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Effects of UV radiation on the structure of Arctic macrobenthic communities

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Abstract

At present, information on the effects of ultraviolet radiation (UVR) on structure and diversity of polar, in particular Arctic, benthic communities is scarce. It is unclear whether and to what extent communities of different successional age are susceptible to UVR and whether UVR effects known to be detrimental at the species level can be buffered at the community level. In a subtidal field study on Spitsbergen (Norwegian Arctic), we investigated the potential effect of distinct UVR regimes on macrobenthic communities of different successional ages, grown on ceramic tiles. Total taxon cover, taxon composition, evenness, and richness were assessed after experimental exposure of 4 and 8 weeks. Overall, 17 algal and invertebrate taxa were encountered in the study and diatoms dominated the communities regardless of successional age or radiation treatment. UVR effects were dependent on both exposure time and community age. We did not find overall detrimental UVB effects. In contrast, abundance of several species increased in UVR-exposed communities. Especially, UVA seemed to have a beneficial effect in that several green and brown algal taxa increased in abundance (e.g. Ulothrix flacca, Chlorophyta, and Desmarestia sp., Phaeophyceae). In general, UVR effects depended on species composition and thus on successional age of communities, with later successional communities likely to be able to buffer and alleviate possible negative effects of UVR at species level. Overall, the presented study provides a first insight into the complex role UVR plays in structuring Arctic epibenthic communities.

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Abbreviations

EU:

Experimental unit

LSC:

Later succession community

MSC:

Mid-succession community

P:

PAR (400–700 nm) treatment

PA:

PAR + UVA (PA, 320–700 nm) treatment

PAB:

PAR + UVA + UVB (280–700 nm) treatment

PAR:

Photosynthetically Active Radiation (400–700 nm)

PC:

Procedural control (full sunlight)

PSC:

Primary succession community

UVA:

Ultraviolet-A radiation (320–400 nm)

UVB:

Ultraviolet-B radiation (280–320 nm)

UVR:

Ultraviolet radiation (280–400 nm)

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Acknowledgments

This work was part of the diploma thesis of the first author and has been carried out at the Ny Ålesund International Research and Monitory Facility. The authors thank the German scientific diving crew under the leadership of Max Schwanitz: Claudia Daniel, Peter Leopold, and Michael Tessmann for assistance in the field, as well as the Koldewey Station team Rainer Vockenroth, Kai Marholdt, and Cedric Couret for support. Thanks to Ruth Müller for assistance in measuring environmental data during the experimental period. We thank two anonymous reviewers for their helpful comments that greatly improved the manuscript. We gratefully acknowledge financial support by the AWI.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Leibniz Center for Tropical Marine Ecology, Fahrenheitstr.6, 28359, Bremen, Germany

    A. Fricke

  2. Biologische Anstalt Helgoland, Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine Research, Marine Station, Section Functional Ecology, Kurpromenade 201, 27498, Helgoland, Germany

    M. Molis

  3. Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine Research, Department Seaweed Biology, Section Functional Ecology, Am Handelshafen 12, 27570, Bremerhaven, Germany

    C. Wiencke

  4. Centro de Estudios Avanzados en Zonas Áridas (CEAZA), Facultad de Ciencias del Mar, Universidad Católica del Norte, Larrondo 1281, Coquimbo, Chile

    N. Valdivia

  5. Runde Environmental Centre, 6096, Runde, Norway

    A. S. Chapman

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  1. A. Fricke
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  2. M. Molis
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  3. C. Wiencke
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  4. N. Valdivia
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  5. A. S. Chapman
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to A. Fricke.

Appendix

Appendix

Table 3 Results of ANOSIM testing effects of UVR (fixed, 3 levels, PAR, PA, PAB) on community taxonomic composition
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Fig. 5
figure 5

Biodiversity, expressed as taxon richness S (left columns) and evenness J (right columns) of the PSCs = primary successional communities (upper row), MSCs = mid-successional communities (middle row) and LSCs = Later succession community (lower row) after 4 and 8 weeks of exposure to different radiation treatments: PAR (400–700 nm), PA (320–400 nm), PAB (280–320 nm), and PC (procedural control, full sunlight). Means (n = 4–5) ± 1 SD

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Fricke, A., Molis, M., Wiencke, C. et al. Effects of UV radiation on the structure of Arctic macrobenthic communities. Polar Biol 34, 995–1009 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00300-011-0959-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00300-011-0959-4

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