Small-scale benthos distribution modelling in a North Sea tidal basin in response to climatic and environmental changes (1970s-2009)

Abstract

MEPS Marine Ecology Progress Series Contact the journal Facebook Twitter RSS Mailing List Subscribe to our mailing list via Mailchimp HomeLatest VolumeAbout the JournalEditorsTheme Sections MEPS 551:13-30 (2016) - DOI: https://doi.org/10.3354/meps11756 Small-scale benthos distribution modelling in a North Sea tidal basin in response to climatic and environmental changes (1970s-2009) A. Singer1,2,*, U. Schückel1, M. Beck3, O. Bleich4, H.-J. Brumsack3, H. Freund3, C. Geimecke5, K. A. Lettmann3, G. Millat6, J. Staneva5, A. Vanselow3, H. Westphal7, J.-O. Wolff3, A. Wurpts7, I. Kröncke1 1Senckenberg am Meer, Dept. for Marine Research, Südstrand 40, 26382 Wilhelmshaven, Germany 2INTERCOAST Research Training Group, University of Bremen, Leobener Strasse, 26359 Bremen, Germany 3Institute for Chemistry and Biology of the Marine Environment (ICBM), Carl von Ossietzky University, Carl-von-Ossietzky-Str. 9-11, 26129 Oldenburg, Germany 4Fraunhofer Institute for Wind Energy and Energy System Technology, Am Seedeich 45, 27572 Bremerhaven, Germany 5Helmholtz-Centre Geesthacht (HZG), Max-Planck-Straße 1, 21502 Geesthacht, Germany 6National Park Administration Wadden Sea Lower Saxony (NLPV), Virchowstraße 1, 26382 Wilhelmshaven, Germany 7Coastal Research Station - Lower Saxony Water Management, Coastal Defence and Nature Conservation Agency (NLWKN), An der Mühle 5, 26548 Norderney, Germany *Corresponding author: anja.singer@senckenberg.de ABSTRACT: We used small-scale species distribution models to predict the past and present spatial distribution of 7 characteristic macrofauna species in response to climatic and environmental changes that have been recorded for the Jade Bay (German Wadden Sea) over the last 4 decades (1970s to 2009). Four presence-absence modelling algorithms (RF, MARS, GLM, GBM) were merged within the ensemble forecasting platform ‘biomod2’. The present spatial distribution (representing 2009) was modelled based on statistical relationships between species presences, true species absences and 7 high-resolution (5 m) environmental grids. The past spatial distribution (representing the 1970s) was then hindcast in response to climate change-induced (1) sea-level rise, (2) water temperature increase and (3) seagrass recovery due to de-eutrophication. The past distribution scenario was evaluated using independent historical macrofauna data from the 1970s. Present ensemble prediction maps accurately captured the potential ecological niches of the modelled species throughout Jade Bay (i.e. good to excellent true skill statistic [TSS] and area under the receiver operating characteristic curve [AUC] evaluation measures). The predicted present macrofauna distribution correlated most significantly with hydrodynamic conditions (submergence time, shear stress) and sediment characteristics (mud content). The past distribution scenario revealed significant changes in small-scale spatial distribution patterns of the characteristic modelled species (1970s to 2009) and showed a very good match with historical macrofauna data. Climate change-induced sea-level rise and its local implications for Jade Bay (changes in topography, tidal range and submergence time), and water temperature increase explained the potential macrofauna distribution shifts over the last 4 decades. KEY WORDS: Ensemble models · Hindcasting · Sea-level rise · Water temperature increase · Wadden Sea World Heritage Site · Seagrass recovery · Marine ecosystems · Benthos Full text in pdf format Supplementary material PreviousNextCite this article as: Singer A, Schückel U, Beck M, Bleich O and others (2016) Small-scale benthos distribution modelling in a North Sea tidal basin in response to climatic and environmental changes (1970s-2009). Mar Ecol Prog Ser 551:13-30. https://doi.org/10.3354/meps11756 Export citation RSS - Facebook - Tweet - linkedIn Cited by Published in MEPS Vol. 551. Online publication date: June 09, 2016 Print ISSN: 0171-8630; Online ISSN: 1616-1599 Copyright © 2016 Inter-Research.