Hyman et al.PRSB submersed aquatic vegetation.csv from Long-term persistence of structured habitats: seagrass meadows as enduring hotspots of biodiversity and faunal stability

Ecological studies indicate that structurally complex habitats support elevated biodiversity, stability and resilience. The long-term persistence of structured habitats and their importance in maintaining biodiverse hotspots remain underexplored. We combined geohistorical data (dead molluscs, ‘DA’) and contemporary surveys (live molluscs, ‘LA’) to assess the persistence of local seagrass habitats over multi-centennial timescales and to evaluate whether they acted as long-term drivers of biodiversity, stability and resilience of associated fauna. We sampled structured seagrass meadows and open sandy bottoms along Florida's Gulf Coast. Results indicated that (i) LA composition differed significantly between the two habitat types, (ii) LA from seagrass sites were characterized by significantly elevated local biodiversity and significantly higher spatial stability, (iii) DA composition differed significantly between the two habitat types, and (iv) fidelity between LA and DA was significantly greater for seagrass habitats. Contemporary results support the hypotheses that local biodiversity and spatial stability of marine benthos are both elevated in structured seagrass habitats. Geohistorical results suggest that structured habitats persist as local hotspots of elevated biodiversity and faunal stability over centennial-to-millennial timescales; indicating that habitat degradation and concomitant loss within structurally complex marine systems is a key driver of declining biodiversity and resilience.

生态学研究表明，结构复杂的生境能够支撑更高的生物多样性、稳定性与恢复力。但目前学界对结构化生境的长期存续性，以及其在维持生物多样性热点区域中的重要作用仍探索不足。本研究结合地质历史数据（死亡软体动物，即‘DA’）与当代调查数据（活体软体动物，即‘LA’），旨在评估局地海草生境在数百年尺度上的存续性，并探究其是否为关联动物群落的生物多样性、稳定性与恢复力的长期驱动因子。研究团队沿佛罗里达墨西哥湾沿岸采集了结构复杂的海草床与开阔沙质底床样本。研究结果显示：(1) 两种生境类型下的LA群落组成存在显著差异；(2) 海草生境采样点的LA群落具有显著更高的局地生物多样性与空间稳定性；(3) 两种生境类型下的DA群落组成同样存在显著差异；(4) 海草生境中LA与DA之间的群落组成保真度显著更高。当代调查结果验证了相关假说：结构复杂的海草生境可提升海洋底栖生物的局地生物多样性与空间稳定性。地质历史数据结果表明，结构复杂的生境在百年至千年尺度上始终作为局地生物多样性与动物群落稳定性的热点区域持续存在；这意味着结构复杂的海洋生态系统中，生境退化及其伴随的生境丧失是生物多样性与恢复力下降的关键驱动因素。