Diversity and functional group composition drive biogeographic patterns in marine biogenic structural complexity

Abstract

Biogenic structural complexity is a key driver of biodiversity and ecosystem functioning, yet its ecological and environmental determinants remain poorly understood across broad biogeographic scales. Here, we conducted standardized 90‐day field experiments at 16 coastal sites, spanning a 41‐degree latitudinal gradient, using naturally assembled marine fouling communities on settlement panels. We measured rugosity as our metric of biogenic structural complexity and modeled its relationship with species richness, community composition, community growth rates, and abiotic conditions (salinity and temperature). Species richness increased with temperature and salinity and declined with latitude, with more diverse communities exhibiting greater biogenic complexity due to increased morphological variation. At high‐latitude sites, low‐diversity communities dominated by arborescent bryozoans also had increased complexity. Structural equation models showed that abiotic conditions influenced growth and composition, which in turn shaped complexity. Warmer, saltier sites promoted richness‐driven complexity, while colder conditions favored structurally important dominant taxa. We found that biodiversity is important not only as a beneficiary of complexity but also as a contributor to complexity itself within fouling communities. Our results also demonstrate that both species richness and functional group identity regulate biogenic complexity across environmental gradients, underscoring biodiversity's role in supporting ecosystem structure and resilience in the face of increasing global change. Understanding these relationships is essential for biodiversity conservation and the management of marine ecosystems facing increasing anthropogenic pressures.

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