposed site (31 species), while the highest abundance was at the exposed site (5207 ind. m−2). Despite inter-site variations in environmental variables and physical descriptors of seagrass (seagrass biomass, shoot density, leaf length), the species richness and abundance of macroinvertebrates c...