Hyman et al.PRSB life assemblages.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，结构复杂的生境可支撑更高的生物多样性、稳定性与恢复力。目前，维持生物多样性热点区域的结构复杂生境的长期存续性及其生态重要意义，仍未得到充分探索。本研究结合地质历史数据（死亡软体动物，dead molluscs，DA）与当代调查数据（存活软体动物，live molluscs，LA），旨在评估局地海草生境在数百年时间尺度上的存续性，并解析其是否为关联生物群落的生物多样性、稳定性与恢复力提供了长期驱动作用。研究团队在佛罗里达墨西哥湾沿岸对结构复杂的海草床与开阔沙质底床开展了系统采样。结果显示：（1）两类生境中的LA群落组成存在显著差异；（2）海草生境中的LA群落具有显著更高的局地生物多样性与空间稳定性；（3）两类生境的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显著提升海洋底栖生物的局地生物多样性与空间稳定性。地质历史数据分析结果则表明，结构复杂的生境在百年至千年尺度上，可长期作为局地生物多样性与群落稳定性的热点区域存续；这一结果同时揭示，结构复杂的海洋生境的退化及伴随的生境丧失，是生物多样性与恢复力下降的关键驱动因素。