Macrobenthic community establishment on artificial reefs with Macrocystis pyrifera over barren-ground and soft-bottom habitats

摘要: Abstract Kelps provide important habitat for a range of species, however they are suffering increasing levels degradation. This has prompted efforts to restore these ecosystems, however, the trajectory community establishment on artificial reefs not being widely described. We examined composition species and functional groups invertebrates fish in relation over soft-bottom barren-ground habitats 10-month period. evaluated structure based richness, biomass, diversity, dominance groups. assessed trajectories ecological succession planted with kelp each bottom type determined changes dissimilarity time. also analysed relationship between biogeny (of macroalgae) time (months) macrobenthic structure. Successional development communities was similar across two types, macroalgae contributed most early stage, while were that during middle late successional stages. A positive found presence seedlings biomass specific study showed promote construction biogenic structures increase complexity, biodiversity, populations commercially harvested species. In this sense, should be considered an tool restoring function degraded benthic ecosystems.