Invasive seaweeds transform habitat structure and increase biodiversity of associated species

The visual landscape of marine and terrestrial systems is changing as a result of anthropogenic factors. Often these shifts involve introduced species that are morphologically dissimilar to native species, creating a unique biogenic structure and habitat for associated species within the landscape. While community level changes as a result of introduced species have been documented in both terrestrial and marine systems, it is still unclear how long-term shifts in species composition will affect habitat complexity or its potential to influence the biodiversity of species that occur at the base of the food web.
We analysed quadrat photos collected at several subtidal sites in the Gulf of Maine over a 30+ year period, and collected individual seaweed species to determine their complexity and the biodiversity of meso-invertebrates associated with each species.
By coupling the relationship of 30+ years of shifts in seaweed assemblages, morphological structure of the seaweed assemblage, an...