Modelling the alpha and beta diversity of copepods across tropical and subtropical Atlantic ecoregions
Abstract Copepods, the most abundant individuals of the mesozooplankton, play a pivotal role in marine food webs and carbon cycling. However, few studies have focused on their diversity and the environmental factors influencing it. The objective of the present study is to model the alpha and beta di...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Nature Portfolio
2025-01-01
|
| Series: | npj Biodiversity |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s44185-025-00073-x |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1832571589988712448 |
|---|---|
| author | Lorena Martínez-Leiva José M. Landeira Maria Luz Fernández de Puelles Santiago Hernández-León Víctor M. Tuset Effrosyni Fatira |
| author_facet | Lorena Martínez-Leiva José M. Landeira Maria Luz Fernández de Puelles Santiago Hernández-León Víctor M. Tuset Effrosyni Fatira |
| author_sort | Lorena Martínez-Leiva |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Copepods, the most abundant individuals of the mesozooplankton, play a pivotal role in marine food webs and carbon cycling. However, few studies have focused on their diversity and the environmental factors influencing it. The objective of the present study is to model the alpha and beta diversity of copepods across the tropical and subtropical ecoregions of Atlantic Ocean using both taxonomic and functional approaches. The study used a dataset of 226 copepod species collected by stratified plankton hauls (0–800 m depth) across the tropical and equatorial Atlantic, from oligotrophic waters close to the Brazilian coast to more productive waters close to the Mauritanian Upwelling. To perform the functional analysis, six traits related to the behaviour, growth, and reproduction of copepods were selected. Several alpha diversities were estimated using taxonomic metrics (SR, Δ+, and Λ+) and functional metrics (FDis, FEve, FDiv, FOri, FSpe), and modelized with GAM model across spatial and environmental gradients, and day/night. The overall and two components of β-diversity (turnover and nestedness) were shared between depth and stations. The surface layers of stations from oligotrophic, equatorial, and Cape Verde ecoregions displayed higher values of taxonomic α-diversity. More unpredictable were the facets of functional α-diversity, although they showed a tendency to be positive with depth during the daytime. The GAM analysis revealed spatial gradients as the key factors modelling the taxonomic α-diversity, whereas depth was the most relevant for functional α-diversity. The turnover component drove taxonomic β-diversity in depth and station, whereas the nestedness component acquired relevance for the functional β-diversity. The taxonomic structure of the copepod community varied spatially across depths and ecoregions, but this was not linked to functional changes of the same magnitude. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-718f50ee99da43bebe26ce0c37500283 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2731-4243 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | npj Biodiversity |
| spelling | doaj-art-718f50ee99da43bebe26ce0c375002832025-02-02T12:29:17ZengNature Portfolionpj Biodiversity2731-42432025-01-014111310.1038/s44185-025-00073-xModelling the alpha and beta diversity of copepods across tropical and subtropical Atlantic ecoregionsLorena Martínez-Leiva0José M. Landeira1Maria Luz Fernández de Puelles2Santiago Hernández-León3Víctor M. Tuset4Effrosyni Fatira5Instituto de Oceanografía y Cambio Global, IOCAG, Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Unidad Asociada ULPGC-CSIC, Campus de Taliarte, 35214 Telde, Gran CanariaInstituto de Oceanografía y Cambio Global, IOCAG, Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Unidad Asociada ULPGC-CSIC, Campus de Taliarte, 35214 Telde, Gran CanariaInstituto Español de Oceanografía (IEO/CSIC). Centro Oceanográfico de Baleares (COB), Muelle de Poniente s/nInstituto de Oceanografía y Cambio Global, IOCAG, Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Unidad Asociada ULPGC-CSIC, Campus de Taliarte, 35214 Telde, Gran CanariaInstituto de Oceanografía y Cambio Global, IOCAG, Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Unidad Asociada ULPGC-CSIC, Campus de Taliarte, 35214 Telde, Gran CanariaInstituto de Oceanografía y Cambio Global, IOCAG, Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Unidad Asociada ULPGC-CSIC, Campus de Taliarte, 35214 Telde, Gran CanariaAbstract Copepods, the most abundant individuals of the mesozooplankton, play a pivotal role in marine food webs and carbon cycling. However, few studies have focused on their diversity and the environmental factors influencing it. The objective of the present study is to model the alpha and beta diversity of copepods across the tropical and subtropical ecoregions of Atlantic Ocean using both taxonomic and functional approaches. The study used a dataset of 226 copepod species collected by stratified plankton hauls (0–800 m depth) across the tropical and equatorial Atlantic, from oligotrophic waters close to the Brazilian coast to more productive waters close to the Mauritanian Upwelling. To perform the functional analysis, six traits related to the behaviour, growth, and reproduction of copepods were selected. Several alpha diversities were estimated using taxonomic metrics (SR, Δ+, and Λ+) and functional metrics (FDis, FEve, FDiv, FOri, FSpe), and modelized with GAM model across spatial and environmental gradients, and day/night. The overall and two components of β-diversity (turnover and nestedness) were shared between depth and stations. The surface layers of stations from oligotrophic, equatorial, and Cape Verde ecoregions displayed higher values of taxonomic α-diversity. More unpredictable were the facets of functional α-diversity, although they showed a tendency to be positive with depth during the daytime. The GAM analysis revealed spatial gradients as the key factors modelling the taxonomic α-diversity, whereas depth was the most relevant for functional α-diversity. The turnover component drove taxonomic β-diversity in depth and station, whereas the nestedness component acquired relevance for the functional β-diversity. The taxonomic structure of the copepod community varied spatially across depths and ecoregions, but this was not linked to functional changes of the same magnitude.https://doi.org/10.1038/s44185-025-00073-x |
| spellingShingle | Lorena Martínez-Leiva José M. Landeira Maria Luz Fernández de Puelles Santiago Hernández-León Víctor M. Tuset Effrosyni Fatira Modelling the alpha and beta diversity of copepods across tropical and subtropical Atlantic ecoregions npj Biodiversity |
| title | Modelling the alpha and beta diversity of copepods across tropical and subtropical Atlantic ecoregions |
| title_full | Modelling the alpha and beta diversity of copepods across tropical and subtropical Atlantic ecoregions |
| title_fullStr | Modelling the alpha and beta diversity of copepods across tropical and subtropical Atlantic ecoregions |
| title_full_unstemmed | Modelling the alpha and beta diversity of copepods across tropical and subtropical Atlantic ecoregions |
| title_short | Modelling the alpha and beta diversity of copepods across tropical and subtropical Atlantic ecoregions |
| title_sort | modelling the alpha and beta diversity of copepods across tropical and subtropical atlantic ecoregions |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s44185-025-00073-x |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT lorenamartinezleiva modellingthealphaandbetadiversityofcopepodsacrosstropicalandsubtropicalatlanticecoregions AT josemlandeira modellingthealphaandbetadiversityofcopepodsacrosstropicalandsubtropicalatlanticecoregions AT marialuzfernandezdepuelles modellingthealphaandbetadiversityofcopepodsacrosstropicalandsubtropicalatlanticecoregions AT santiagohernandezleon modellingthealphaandbetadiversityofcopepodsacrosstropicalandsubtropicalatlanticecoregions AT victormtuset modellingthealphaandbetadiversityofcopepodsacrosstropicalandsubtropicalatlanticecoregions AT effrosynifatira modellingthealphaandbetadiversityofcopepodsacrosstropicalandsubtropicalatlanticecoregions |