Animal Assemblages Research Articles

Animal diversity declines with broad-scale homogenization of canopy cover in African savannas

Savannas are increasingly threatened by anthropogenic forces that are causing broad-scale directional shifts in woody vegetation that homogenizes their structure. Yet, whether animal communities respond consistently to changes in woody vegetation in savannas, particularly in terms of the effects of spatial scale, remains poorly understood. We addressed this gap by testing for changes in birds, bats and terrestrial small mammals across a gradient of woody cover in the savannas of southeastern Africa for two years at multiple spatial scales. We found that homogenization of vegetation structure corresponded with decreases in animal richness, diversity and functional diversity. Additionally, metrics of animal diversity declined at opposing ends of a canopy cover gradient (<10% and >65%), where we found distinctly different animal assemblages. These patterns were consistently more pronounced on a broader grid scale (30.25 ha) when compared with the plot scale (0.25 ha). The broad-scale reductions in the diversity and functions of animals observed may be indicative of reductions in the resilience, stability and ecosystem function of tropical savannas. Our results suggest that conservation and management aimed at promoting heterogeneity at broad scales may be critical for maintaining diversity and functionality in savannas.

Habitat structure and host plant specialization drive taxonomic andfunctional composition of Heteroptera in postfire successional habitats

Changes in habitat structure are the main driving forces for responses of animal assemblages to fire. According to the disturbance theory, generalist species are expected to outperform specialists in variable environments. Thus, we hypothesized that omnivorous and polyphagous species will become more abundant in unstable postfire successional vegetation, whereas monophagous (specialists), due to their strong dependence on host plants, are expected to respond according to the responses of plant hosts. We compared the responses of true bug (Heteroptera) assemblages in stable (unburnt) versus unstable (postfire successional) environments as this group shows a high diversity of feeding strategies. Redundancy analysis fitted our hypothesis as omnivorous and polyphagous bugs responded positively to fire whereas oligophagous bugs did not. Thus, the most generalized bugs in terms of diet were found in disturbed (burnt) habitats whereas specialized bugs were found in undisturbed (unburnt) habitats. Moreover, the most specialized bugs (monophagous species) responded to fire in accordance to the responses of their specific host plants. Although based on small bipartite networks, the lower modularity in burnt sites corresponded to a scenario of lower segregation of plant resources and fits the higher presence of generalist bugs in these sites. Our results suggest that plant?bug trophic interactions shape the response of Heteroptera to fire, and this response seems to be mediated by the degree of feeding specialization.

Global warming may lower thermal barriers against invasive species in freshwater ecosystems – A study from Lake Constance

European freshwater ecosystems are increasingly invaded by exotic animal and plant species. Apart from increased connectivity between previously separated watersheds, the increasing temperature of the hydrosystems favors the spread of exotic species. The freshwater fauna of Central Europe is still shaped by the cold-adapted animal assemblages resulting from the last glaciation. It is less diverse, and the species are putatively less performant competitors, compared to the warm-adapted, species-rich fauna of the Ponto-Caspian realm, from which many current aquatic invaders are coming. Our study analyses potential mechanisms explaining the coexistence between one of the most impacting aquatic invaders of the past decades, the ‘killer shrimp’ Dikerogammarus villosus and the previously dominating amphipod Gammarus roeselii in Lake Constance, using laboratory predation experiments and field surveys. Our results indicate two key drivers for coexistence: low winter temperatures and the substrate structure of the alga Chara sp. At temperatures below 6 °C, the predation pressure on G. roeselii was strongly reduced; G. roeselii can therefore disperse throughout the littoral in winter, avoiding predation by D. villosus. Artificial heating of a section of the lake shore, however, resulted in local extinction of G. roeselii by D. villosus. The macroalga Chara sp. completely inhibited predation by D. villosus on G. roeselii. Climate change scenarios indicate that global warming might destroy this thermal refuge during winter until 2085. For the survival of G. roeselii it will then be crucial, which part of the Chara population will maintain epigeic plant parts during winter. The complex interplay between thermal and physical refuges for native species in the context of climate change and changing trophic status of freshwater systems, as disentangled by our study, shows that ecosystem management and restoration strategies need to better consider multiple stressors (and their rather complex mitigation strategies).

Beetles in bamboo forests: community structure in a heterogeneous landscape of southwestern Amazonia.

Amazonian bamboo forests dominated by large woody bamboo plants in the genus Guadua cover approximately 180,000 km2 and represent a key resource for many organisms. In southwestern Amazonia, native bamboo forests differ in structure, biodiversity, and growth dynamics from other forest types in the region. However, with the exception of a few species in which habitat specialization or a strong habitat association has been demonstrated, little is known about how bamboo forests influence animal community structure. In an effort to understand more about the animal assemblages associated with Amazonian bamboo forests, we characterized the structure of ground-dwelling beetle assemblages living in bamboo forests and adjacent terra firme forests in a lowland rainforest site in Peru. We conducted intensive pitfall trap surveys in 13 bamboo habitat patches and 13 adjacent terra firme habitat patches to determine if there were differences in the abundance and richness of beetle species in these two habitat types. Additionally, given that southwestern Amazonia experiences distinct dry and wet seasons, we conducted our study during the dry and wet season of one year to account for differences in seasonality. We found a distinct beetle assemblage associated with each forest type, and identified a set of dominant species that significantly contributed to the distinctness in beetle community structure between bamboo and terra firme forest. The terra firme forest had a greater number of rare species than the bamboo forest. Several beetle species exhibited a strong association with the bamboo forest, including a large species of Scarabaeidae that appears to be specializing on bamboo. We also found marked differences in beetle assemblages between dry and wet seasons. Our results support the prediction that beetle community structure in bamboo forest differs from that of terra firme in terms of species richness, abundance, and composition. Bamboo-associated animal communities require more exploration and study, and must be included in regional conservation plans seeking to protect entire animal communities in southwestern Amazonia.

Marine infrastructure supports abundant, diverse fish assemblages at the expense of beta diversity

Anthropogenic structures are increasingly common in natural environments and present novel habitats for resident organisms. Marine breakwalls are similar to natural reefs in that they also provide habitat for diverse assemblages of mobile animals. However, it is unclear if fish assemblages on these artificial structures differ from those on neighbouring natural reefs in ecologically important ways. In this study, we compared fish assemblages at breakwalls and natural reefs in three different regions along 530 km of the East Australian coast. We found that fish assemblages associated with breakwalls were more diverse than those associated with natural reefs in two of the three regions studied. The functional niches being filled were similar at both habitats, with the exception of a higher abundance of piscivores at some breakwalls. However, β diversity tended low on the homogenous breakwalls compared to more heterogeneous natural reefs and was significantly lower at one region. The habitat heterogeneity model suggests that structural alterations to the layout of infrastructure could contribute to improving their ecological effects, potentially increasing β diversity.

Effects of logging on wildlife communities in certified tropical rainforests in East Kalimantan, Indonesia

Logging has been operated throughout Bornean tropical forests that harbor diverse fauna species. We examined the responses of ground-dwelling wildlife to logging intensity in two certified forest management units under the same climate and vegetation in East Kalimantan, Indonesia, in 2012–2016. A total of ten and 13 circular plots with a diameter of 1 km were established respectively, and 10–18 camera points were distributed randomly in each plot to record wildlife for two years. A total of 41 species of medium to large-sized terrestrial wildlife were recorded in the two management units. Canonical Correspondence Analysis (CCA) was performed to examine the response of wildlife community to the logging influences with the following three variables: forest intactness (as a surrogate of tree-species composition), above-ground carbon (as a surrogate of forest structure), and distance to the nearest village to represent hunting pressure. Forest intactness was the strongest factor affecting the assemblage of wildlife species in both management units, suggesting that changes in tree-species composition due to logging were a decisive factor influencing animal assemblage. Poisson Generalized Linear Model (GLM) was employed to examine the response of each species to forest intactness in each management unit. We found that eight out of the 32 tested wildlife species responded to forest intactness consistently between the two units, while the other species responded more individualistically. We suggest that consistent responses of several species, as well as individualistic responses of the other species to the changes of tree-species composition, determine the animal assemblage in logged-over Bornean rainforests. Sustainably managed logged-over forests in Borneo are a habitat for diverse wildlife community and therefore also require attention for biodiversity conservation.

Animal taxa contrast in their scale-dependent responses to land use change in rural Africa.

Human-dominated landscapes comprise the bulk of the world’s terrestrial surface and Africa is predicted to experience the largest relative increase over the next century. A multi-scale approach is required to identify processes that maintain diversity in these landscapes. Here we identify scales at which animal diversity responds by partitioning regional diversity in a rural African agro-ecosystem between one temporal and four spatial scales. Human land use practices are the main driver of diversity in all seven animal assemblages considered, with medium sized mammals and birds most affected. Even the least affected taxa, bats and non-volant small mammals (rodents), responded with increased abundance in settlements and agricultural sites respectively. Regional turnover was important to invertebrate taxa and their response to human land use was intermediate between that of the vertebrate extremes. Local scale (< 300 m) heterogeneity was the next most important level for all taxa, highlighting the importance of fine scale processes for the maintenance of biodiversity. Identifying the triggers of these changes within the context of functional landscapes would provide the context for the long-term sustainability of these rapidly changing landscapes.

Animal occurrence in fragmented forest habitats – important factors at the patch and landscape scale

Abstract To date, in research, the main determinants influencing animal assemblages in fragmented forests have been considered to be forest island area and degree of isolation. Such a simplistic approach may have detrimental effects on the obtained results and conclusions, since there are a large number of other factors determining animal persistence in forest islands. In order to identify these factors and evaluate their importance, we reviewed the scientific literature on the topic. In addition to the island area, also patch shape, edge effects and local plant community structure are crucial factors affecting animal assemblages at the forest island scale. At the landscape scale, the total number of forest islands and their combined area, matrix permeability, occurrence of wide ecological corridors as well as isolated trees and woodlands appear to be the most significant factors. Our review further indicates that many of these elements also tend to interact. For instance, edge effects may reduce the area of suitable habitat in a forest patch. Furthermore, some fragmentation effects may be masked by species traits e.g. mobility, food preferences or habitat specialisation. The landscape context also plays a crucial role in animal persistence in fragmented forests. We thus conclude that there is a strong need to investigate the above-mentioned components of habitat fragmentation at the local and landscape scale using appropriate bio-indicators.

Diversity of kelp holdfast-associated fauna in an Arctic fjord - inconsistent responses to glacial mineral sedimentation across different taxa

Kelp forests are complex underwater habitats that support diverse assemblages of animals ranging from sessile filter feeding invertebrates to fishes and marine mammals. In this study, the diversity of invertebrate fauna associated with kelp holdfasts was surveyed in a high Arctic glacial fjord (76 N, Hornsund, Svalbard). The effects of algal host identity (three kelp species: Laminaria digitata, Saccharina latissima and Alaria esculenta), depth (5 and 10 m) and glacier-derived disturbance (three sites with varying levels of mineral sedimentation) on faunal species richness and composition were studied based on 239 collected algal holdfasts. The species pool was mostly made up by three taxa: colonial Bryozoa and Hydrozoa, and Polychaeta. While the all-taxa species richness did not differ between depths, algal hosts and sites, the patterns varied when the two colonial sessile filter-feeding taxa were analysed alone (Hydrozoa and Bryozoa). The Hydrozoa sample species richness and average taxonomic distinctness were the highest at undisturbed sites, whereas Bryozoa species richness was higher in sediment-impacted localities, indicating relative insensitivity of this phylum to the increased level of mineral suspension in the water column. The average taxonomic distinctness of Bryozoa did not vary between sites. The species composition of kelp-associated fauna varied between sites and depths for the whole community and the most dominant taxa (Bryozoa, Hydrozoa). The high load of inorganic suspension and sedimentation did not cause pauperization of kelp holdfast-associated fauna but instead triggered the changes in species composition and shifts between dominant taxonomic groups.

Giardia in a selected population of dogs and cats in Germany – diagnostics, coinfections and assemblages

Infections with the zoonotic endoparasite Giardia duodenalis are widely spread among dogs and cats worldwide. Since the question whether the infection might be transmitted from domestic animals to their owners is still an important topic, a reliable detection of patent Giardia infections and the determination of the associated Giardia assemblages is of major concern. The objectives of the present study were to determine the prevalence of Giardia infections in dogs and cats living in Germany using different diagnostic tests and to identify the Giardia assemblages of infected animals. Furthermore, a possible correlation of coinfections with other endoparasites was analysed. All samples were investigated by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), merthiolate-iodine-formalin concentration technique (MIFC) and zinc chloride flotation. ELISA-positive samples were additionally screened with a direct immunofluorescence assay (IFA). Faecal DNA was extracted from all Giardia cyst-positive samples and used for multilocus sequence typing with nested PCRs targeting the following gene loci: SSU rRNA (SSU), glutamate dehydrogenase (gdh) and triosephosphate isomerase (tpi). Samples from dogs and cats tested positive for Giardia coproantigen (ELISA) in 30.6% and 17.9%, respectively. The MIFC technique revealed Giardia cysts in 33.9% of canine and in 34.6% of feline ELISA-positive samples, while using IFA, cysts were present in 90.4% of canine and in 76.9% of feline ELISA-positive samples. Coinfections with other endoparasites besides Giardia were found in both dogs and cats, yet a statistically significant correlation could solely be drawn for the canine samples. The success rate of the different PCR protocols varied between 23.1% (tpi) and 91.3% (SSU) for dogs and between 25.0% (gdh) and 90.0% (SSU) for cats. Dog-specific Giardia assemblages C and D were detected in 42 and 55 canine isolates, respectively. The cat-specific Giardia assemblage F was detected in 14 feline isolates. Two canine and two feline samples harboured the zoonotic assemblage A. According to the results of the study, Giardia is a common endoparasite in dogs and cats from Germany. The exclusive application of MIFC is insufficient for a reliable identification of patent Giardia infections since the IFA revealed a higher sensitivity for the detection of Giardia cysts in feline and canine faecal samples. Even though the majority of investigated animals harboured the species-specific Giardia assemblages C, D and F, a zoonotic potential arising from assemblage A could not be excluded.

Importance of birds versus insects as pollinators of the African shrub Syncolostemon densiflorus (Lamiaceae)

Flowers visited by a broad assemblage of animals may nevertheless be considered to have a specialized pollination system if pollen deposition is effected mainly by a subset of these visitors. The importance of a particular animal group for pollination derives mainly from the relative rate of floral visitation and per-visit effectiveness for pollen deposition. We assessed the relative importance of birds and insects for pollination of the African shrub Syncolostemon densiflorus (Lamiaceae). Flower visitors were observed to evaluate their visitation rates. Virgin flowers were exposed to single visits by nine animal visitor groups to evaluate their effectiveness at depositing pollen on stigmas. We selectively excluded birds and larger insects from flowers to assess the contribution of smaller visitors to pollen deposition and seed set. Sunbirds and insects visited flowers at a similar frequency, but on a per-visit basis, sunbirds deposited more pollen on stigmas than did any of the insect groups, including honeybees, long-proboscid flies, butterflies and day-flying hawkmoths. Selective exclusion of birds and larger insects resulted in a large decline in pollen deposition on stigmas and seed production. These results show that S. densiflorus is pollinated mainly by sunbirds, despite its attraction of a broad assemblage of insect flower visitors. These findings highlight the importance of per-visit pollination effectiveness and selective exclusion for understanding the ecological importance of different flower visitors.

Revised floral and faunal assemblages from Late Pleistocene deposits of the Gánovce-Hrádok Neanderthal site – biostratigraphic and palaeoecological implications

Revisory research of floral and animal assemblages from the Neanderthal site of Gánovce-Hrádok confirmed the previous stratigraphic division of the travertine mound to five horizons on the basis of different petrological and palaeontological contents, indicating climatic and palaeoenvironmental changes in the vicinity, from the Saalian termination to the Holocene. At least two species of molluscs and approximately 20 taxa of vertebrates have been determined, and at least 8 endocasts of large mammals have been re-discovered. Revised floral record contained 570 specimens, but no more than 20% were suitable for taxonomic revision.

Kinorhynch assemblages in the Gulf of Mexico continental shelf collected during a two-year survey

Kinorhynch assemblages along the northern continental shelf of the Gulf of Mexico were examined to better understand the distributional trends of this understudied group of meiofauna. Samples were collected with a multicorer from 37 stations at 36–187m depths in the years 2013 and 2014. Sediment was collected and the animals were isolated from the mud using Ludox® centrifugation. Kinorhynchs were isolated with a stereomicroscope and the adult animals were identified to species level either by light microscopy or scanning electron microscopy. A total of 1328 animals were recovered, including juveniles and adults. After processing, 812 adults were identified and classified to 6 families, 12 genera and 32 species. The identifications were used to explore relationships among the species, and to determine if the animal assemblages at each site revealed relationships to each other. Sediment characteristics were determined at each site, to reveal if abiotic factors correlated with animal densities. Cluster analysis revealed distinct assemblages in Louisiana versus Florida sediment. The highest abundance of kinorhynchs was found in western sediments in Louisiana, which are characterized by higher levels of silt and clay, and aluminum-associated trace metals. These sediment characteristics indicated a strong influence from the outflow of the Mississippi River. The most abundant species were Echinoderes bookhouti, E. skipperae, E. augustae, and E. spinifurca, which comprised 79% of the identified animals. This was the first kinorhynch survey to cover a geographic area as large as the northern Gulf of Mexico, over multiple years, and to statistically analyze the animals in relation to their sediment type.

A citizen‐trapper effort to control Common Myna: Trap success, specificity and preferred bait type

SummaryWe describe a community‐run effort to cull Common Myna (Acridotheres tristis) in Melbourne undertaken with modest funding (overall: $30.14 per trap day, $5.17 per euthanized Common Myna). Trap success (overall, 0.04 birds per trap per day) peaked early in the effort and slowly declined. Trap specificity was high (83.8%) and similar between bait types. Dry cat food captured more Common Myna, and a similar assemblage of animals, to dry dog food. Bread baits captured a broader assemblage of animals. The community‐led trapping programme reduced the mean density of Common Myna and achieved high target specificity with relatively few unintended trap deaths. While long‐term impacts on the population of Common Myna or native birds are yet to be analysed, the results suggest that ongoing effort is required for population suppression.

THE LARGE VERTEBRATE REMAINS FROM BINJAI TAMIENG (SUMATRA, INDONESIA)

Excavations in 1928 at the Binjai Tamieng shell midden in Northeast Sumatra brought to light a small assemblage of animal- and human remains that has never been studied in detail. The analysis of these Early Holocene finds suggests that besides mollusks and fish, a number of larger vertebrates played a role in the palaeoeconomy of the site. The composition of Binjai Tamieng has a somewhat similar signature to sites from Southern Thailand and Peninsular Malaysia. Testudine and artiodactyl remains are predominant in the vertebrate assemblage, while other species such as crocodile and a small cetacean were probably opportunistically hunted or scavenged. Animal bone was probably also used for the manufacturing of tools. Javan- and possibly Sumatran rhinoceros are present on the site. A number of human remains show traces of disarticulation and may be indicative of complex funerary rituals or cannibalism.

Functional Equivalence in Seed Dispersal Effectiveness of Podocarpus parlatorei in Andean Fruit-Eating Bird Assemblages

Most fleshy-fruited plants establish strong local interactions with a few fruit-eating species across their distribution range, which can differ among sites and have a major impact for the plant population dynamics. In turn, human disturbances alter both the original animal assemblage with which plants interact and the outcome of the mutualistic interaction. Negative consequences of human disturbances can be weakened when different seed dispersers exert similar effects on plant populations, being functionally equivalent. To understand the consequences of variability in seed dispersers on the recruitment of a long-lived tree species, I assessed changes in the assemblages of avian dispersers of Podocarpus parlatorei in subtropical Andean cloud-forests, and how these changes affect the outcome of the interaction at different spatial scales. The seed dispersal effectiveness (SDE) concept, defined as the likelihood of a seed removed by a fruit-eating bird to be dispersed to a suitable site for seed survival and germination, provides the framework to compare the contributions of different birds to seed dispersal. I compared the SDE in two old-growth forests dominated by P. parlatorei and a human disturbed forest, and in the main habitat types of these sites. In all sites, highest SDE values were provided by gulpers that swallow the whole fleshy cone (fruit), predominantly Elaenia and Turdus species. SDE was highest in forest edges and secondary forests, and negligible in other habitats. Equivalence in SDE was relatively low both within and between forest sites. Human forest disturbance modified the functional equivalence, the generalization in mutualistic interactions and the strength of SDE. Secondary forests showed the higher SDE and the greater richness of dispersers high in SDE; as a consequence, the ecological equivalence increased in the most suitable habitat for recruitment. This could lead to greater resilience of plant populations to local extinctions of dispersers, and allows the recovery of human disturbed forests. This study shows that in the replacement of functional equivalent species, the outcomes of the interactions are strongly affected by disperser abundance and habitat use, at the expense of dispersers' trait redundancy on plant population dynamics and community structure.

Mitigation for energy development fails to mimic natural disturbance for birds and mammals

Using habitat mitigation to minimize or offset negative impacts of land use change on biodiversity is increasingly common and widespread. For example, where natural disturbance is undesirable (e.g., wildfire in oil and gas fields), mechanical approaches are frequently used to replace natural disturbance and improve habitat for particular species. However, the consequences of such actions for diverse animal assemblages have gone largely unexamined. To assess whether mitigation targeting single species can emulate natural processes and improve habitat for multiple species, we investigated the short-term response of birds and mammals to mechanical tree reduction and natural wildfire in a landscape altered by energy development. We found that no mammal species responded positively to mitigation for energy development in our study region. In contrast, four mammal species were positively associated with fire, and only a single species responded negatively. Similarly, only a single species of bird responded positively to mitigation. Fire had a positive effect on the density of three bird species and a negative effect on six bird species. We show that habitat mitigation intended to emulate natural disturbances and mitigate the negative effects of energy development has mixed but largely negative short-term consequences for birds and mammals. To sustain biodiversity in places undergoing rapid land use change, mitigation should explicitly measure both intended and unintended effects on diverse taxa.

DNA-based study of the diet of the marine calanoid copepod Calanus sinicus

Calanus sinicus is an important copepod in shelf waters of the western North Pacific. The objective of this study was to investigate the occurrence of eukaryotes and prokaryotes in the natural diet of adults and C5 copepodites of C. sinicus. Hypervariable regions of the eukaryotic 18S and prokaryotic 16S rRNA genes were amplified from the gut contents of C. sinicus collected from coastal seas around Taiwan and Hong Kong and sequenced by Illumina sequencing. Results showed that the diets of adults and C5 copepodites of C. sinicus were similar. However, the diet of C. sinicus seems to be different between the two sampling locations. Diatoms were detected in C. sinicus samples collected from both areas, whereas dinoflagellates were only detected in samples from Hong Kong. Hydrozoans were found to be common in C. sinicus samples from Taiwan, whereas ctenophores were common in samples from Hong Kong. The cyanobacterium Synechococcus was recovered in samples from both areas. Our results have provided DNA-based evidence to support previous suggestions that C. sinicus could feed omnivorously on a diverse assemblage of phytoplankton, animals and bacteria. The ability of C. sinicus to feed on the small larvae of their predators such as ctenophores may have important implications on future analyses of the marine planktonic food web.

Wet sieving a complex tell: Implications for retrieval protocols and studies of animal economy in historical periods

The understanding that fine mesh sieving is the optimal procedure for the recovery of minute finds poses two challenges for archeologists of historical periods: it is costly and time consuming, and it puts into question the value of data collected in excavations where sieving was conducted minimally or not at all. That hand picking causes loss of data pertaining to microfaunal remains is indisputable, but the extent of information loss regarding larger fauna is not as clear. In order to evaluate these challenges for macrofaunal remains, we carried out, for the first time, a comprehensive sieving experiment at Tel Dor, a multi-layered complex site, the most prominent site type in historical periods. We examine the effects of wet sieving on the macro- and microfauna frequencies, and discuss its implications in terms of the interpretations of the faunal assemblages and the choice of excavations' collection protocols. We demonstrate that while sieving has a substantial effect on microfauna frequencies, it has a limited effect on those of the macrofauna. We also suggest that faunal assemblages of livestock animals that were hand collected or partially sieved, are valid for comparison with sieved assemblages. Finally, we call for an explicit presentation of the retrieval protocol in site reports and other studies, differentiating clearly between sieved and un-sieved material, and raise some points for future discussion.

Identification of persistent benthic assemblages in areas with different temperature variability patterns through broad-scale mapping.

Ecosystem-based management is a place-based approach that considers the relationships between system parts. Due to the complexity of ecosystems in the marine environment it is often difficult to define these relationships in space and time. Maps illustrate spatial concepts. Here we promote ecosystem-based spatial thinking by layering datasets from a larger project that mapped benthic fauna, substrate characteristics, and oceanic conditions on monthly, annual and decadal time scales along the U.S. continental shelf. By combining maps of persistent benthic megafauna and bottom temperature variability over approximately 90,000 km2, we identified wide spread benthic animal assemblages and regional disparity in temperature variability. From a broad-scale perspective the locations of the assemblage appear to be related to sea scallop population dynamics and indicate potential regional differences in climate change resiliency. These findings offer information on a scale that correlates with marine spatial planning, and could be used as a starting point for further investigation. To spur additional analysis and facilitate their linkage to other datasets, these datasets are available through public, online data portals. Overall, this study demonstrates how the growth of maps from single to multiple elements can help promote and facilitate the multifactor, ecosystem-based thinking needed to support regional ocean planning.