What Is Seascape Ecology? Seascapes
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NRS 534 Term Paper BJC Fuller / Advances in seascape ecology: applying landscape metrics to marine systems 1(5) NEWS & VIEWS What is seascape ecology? seascapes. This newest branch of landscape ecology treats the physical characteristics of marine Landscape ecology is a relatively new, multidisci- environments, including geographic and chemical plinary field which studies the relationship properties, as fundamentally landscape-like between ecological functions and spatial patterns patterns which can be correlated with the ecology, (Boström et al. 2012, Pittman et al. 2011, Wedding life-history, and biodiversity of species in those et al. 2011), and was primarily developed to ecosystems. inform management practices in terrestrial The complex geographic heterogeneity that systems (Pittman et al. 2011). Several important exists on land does not end at the water’s edge; tools, models, and methods of analysis have geophysical processes give rise to incredibly emerged which advance our understanding of the diverse coastal environments which support rich influence of geographic heterogeneity on the species assemblages in both familiar and unique health and sustainability of ecosystems on several ways. We know that aquatic environments offer scales (Pittman et al. 2011, Wedding et al. 2011). special mechanisms for enhancing patch connec- Generally, these metrics assess three fundamental tivity and maintaining community structure, and landscape properties: 1) composition, the diversity these factors are crucial for sustaining the ecologi- of patch types; 2) configuration, the arrangement cal integrity of these systems from multiple of those patch types; 3) and fractal dimension, the perspectives. Some of the most commonly complexity of that arrangement (Wedding et al. recognized marine spatial patters include the 2011). patch mosaics of mangroves, coral reefs, seagrass While these tools have been developed for beds, and tidal marshes, and the zonation of rocky and applied in terrestrial systems for nearly 50 shore and salt marsh biota (Pittman et al. 2011, years (Pittman et al. 2011), their use in describing Boström et al. 2012). Additionally, seascapes may spatial patterns in marine contexts has only not necessarily refer to any particular physical recently emerged, prompting the analogous term geography of the underwater landscape, but can Ecol Fragmented Landscapes / April 2013 © 2013 (REV 118) 20130429 NRS 534 Term Paper BJC Fuller / Advances in seascape ecology: applying landscape metrics to marine systems 2(5) also be used to describe variation in chemical 2012, Berkström et al. 2012, Moberg & Rönnbäck composition throughout the water column. These 2003). These habitats provide a wonderful chemical ‘landscapes’ play hugely influential roles opportunity to assess correlations between flora, in the ecology of pelagic organisms, some of fauna, and the physical structure of the reef. which never encounter benthic geography. For Because of their incredible biodiversity, it seems example, Yu et al. (2011) studied the correlation fundamental that we understand how abiotic between the pH ‘landscape’, or what they refer to patterns influence species distribution throughout as the “ocean acidification seascape”, of nearshore reefs, which could allow us to break down the waters off California and the calcification of ecological complexity of these systems and have urchin larvae. enormous implications for the management of Most fascinating of all, though, is the applica- reefs worldwide. tion of landscape metrics which define pelagic Mumby (2006) attempted to accomplish some distributions of biota as seascapes themselves. of these goals by correlating the availability of Mitchell et al. (2008) described complex spatial mangrove nursery habitats with the health of adult arrangements of phytoplankton in the water reef fish, and then translating these results into column this way. These biological ‘patches’ algorithms that inform management practices. influence ecological functions, community The algorithms are fundamentally landscape- dynamics, and biodiversity in much the same way ecology-derived metrics, and assess the spatial as do geographic landscapes and seascapes, and distribution of Caribbean mangroves that provide they are, in turn, influenced by physical parame- high-quality habitat for juvenile fish, the connec- ters like turbulence. Phytoplankton patches don’t tivity between nursery sites and adult reef habitat, last long, only on the order of 100 to 1000 the relative importance of mangroves in providing seconds, but nonetheless they are distinctive nursery habitats for key reefs, and those man- enough to allow conceptual modeling of their groves which are of highest priority for restora- distribution, which has implications for determin- tion. These algorithms are all important in ing grazing efficiency and taxonomic diversity of understanding the affect of mangrove-reef spatial predatory species. It also emphasizes the concept relationships on reef community structure and of scale in the context of time in addition to space; biological sustainability, and operate in much the these biological seascapes might not be obvious at same way as similar metrics (like connectivity) do large timescales, but become readily apparent in terrestrial systems. when that scale is narrowed appropriately. This is Most recently, Olds et al. (2012) looked spe- probably the case with other dynamic mosaics, cifically at the correlation between mangrove-reef such as chemical seascapes. It should be noted, connectivity and reef complexity. They describe though, that no landscape (terrestrial or marine) is coral reefs as “mosaics of seemingly disjointed perfectly static; appreciating the lifespan of [habitats] that are functionally connected by the mosaics is critical in recognizing spatial patterns movement and dispersal of organisms”, heighten- which might be masked by assuming inappropri- ing the ecological parallels that exist between ate timescales. terrestrial and marine systems, and thus justifying the application of traditional landscape metrics in Coral reef connectivity and management aquatic environments. Using a combination of field surveys and satellite imagery, benthic habitat From the plethora of studies concerning marine classifications (including coral reefs, mangroves, ecology, we know that aquatic biota is indeed seagrass beds) were identified, and five spatial responsive to pelagic and benthic seascapes; by pattern metrics were used to quantify connectivity comparison, though, little has been done to assess between patches. They specifically highlight the these relationships in the way that landscape importance of scaling so that results are meaning- ecology has done for terrestrial systems (Boström ful and appropriate to the particular species of et al. 2012). However, several studies have used interest. These methods and concerns exactly these metrics to analyze aspects of coral reef eco- mirror the approach of traditional landscape spatial relationships (Mumby 2006, Olds et al. Ecol Fragmented Landscapes / April 2013 © 2013 (REV 118) 20130429 NRS 534 Term Paper BJC Fuller / Advances in seascape ecology: applying landscape metrics to marine systems 3(5) ecology, reinforcing the universality of basic appropriate patch types in which to apply those ecological norms across all ecosystems. techniques. Patch connectivity, of course, is an In broader terms, Berkström et al (2012) de- integral part of the tropical seascape which must scribe coral reefs as part of a more comprehensive be considered for these techniques to be success- network of patches, including mangroves and ful, especially when replacing ecosystem services seagrass beds, which they call “the tropical with technological substitutes. The Moberg & seascape”. In their extensive review of ecological Rönnbäck (2003) study emphasizes the im- connectivity in tropical seascapes, they find that portance of recognizing seascapes in developing the role of migrating fish in providing this management frameworks which foster eco- connectivity is not well-understood through any friendly technology and promote the resilience of particular study. However, through their assess- both ecological communities and the societies that ment of what little has been learned on the topic, depend on them. it is clear that these fish probably perform a number of ecologically important functions and Future considerations should be studied more heavily in the future. They also draw conclusions about the importance The application of landscape ecology to marine of understanding connectivity throughout the ecosystems seems obvious, necessary, and tropical seascape in the context of reserve design relatively seamless. For each terrestrial process and placement; while coral reefs are often the assessed by landscape ecology, there is likely an highest priority in determining the location of analogous marine process which can be assessed marine protected areas (MPAs), interlinked similarly. The future seems bright for this patches like mangrove and seagrass beds are rarely emerging field, which lies arguably at the cross- included. By appreciating the role of connectivity roads of landscape and marine ecology. Metrics between these patches in collectively maintaining have already been applied to map ecosystem them, MPAs might be expanded to include processes like benthic production, turbidity, and habitats which support reefs via these important denitrification, which advance our understanding biotic and