Global ecosystem typology

Alternative site for the Global ecosystem typology with additional information for ecosystem profiles and indicative maps.

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M1.5 Photo-limited marine animal forests

Biome: M1. Marine shelf biome

Contributors:
(texts)

These subtidal biogenic ecosystems, formed by either a single species or a community of sessile filter feeders such as sponges, ascidians or aphotic corals, are found mostly on hard substrates. Low light due to depth, turbidity, ice cover or tannins from terrestrial runoff means that photosynthesis is limited to microphytobenthos (like microalgae and bacteria) or coralline algae. As a result, nutrient flux from surface waters is important. A high diversity of invertebrates and fish are also associated with these complex, three-dimensional forest-like habitats.

Key Features

Largely heterotrophic systems dominated by megabenthic suspension feeders and associated diverse epifauna, microphytobenthos and fish.

Overview of distribution

Low light tropical to polar coastal waters.

Profile versions

  • v1.0 (2020-01-20): JS Stark; EJ Gregr; DA Keith
  • v2.0 (2020-05-27): JS Stark; EJ Gregr; S Rossi; SN Porter; AH Altieri; DA Keith
  • v2.01 ():
  • v2.1 (2022-04-06): JS Stark; EJ Gregr; S Rossi; SN Porter; AH Altieri; DA Keith Full profile available at official site

Main references

Selected references for this functional group:

  • Baldwin C, Tornabene L, Robertson D (2018) Below the mesophotic Scientific Reports 8: 4920

  • Rossi S. (2013) The destruction of the ‘animal forests’ in the oceans: towards an over-simplification of the benthic ecosystems Ocean & coastal management 84: 77-85

  • Rossi S, Bramanti L, Gori, A, Orejas C (2017) Marine Animal Forests: The ecology of benthic biodiversity Hotspots Springer, Berlin

Diagrammatic assembly model

Diagrammatic assembly model of M1.5 Photo-limited marine animal forests. See general notes on diagrams. Open image full size.

Maps

Maps are indicative of global distribution patterns are not intended to represent fine-scale patterns. The maps show areas of the world containing major (coloured red) or minor occurrences (coloured yellow) of each ecosystem functional group. See general notes on maps.

There are 2 alternative versions of the indicative map for this functional group, please compare description and sources below.

M1.5.IM.orig_v1.0

Datasets

  • GSFM-2014

Map references

  • Harris PT, Macmillan-Lawler M, Rupp J, Baker EK (2014) Geomorphology of the oceans. Marine Geology 352: 4-24. 10.1016/j.margeo.2014.01.011

M1.5.web.orig_v1.0

These are ecosystem functional groups that are widespread through the global extent of the marine shelf biome. Reliable data on their precise distribution are limited. To represent regional uncertainty, their indicative distributions were mapped in as minor occurrences through the full extent of the marine ‘shelf’ base layer as mapped by Harris et al. (2014b). Occurrences were converted to 30 arc second spatial resolution. Open image full size.

Datasets

  • GSFM-2014

Map references

  • Harris PT, Macmillan-Lawler M, Rupp J, Baker EK (2014) Geomorphology of the oceans. Marine Geology 352: 4-24. 10.1016/j.margeo.2014.01.011

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