Abundance of biofilm on intertidal rocky shores: Can trampling by humans be a negative influence? |
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| Institution: | 1. Dipartimento di Fisica, Università degli Studi di Trento, Via Sommarive 14 Povo, Trento, 38123 Italy;2. Trento Institute for Fundamental Physics and Applications (INFN-TIFPA), Via Sommarive 14 Povo, Trento, 38123 Italy;3. European Centre for Theoretical Studies in Nuclear Physics and Related Areas (ECT*-FBK), via Sommarive 18, I-38123 Trento, Italy;1. Observatório Oceânico da Madeira, Agência Regional para o Desenvolvimento da Investigação Tecnologia e Inovação (OOM/ARDITI) – Edifício Madeira Tecnopolo, 9020-105 Funchal, Madeira, Portugal;2. Direção de Serviços de Investigação (DSI) – Direção Regional das Pescas, Estrada da Pontinha S/N, 9004-562 Funchal, Madeira, Portugal;3. Centro de Ciências do Mar e do Ambiente (MARE), Quinta do Lorde Marina, Sítio da Piedade 9200-044 Caniçal, Madeira Island, Portugal;4. Departamento de Ecología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Católica de la Santísima Concepción, Casilla 297, Concepción, Chile;5. Universidade da Madeira, Campus da Penteada, 9020-105 Funchal, Madeira, Portugal;6. Centro Interdisciplinar de Investigação Marinha e Ambiental (CIIMAR/CIMAR), Rua dos Bragas, 4050-123 Porto, Portugal |
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| Abstract: | Trampling by human visitors to rocky shores is a known stressor on macroorganisms. However, the effects of trampling on rocky intertidal biofilm, a complex association of microorganisms of ecological importance in coastal communities, have not been quantified. We evaluated the impact of trampling frequency and intensity on total biomass of epilithic microalgae on intertidal rocky shores in the southeast of Brazil. There was a trend of increase in the variability of biomass of biofilm in function of intensity of trampling, but no significant effects emerged among trampling treatments. The low influence of trampling on biofilm might be a result of the small dimensions of the organisms coupled with their natural resilience and roughness of the substrate; the former preventing the removal of biofilm layers by shoes and facilitating their quick recovery. Our results provide insights for management and conservation of coastal ecosystems revealing a weaker impact of trampling on biofilm than that reported on macroorganisms. |
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