Habitat suitability and environmental niche comparison of cold-water coral species along the Brazilian continental margin

• Published in: Deep Sea Research Part I: Oceanographic Research Papers
• Main Authors: Barbosa, R., V., Davies, A. J., Sumida, P. Y. G.
• Other Authors: Laboratoire des Sciences de l'Environnement Marin (LEMAR) (LEMAR), Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Institut Français de Recherche pour l'Exploitation de la Mer (IFREMER)-Université de Brest (UBO)-Institut Universitaire Européen de la Mer (IUEM), Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Université de Brest (UBO)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Université de Brest (UBO)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Universidade de São Paulo = University of São Paulo (USP), School of Ocean Sciences Menai Bridge, Bangor University, University of Rhode Island (URI)
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: HAL CCSD 2020
• Subjects: ACL; conservation; deep; Deep-sea corals; diversity; Environmental niche; Habitat suitability modelling; Lophelia pertusa; lophelia-pertusa scleractinia; ocean acidification; Octocorallia; offshore; protected area; range size; Scleractinia; Southwestern Atlantic; temperature; vulnerable marine ecosystems; [SDE.BE]Environmental Sciences/Biodiversity and Ecology; Ocean acidification
• Online Access: https://hal.science/hal-02921156; https://hal.science/hal-02921156/document; https://hal.science/hal-02921156/file/Barbosa_etal_D-SR-PI-oRP_2020.pdf; https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dsr.2019.103147

WOS:000508749000008 International audience In face of increasing anthropogenic disturbance in the deep sea, it is a priority to better understand the regional distribution of cold-water corals (CWC). These organisms create some of the most species-rich habitats in the deep sea and, for this reason, they must be properly protected and managed. In this study, we aimed to identify suitable habitat for multiple CWC taxa off the Brazilian continental margin and compare their environmental niches. Habitat suitability models were developed using the Maxent approach, which allowed for the prediction of species distribution and for the identification of potential 'hot spot' areas that may be important for biodiversity conservation. Ecological niches were determined by a PCA-env approach, and niche similarity and equivalence were evaluated based on niche overlap using the Schoener's D metric. Potentially suitable habitat for Octocorallia covered a broad latitudinal range encompassing nearly the entire Brazilian continental margin, whereas Scleractinia had greater potentially suitable habitat in the Central and Southern areas. Scleractinian species were observed to slightly differ in their environmental niche, with non-reef-forming species being more tolerant to a wider range of environmental conditions in comparison with reef-forming species, inhabiting a wider area of the South American continental margin. Due to the high potential suitability for several CWC species, the Central and Southern parts of the Brazilian continental margin should be considered as potential areas high CWC diversity. Considering the current state of the art and strategic assessment tools, these areas are important targets for conservation, management, and environmental impact assessment. Most reef-forming species had similar but not directly equivalent ecological niches, indicating that mapping efforts and management planning should consider CWCs at the species level.