On the biogeography and historical ecology of the ecosystem engineer Sabellaria alveolata (L.) at its leading range edge in Ireland

ByCourtney Glancy

Dr Louise Firth1, Daniel Harris2, Julie Blaze2, Francois  Bordeyne3, Laura Bush4, Amelia Curd5, Andrew Davies6, Stanislas Dubois5, Hugh Edwards7, Andrew Foggo1, Paul Gribben8, Fernando Lima9, David McGrath10, Nova Mieszkowska11, Laure Noel12, Flavia Nunes5, Julia Nunn13, Nessa O’Connor14, Ruth  O’Riordan15, Adrian Patterson16, Anne-Marie  Power16, Rui Seabra9, Christina Simkanin17, Stephen Hawkins18

1University Of Plymouth, , UK, 2University of Georgia, , USA, 3Station Biologique de Roscoff, , France, 4Bangor University, , UK, 5Ifremer, , France, 6University of Rhode Island, , USA, 7Department of the Environment Northern Ireland, , UK, 8University of New South Wales, , Australia, 9University of Porto, , Portugal, 10Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology, , Ireland, 11Marine Biological Association of the UK, , UK, 12Centre d’Etude at de Valorisation des Algues, , France, 13National Museums Northern Ireland, , UK, 14Trinity College Dublin, , Ireland, 15University College Cork, , Ireland, 16National University of Ireland Galway, , Ireland, 17University of Victoria, , Canada, 18University of Southampton, UK

Broad-scale and long-term datasets that can track both spatial and temporal changes in ecological communities are particularly valuable as they yield invaluable information about ecosystem recovery and resilience, thus informing the selection of locations that are suitable for protection and/or rehabilitation. Biogenic reefs are important for habitat provision and coastal protection. Long-term datasets on the distribution and abundance of the reef-forming polychaete Sabellaria alveolata (L.) are available from Ireland at the northern edge of its geographic range. Using a combination of data archaeology and broadscale contemporary surveys the aim of this study was to combine historical records and contemporary data to (1) describe spatio-temporal variation in temperatures, (2) document changes in the distribution and abundance of S. alveolata and discuss these changes in relation to extreme weather events and recent warming. A total of 984 records spanning 182 years were collated revealing disappearances from a number of locations and a disjunct distribution pattern with six identifiable hotspots that remained relatively constant over time. We discuss how the presence of tidal fronts may prevent the advancement of this important habitat at its leading range edge. We also discuss the importance of historical ecology as an important management tool for conservation.

Biography:

Lecturer in marine ecology. Interested in impacts of climate change in natural and artificial environments.

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