title: Cross shelf benthic biodiversity patterns in the Southern Red Sea.
abstract: The diversity of coral reef and soft sediment ecosystems in the Red Sea has to date received limited scientific attention. This study investigates changes in the community composition of both reef and macrobenthic communities along a cross shelf gradient. Coral reef assemblages differed significantly in species composition and structure with location and depth. Inner shelf reefs harbored less abundant and less diverse coral assemblages with higher percentage macroalgae cover. Nutrient availability and distance from the shoreline were significantly related to changes in coral composition and structure. This study also observed a clear inshore offshore pattern for soft sediment communities. In contrast to the coral reef patterns the highest diversity and abundance of soft sediment communities were recorded at the inshore sites, which were characterized by a higher number of opportunistic polychaete species and bivalves indicative of mild disturbance. Sediment grain size and nutrient enrichment were important variables explaining the variability. This study aims to contribute to our understanding of ecosystem processes and biodiversity in the Red Sea region in an area that also has the potential to provide insight into pressing topics, such as the capacity of reef systems and benthic macrofaunal organisms to adapt to global climate change.
authors.affiliation: King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Red Sea Research Center, Division of Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering, Thuwal, 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia. joanne.ellis@kaust.edu.sa.
authors.forename: Joanne
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ellis
authors.affiliation: King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Red Sea Research Center, Division of Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering, Thuwal, 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Holger
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Anlauf
authors.affiliation: King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Red Sea Research Center, Division of Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering, Thuwal, 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Saskia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kürten
authors.affiliation: Environmental Protection Department, Saudi Aramco, Dhahran, 31311, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Diego
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Lozano-Cortés
authors.affiliation: King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Red Sea Research Center, Division of Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering, Thuwal, 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Zahra
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Alsaffar
authors.affiliation: King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Red Sea Research Center, Division of Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering, Thuwal, 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Joao
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cúrdia
authors.affiliation: King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Red Sea Research Center, Division of Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering, Thuwal, 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Burton
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.affiliation: King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Red Sea Research Center, Division of Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering, Thuwal, 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Susana
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Carvalho
mesh_terms: D059001:Aquatic Organisms / Q000145:classification* / Q000254:growth & development*; D058448:Biota; D019156:Indian Ocean; D062206:Spatial Analysis