Sea anemone microhabitats enhance the diversity and biomass of mobile invertebrates on temperate rocky shores

Abstract

Sea anemones of the genus Anthopleura are abundant in rocky intertidal communities of the eastern Pacific, but their role as habitat and facilitators of biodiversity in this system has been overlooked. We provide evidence for a previously undescribed mechanism of facilitation associated with these cnidarians on temperate rocky shores. Sea anemones in the genus Anthopleura slowly release stored water at low tide, which helps them maintain ideal temperature conditions via evaporative cooling. This behavior results in leakage of water to surrounding intertidal habitats, producing unique microhabitats in the upper intertidal zone. We hypothesized that mobile invertebrate communities would use this habitat during low tides to ameliorate abiotic stress. In an in situ experiment spanning 3 sites along the coast of California, USA, it was found that maximum temperatures and relative desiccation rates were lower in sea anemone-associated microhabitats as compared to adjacent rock habitats. Observational surveys revealed higher richness and biomass of mobile invertebrates in sea anemone microhabitats, and these differences were supported by manipulative experiments that included both adding and removing sea anemones. Our results support a novel community-wide facilitation driven by an adaptation of intertidal sea anemones. The effects of sea anemone microhabitat on upper shore biodiversity were associated with site and sea anemone species and may suggest a facilitative role of a temperate cnidarian-algal mutualism in mitigating stress and enhancing biodiversity.