Exchange of benthic components across a diverse Zostera noltei meadow within a deteriorating or evolving ecosystem
Résumé
Seagrasses meadows provide valuable ecosystem services playing a key role on benthic biogeochemistry and plant sediment interactions through several biogeochemical processe s Due to large losses of seagrass meadow worldwide, studies are conducted to investigate key strategies for increasing coastal resilience and recovery such as restoration or natural colonization studies . In Normandy (France), Cul de Loup cove is colonized by Zostera noltei meadows , allowing us to investigate benthic biogeochemistry in two contrasted ecosystems : old and declining meadow and newly discovered The present s tudy aimed to assess how changes in seagrasses within heterogeneous Z. noltei meadow influence the spatiotemporal changes in benthic metabolism . The total benthic metabolism of the seagrass community was estimated through the total oxygen uptake (TOU) and the effect of the presence of seagrasses on the diffusive oxygen uptake (DOU) was also assessed Cores were collected during two season s (i.e. summer and spring ) and four different sites Moreover, macro and meiofaunal analysis were conducted in the same cores allowing us to assess benthic diversity parameters. Important differences were observed based on colonization steps.