title: Assessment the short-term effects of wrack removal on supralittoral arthropods using the M-BACI design on Atlantic sandy beaches of Brazil and Spain.
abstract: Wrack removal has been adopted indiscriminately, with no previous assessment of the ecological implications for sandy beach ecosystem. This study evaluated, through an M-BACI design, the effect of wrack removal on supralittoral arthropods on Atlantic sandy beaches receiving different types of wrack: mangrove propagules (Brazil), seagrasses and macroalgae (Spain). Impacted plots were contrasted with controls in 8 successive periods before and after experimental wrack removal. After the disturbance, drastic decreases in the densities of the amphipod Platorchestia monodi, coleopterans Cleridae, Nitidulidae and Phaleria testacea (Brazilian beaches) and amphipod Talitrus saltator (Spanish beaches) were detected in the impacted plots. The recovery patterns of arthropods might be related to wrack features (amount, composition, and degradation) combined with density and species-specific strategies (e.g. mobility, feeding preferences) in each Atlantic region. The temporary suppression of wrack and its associated fauna can have potential effects on the wrack-derived process and food-web structure on sandy beaches.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Ciências da Terra, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Centro de Estudos do Mar, Av. Beira Mar, s/n CEP 83255-000, Pontal do Sul, Pontal do Paraná, Paraná, Brazil. Electronic address: jenyffervvieira@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Jenyffer Vierheller
authors.initials: JV
authors.lastname: Vieira
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Sistemas Físicos, Químicos y Naturales, Universidad Pablo de Olavide, ES-41013 Sevilla, Spain.
authors.forename: Ma Carmen
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Ruiz-Delgado
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Sistemas Físicos, Químicos y Naturales, Universidad Pablo de Olavide, ES-41013 Sevilla, Spain.
authors.forename: Ma José
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Reyes-Martínez
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Ciências da Terra, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Centro de Estudos do Mar, Av. Beira Mar, s/n CEP 83255-000, Pontal do Sul, Pontal do Paraná, Paraná, Brazil.
authors.forename: Carlos Alberto
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Borzone
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Biologia e Zoologia, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso, Av. Fernando Correa da Costa, 2367, CEP 78060-900 Cuiabá, Mato Grosso, Brazil.
authors.forename: Angélico
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Asenjo
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Zoología, Universidad de Sevilla, Av. Reina Mercedes 6, 41012 Sevilla, Spain.
authors.forename: Juan Emilio
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Sánchez-Moyano
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Sistemas Físicos, Químicos y Naturales, Universidad Pablo de Olavide, ES-41013 Sevilla, Spain.
authors.forename: Francisco José
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: García-García
mesh_terms: D033304:Amphipoda; D000818:Animals; D059001:Aquatic Organisms / Q000502:physiology*; D001181:Arthropods / Q000502:physiology*; D001493:Bathing Beaches; D001938:Brazil; D017753:Ecosystem; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D011156:Population Density; D013030:Spain
keywords: Atlantic coast; Beaches; Disturbance; Ecosystem management; Experimental design; Macroinvertebrates; Supratidal; Wrack subsidies