Abstract
Abstract. In order to detect shifts in community structure and function associated with global change, the natural background fluctuation in these traits must be known. In a 6 yr study we characterized the composition of young benthic communities at 7 sites along the 300 km coast of the Kiel and Lübeck bights in the German Baltic Sea and we quantified their interannual variability of taxonomic and functional composition. Along the salinity gradient from NW to SE, the relative abundance of primary producers decreased while that of heterotrophs increased. Along the same gradient, annual productivity tended to increase. Taxonomic and functional richness were higher in Kiel Bight as compared to Lübeck Bight. With increasing species richness functional group richness showed saturation indicating an increasing functional redundancy in species rich communities. While taxonomic fluctuations between years were substantial, functionality of the communities seem preserved in most cases. Environmental conditions potentially driving these fluctuations are winter temperatures and current regimes. We tentatively define a confidence range of natural variability in taxonomic and functional composition a departure from which might help identifying an ongoing regime shift driven by global change. In addition, we propose to use RELATE, a statistical procedure in the PRIMER (Plymouth Routines in Multivariate Ecological Research) package to distinguish directional shifts in time ("signal") from natural temporal fluctuations ("noise").
Highlights
GeoscientificModel DevelopmentM ground fluctuation in these traits must be known
We found that along the German Baltic coasts of Kiel Bight and Lubeck Bight the richness in both, species and functional groups, decreased slightly along the gradient of decreasing salinity
The relative abundance of heterotrophs increased in the same direction, what was accompanied by an increase of annual biomass production and a decrease of interannual variability of community composition
Summary
GeoscientificModel DevelopmentM ground fluctuation in these traits must be known. In a 6 yr The structure of communities, i.e. the number, identity and study we characterized the composition of young benthic functional characteristics of the constituent species, detercommunities at 7 sites along the 300 km coast of the Kiel and Lubeck bights in the German Baltic Sea and we quantimresinileisenbcoetohvtehretiirmeec(oes.ygHs.tHeymildlefrbuornaclnotdio,gn2ys00aa4n;dnStdohleainr stability or et al, 2006; fied their interannual variability of taxonomic and functional composition.Along the salinity gradient from NW to SE, the relativeHarley et al, 2006; and GEamafretldht eSt ayl.s, 2t0e0m8). M ground fluctuation in these traits must be known. In a 6 yr The structure of communities, i.e. the number, identity and study we characterized the composition of young benthic functional characteristics of the constituent species, detercommunities at 7 sites along the 300 km coast of the Kiel and Lubeck bights in the German Baltic Sea and we quantimresinileisenbcoetohvtehretiirmeec(oes.ygHs.tHeymildlefrbuornaclnotdio,gn2ys00aa4n;dnStdohleainr stability or et al, 2006; fied their interannual variability of taxonomic and functional composition. Along the salinity gradient from NW to SE, the relative. Rmtaonttilcithya, rgarcotwertihstficosrmoS,frcfeupinreocntdiuoccnetaivlsegrmooudpes, include trophic abundance of primary producers decreased while that of het- type and modularity Micheli and Halpern, 2005; Bremerotrophs increased. Taxonomic and functional richness were higher in Kiel Bight as compared to Lubeck Bight
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