Dramatic Enhancement of Macrozoobenthic Species β-Diversity in Response to Artificial Breakwater Construction Along a Tropical Coastline

The beneficial or detrimental effects of human-built marine structures (piers, breakwaters, and seawalls) on macrozoobenthic assemblages and diversities are currently underexplored. The present study investigated the enhancement of β-diversity of oysterbed-associated species on breakwaters construct...

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Main Authors: Huan Chiao Lee, Christopher J. Glasby, Anja Schulze, Han Raven, Siong Kiat Tan, Takaomi Arai, Amirah Md Jin, Nurun Nazihah Tal’ah, Ainina Zarifi, David J. Marshall
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2024-11-01
Series:Diversity
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/1424-2818/16/12/742
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author Huan Chiao Lee
Christopher J. Glasby
Anja Schulze
Han Raven
Siong Kiat Tan
Takaomi Arai
Amirah Md Jin
Nurun Nazihah Tal’ah
Ainina Zarifi
David J. Marshall
author_facet Huan Chiao Lee
Christopher J. Glasby
Anja Schulze
Han Raven
Siong Kiat Tan
Takaomi Arai
Amirah Md Jin
Nurun Nazihah Tal’ah
Ainina Zarifi
David J. Marshall
author_sort Huan Chiao Lee
collection DOAJ
description The beneficial or detrimental effects of human-built marine structures (piers, breakwaters, and seawalls) on macrozoobenthic assemblages and diversities are currently underexplored. The present study investigated the enhancement of β-diversity of oysterbed-associated species on breakwaters constructed along sandy beaches. We compared habitat complexities and species assemblages among artificial breakwater shores (ABS), a natural rocky shore (NS), and an embayment shore (ES). Oysterbed habitat complexity was found to be greatest on the ABS due to the successional colonization of the reef-forming estuarine oyster, <i>Saccostrea echinata</i>, followed by the colonization of boring bivalves and burrowing annelids. High-resolution taxonomic data revealed that the ABS supports the greatest species richness, including 48.1% unique species and 33.3% species shared with the embayment shore. The other shores uniquely or in combination with ABS support up to 11.1% of the total species richness associated with the oysterbeds (n = 81). Taxonomic dominance in terms of species number was Mollusca > Annelida > Arthropoda. This study reveals that ABS enhances β-diversity by ~91% (Jaccard dissimilarity index), which is driven by the sequential cascading events of (1) sheltering of shores, (2) colonization of novel habitat-forming oysters, (3) novel macrozoobenthic species recruitment from adjacent shores and sheltered embayments, including habitat-forming bivalves and annelids, and (4) the recruitment of macrozoobenthic species to boreholes. ABS habitat complexity derives from a spatially distinct, three-tiered ecological engineering system, involving (1) breakwater construction (100 m), (2) reef-forming oysters (10 m), and (3) boring bivalves and burrowing annelids (<10 cm). Irrespective of the purpose of their construction, breakwaters along extended sandy shores can potentially increase the resilience (β-diversity) and regional interconnectivity of hard surface macrozoobenthic species.
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spelling doaj-art-bfc6daf3315745e4a485b0083d5da2252025-08-20T02:53:29ZengMDPI AGDiversity1424-28182024-11-01161274210.3390/d16120742Dramatic Enhancement of Macrozoobenthic Species β-Diversity in Response to Artificial Breakwater Construction Along a Tropical CoastlineHuan Chiao Lee0Christopher J. Glasby1Anja Schulze2Han Raven3Siong Kiat Tan4Takaomi Arai5Amirah Md Jin6Nurun Nazihah Tal’ah7Ainina Zarifi8David J. Marshall9Department of Environmental and Life Sciences, Faculty of Science, Universiti Brunei Darussalam, Jalan Tungku Link, Bandar Seri Begawan BE1410, BruneiMuseum and Art Gallery Northern Territory, P.O. Box 4646, Darwin, NT 0801, AustraliaDepartment of Marine Biology, Texas A&M University at Galveston, Galveston, TX 77554, USANaturalis Biodiversity Center, P.O. Box 9517, 2300 RA Leiden, The NetherlandsLee Kong Chian Natural History Museum, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117377, SingaporeDepartment of Environmental and Life Sciences, Faculty of Science, Universiti Brunei Darussalam, Jalan Tungku Link, Bandar Seri Begawan BE1410, BruneiDepartment of Environmental and Life Sciences, Faculty of Science, Universiti Brunei Darussalam, Jalan Tungku Link, Bandar Seri Begawan BE1410, BruneiDepartment of Environmental and Life Sciences, Faculty of Science, Universiti Brunei Darussalam, Jalan Tungku Link, Bandar Seri Begawan BE1410, BruneiDepartment of Environmental and Life Sciences, Faculty of Science, Universiti Brunei Darussalam, Jalan Tungku Link, Bandar Seri Begawan BE1410, BruneiDepartment of Environmental and Life Sciences, Faculty of Science, Universiti Brunei Darussalam, Jalan Tungku Link, Bandar Seri Begawan BE1410, BruneiThe beneficial or detrimental effects of human-built marine structures (piers, breakwaters, and seawalls) on macrozoobenthic assemblages and diversities are currently underexplored. The present study investigated the enhancement of β-diversity of oysterbed-associated species on breakwaters constructed along sandy beaches. We compared habitat complexities and species assemblages among artificial breakwater shores (ABS), a natural rocky shore (NS), and an embayment shore (ES). Oysterbed habitat complexity was found to be greatest on the ABS due to the successional colonization of the reef-forming estuarine oyster, <i>Saccostrea echinata</i>, followed by the colonization of boring bivalves and burrowing annelids. High-resolution taxonomic data revealed that the ABS supports the greatest species richness, including 48.1% unique species and 33.3% species shared with the embayment shore. The other shores uniquely or in combination with ABS support up to 11.1% of the total species richness associated with the oysterbeds (n = 81). Taxonomic dominance in terms of species number was Mollusca > Annelida > Arthropoda. This study reveals that ABS enhances β-diversity by ~91% (Jaccard dissimilarity index), which is driven by the sequential cascading events of (1) sheltering of shores, (2) colonization of novel habitat-forming oysters, (3) novel macrozoobenthic species recruitment from adjacent shores and sheltered embayments, including habitat-forming bivalves and annelids, and (4) the recruitment of macrozoobenthic species to boreholes. ABS habitat complexity derives from a spatially distinct, three-tiered ecological engineering system, involving (1) breakwater construction (100 m), (2) reef-forming oysters (10 m), and (3) boring bivalves and burrowing annelids (<10 cm). Irrespective of the purpose of their construction, breakwaters along extended sandy shores can potentially increase the resilience (β-diversity) and regional interconnectivity of hard surface macrozoobenthic species.https://www.mdpi.com/1424-2818/16/12/742artificial habitatsbiogenic reefsbivalve borersbreakwatersecological engineeringfoundation species
spellingShingle Huan Chiao Lee
Christopher J. Glasby
Anja Schulze
Han Raven
Siong Kiat Tan
Takaomi Arai
Amirah Md Jin
Nurun Nazihah Tal’ah
Ainina Zarifi
David J. Marshall
Dramatic Enhancement of Macrozoobenthic Species β-Diversity in Response to Artificial Breakwater Construction Along a Tropical Coastline
Diversity
artificial habitats
biogenic reefs
bivalve borers
breakwaters
ecological engineering
foundation species
title Dramatic Enhancement of Macrozoobenthic Species β-Diversity in Response to Artificial Breakwater Construction Along a Tropical Coastline
title_full Dramatic Enhancement of Macrozoobenthic Species β-Diversity in Response to Artificial Breakwater Construction Along a Tropical Coastline
title_fullStr Dramatic Enhancement of Macrozoobenthic Species β-Diversity in Response to Artificial Breakwater Construction Along a Tropical Coastline
title_full_unstemmed Dramatic Enhancement of Macrozoobenthic Species β-Diversity in Response to Artificial Breakwater Construction Along a Tropical Coastline
title_short Dramatic Enhancement of Macrozoobenthic Species β-Diversity in Response to Artificial Breakwater Construction Along a Tropical Coastline
title_sort dramatic enhancement of macrozoobenthic species β diversity in response to artificial breakwater construction along a tropical coastline
topic artificial habitats
biogenic reefs
bivalve borers
breakwaters
ecological engineering
foundation species
url https://www.mdpi.com/1424-2818/16/12/742
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