Aggregated and dispersed configuration of microhabitats in coastal defenses: Implications for restoration of populations

The additions of artificial structures to the landscape are usually translated into habitat loss and fragmentation, since they provide homogeneous habitats less diverse in types and number of microhabitats. Moreover, the smooth surface of artificial structures increases the degree of environmental stress (e.g. desiccation) experienced by intertidal organisms. Local biodiversity can be increased with microhabitats availability by attracting or supporting species of macrofauna and seaweeds. E.g., distribution and survival of the mollusc Patella candei, a limpet exploited in intertidal coasts of Açores, has been showed to be strongly influenced by availability of microhabitats. We experimentally analyzed the influence of microhabitat aggregation and dispersion on the distribution of several species of gastropods on midshores of artificial substrates. Data were compared with distributions within unmanipulated plots. Effects were found among treatments and control plots in densities of Tectarius striatus and at the different life-history stages of limpets (recruits, immature and adult individuals) inhabiting artificial substrata with manipulated aggregation levels. In case of Melaraphe neritoides, only in site 2 numbers of were greater in manipulated than in control plots. Configurations with different dispersion levels also showed greater densities than controls. Both aggregation and dispersion effects were more evident at site 2; however, due to the high variability among examined plots, no clear significant responses were found among the different treatments.