Short-term effects of trampling on intertidal Mytilus galloprovincialis beds

Abstract

Human trampling represents one of the main anthropogenic pressures in the rocky intertidal. This habitat includes many ecosystem engineers such as mussels that provide biogenic habitat and multiple services. This research assessed potential impacts of human trampling on beds of the mussel, Mytilus galloprovincialis, on NW shores of Portugal. To test for direct effects of trampling on mussels and indirect effects on the associated assemblages, three treatments were applied: control (untouched beds), low and high intensity of trampling. Effects of trampling were dependent on the taxa. Thus, values of shell length of M. galloprovincialis were greater under the highest intensity of trampling while abundances of Arthropoda, Mollusca and Lasaea rubra showed the opposite pattern. Moreover, total number of taxa and abundances of Nematoda and Annelida showed higher values under low trampling intensity. The implications of these results to manage human use in areas with ecosystem engineers are discussed.