Document of bibliographic reference 323610

BibliographicReference record

Type

Bibliographic resource

Type of document

Journal article

BibLvlCode

AS

Title

Riverine impacts on benthic biodiversity and functional traits: A comparison of two sub-Arctic fjords

Abstract

Climate change is leading to increases in freshwater discharge to coastal environments with implications for benthic community structure and functioning. Freshwater inputs create strong environmental gradients, which potentially affect the community structure of benthic infauna. In turn, changes in functional trait composition have the potential to affect the processing of terrestrially-derived nutrients and organic matter along the freshwater to marine continuum. We investigated the effects of riverine inputs on benthic community structure, functional traits, taxonomic and functional diversity, and on utilization of terrestrial organic matter in two contrasting northern Norwegian fjords. Results of this study revealed extensive impacts of riverine inputs on community structure and functional traits. Communities directly affected by the river were characterized by diminished taxonomic and functional diversity, with species and trait composition indicative of an environment influenced by high sedimentation rates. Large, deep-dwelling, biodiffusors and upward conveyors dominated these communities. High community biomass at the river outlet as well as indications of terrestrial organic matter utilization evidenced by stable isotope analyses, suggest that such river-influenced communities may be important for the cycling of terrestrial carbon and nutrients in the coastal zone.

WebOfScience code

https://www.webofscience.com/wos/woscc/full-record/WOS:000535863600015

Bibliographic citation

McGovern, M.; Poste, A.; Oug, E.; Renaud, P.E.; Trannum, H.C. (2020). Riverine impacts on benthic biodiversity and functional traits: A comparison of two sub-Arctic fjords. Est., Coast. and Shelf Sci. 240: 106774. https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ecss.2020.106774

Topic

Marine

Is peer reviewed

true

Access rights

open access

Is accessible for free

true