Long-term monitoring reveals the foundational roles of three rockweed species on understory community structure and stability
Rockweed algae serve as foundation species on rocky shores, creating habitat complexity and buffering environmental stress. However, climate change and human disturbance threaten these canopy-forming species. Understanding how declining rockweed densities alter community structure is essential for effective conservation and ecosystem management.
Subject Tags
- Ecosystem management
- Climate risks
Introduction
A group of brown algae, known as rockweeds, influence rocky shore ecosystems as ‘foundation species’ by increasing habitat complexity and ameliorating environmental stressors for other species. Rocky shore habitats shaped by foundational canopy-forming rockweed species are threatened by human disturbance and climate change impacts. Thus, it is of pressing conservation concern to understand how changes in rockweed densities lead to shifts in associated community structure.
Citation
Nielsen, E. S., Heady, W. N., Lamy, T., Raimondi, P. T., & Reynolds, M. D. (2025). Long-term monitoring reveals the foundational roles of three rockweed species on understory community structure and stability. Frontiers in Marine Science, 12, 1699335.
TNC Authors
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Erica S. Nielsen
Point Conception Institute Fellow • California
The Nature Conservancy
Email: erica.nielsen@tnc.org -
Walter N. Heady
Sr Coastal/Marine Scientist • California
The Nature Conservancy
Email: wheady@tnc.org -
Mark D. Reynolds
Director of the Point Conception Institute • California
The Nature Conservancy
Email: mreynolds@tnc.org