Spatiotemporal Variability of Benthic Communities on Weathervane Scallop Beds off Alaska

Marine benthic communities are critical biotic components of habitat due to their roles in ecosystem function and health and as indicators of ecosystem change. Benthic communities are receiving increasing attention as institutions adopt ecosystem‐oriented research approaches. We conducted a multidec...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Marine and coastal fisheries 2017-01, Vol.9 (1), p.521-534
Main Authors: Glass, Jessica R., Kruse, Gordon H.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Anthropogenic factors
Benthic communities
Benthos
Bottom trawling
Bycatch
Climate change
Coasts
Commercial fishing
Communication
Community composition
Community structure
Continental shelves
Dredging
Ecological associations
Ecological function
Ecosystem approach to fisheries
Ecosystems
Environmental changes
Environmental management
Fish
Fisheries
Fisheries management
Fishery management
Fishing
Fishing communities
Habitats
Investigations
Islands
Marine molluscs
Observers
Patinopecten caurinus
Registration
Scallop fisheries
Sediment
Sediments
Soft bottom habitats
Spatial variations
Species composition
Statistical analysis
Temporal variations
Variables
Citations: Items that this one cites
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Marine benthic communities are critical biotic components of habitat due to their roles in ecosystem function and health and as indicators of ecosystem change. Benthic communities are receiving increasing attention as institutions adopt ecosystem‐oriented research approaches. We conducted a multidecadal analysis of benthic communities in areas targeted by a commercial weathervane scallop Patinopecten caurinus fishery on the continental shelf off Alaska. Using bycatch data collected by onboard observers during 1996–2012, we analyzed spatiotemporal patterns in community composition on weathervane scallop beds. We also explored whether spatiotemporal differences were related to environmental (sediment and depth) and anthropogenic (dredging effort) variables. Statistically significant (P < 0.05) temporal changes in community composition occurred during 1996–2012, with a split between 1996 and 1999 and subsequent years. Taxa contributing to temporal changes were not consistent across fishery registration areas. Significant spatial differences in community structure were detected both at the scale of registration areas (200–2,000 km) and individual scallop beds (
ISSN:1942-5120
1942-5120
DOI:10.1080/19425120.2017.1370041