Data from: Eelgrass (Zostera marina) food web structure in different environmental settings

This study compares the structure of eelgrass (Zostera marina L.) meadows and associated food webs in two eelgrass habitats in Denmark, differing in exposure, connection to the open sea, nutrient enrichment and water transparency. Meadow structure strongly reflected the environmental conditions in each habitat. The eutrophicated, protected site had higher biomass of filamentous algae, lower eelgrass biomass and shoot density, longer and narrower leaves, and higher above to below ground biomass ratio compared to the less nutrient-enriched and more exposed site. The faunal community composition and food web structure also differed markedly between sites with the eutrophicated, enclosed site having higher biomass of consumers and less complex food web. These relationships resulted in a column shaped biomass distribution of the consumers at the eutrophicated site whereas the less nutrient-rich site showed a pyramidal biomass distribution of consumers coupled with a more diverse consumer community. The differences in meadow and food web structure of the two seagrass habitats, suggest how physical setting may shape ecosystem response and resilience to anthropogenic pressure. We encourage larger, replicated studies to further disentangle the effects of different environmental variables on seagrass food web structure.

本研究对比了丹麦两处鳗草（Zostera marina L.）生境中的鳗草床结构及其相关联的食物网（food web），两处生境在波浪暴露程度、与外海的连通性、营养富集水平以及水体透明度上存在差异。鳗草床的结构显著反映了各生境的环境条件：与低营养富集且高波浪暴露的位点相比，富营养化且受庇护的位点中，丝状藻类生物量更高，鳗草生物量与茎枝密度更低，叶片更长更窄，且地上生物量与地下生物量的比值更高。两处生境的动物群落组成与食物网结构也存在显著差异：富营养化且封闭的位点中，消费者生物量更高，食物网复杂度更低。上述特征使得富营养化位点的消费者生物量分布呈柱形；而低营养富集位点的消费者生物量分布呈锥形，且消费者群落多样性更高。两处海草生境的鳗草床与食物网结构差异，揭示了物理环境如何塑造生态系统对人为压力的响应与恢复能力。本研究呼吁开展更大规模、可重复的研究，以进一步厘清不同环境变量对海草食物网结构的影响。