Micro‐Refuges or Ecological Traps: Context‐Dependent Effects of Rock Pools on Intertidal Biodiversity Across Latitudes

ABSTRACT Aim We investigated how local‐scale environmental heterogeneity influences biodiversity patterns across broad biogeographic gradients, using intertidal microhabitats as a model system within one of the most environmentally stressful ecosystems on Earth. Location Intertidal habitats at 26 locations (two rocky shore sites per location) across six continents, spanning 98° of latitude (38°S to 60°N). Time Period 2019–2022. Major Taxa Studied Algae, sessile and mobile invertebrates. Methods We compared biodiversity and thermal environments across contrasting microhabitats (rock pools and adjacent emergent rock) along a latitudinal gradient, sampling during environmentally ‘milder’ and ‘harsher’ periods. Biodiversity was quantified using multiple richness metrics (mean, total, unique taxa) and functional diversity. Results Microhabitat differences strongly influenced biodiversity patterns across latitude. Rock pools consistently supported higher taxonomic and functional diversity than emergent rock, irrespective of sampling period, reflecting their ability to buffer thermal extremes, particularly under harsher conditions. Mean species richness exhibited a non‐linear, s‐shaped latitudinal pattern, with lowest values near the equator and higher richness at mid‐latitudes, diverging from classical Latitudinal Diversity Gradient expectations. Biodiversity differences between microhabitats were greatest in temperate regions and diminished at low latitudes, where extreme conditions constrained diversity across habitats. Main Conclusions Local environmental heterogeneity can substantially modify, and in some cases obscure large‐scale biodiversity patterns. By mediating exposure to environmental stress, intertidal microhabitats provide insight into how fine‐scale variability interacts with latitudinal stress gradients to shape biodiversity distributions. Incorporating microhabitat variability into biogeographic frameworks is important for understanding global biodiversity patterns and predicting ecological responses to climate change.

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Journal
Global Ecology and Biogeography
Published
2026-02-01
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1111/geb.70208
Primary Topic
Marine and coastal plant biology
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
0.00

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article

Micro‐Refuges or Ecological Traps: Context‐Dependent Effects of Rock Pools on Intertidal Biodiversity Across Latitudes

Sophie Dubois, Seokwoo Hong, A. Evans, Bárbara Ondiviela et al.
Global Ecology and Biogeography
Marine and coastal plant biology
article

Micro‐Refuges or Ecological Traps: Context‐Dependent Effects of Rock Pools on Intertidal Biodiversity Across Latitudes

Sophie Dubois, Seokwoo Hong, A. Evans, Bárbara Ondiviela, Elisabeth M. A. Strain, Juan Sempere‐Valverde, Katherine A. Dafforn, Mauricio H. Oróstica, Peter Alan Todd, Christopher D. McQuaid, Kiran Liversage, Gabin Droual, Andrea Desiderato, Juan Carlos Azofeifa‐Solano, Megan N. Dethier, Eli Rinde, Pippa Jane Moore, Amanda R. Hsiung, Ben P. Harvey, Kmy Leung, Koetsu Kon, Jackson W. T. Lau, Soniya Jethva, Ronaldo Adriano Christofoletti, Louise B. Firth, Kringpaka Wangkulangkul, Aline S. Martinez, Daudi J. Msangameno, Rahul Kundu, Andrew Want, Amélia Curd, M. K. Turner, Mick E. Hanley, Hartvig Christie, Antony M. Knights, Rebecca L. Morris, David T. Bilton, Brenda Konar, Eliza C. Heery, Ella Lis, F Flor-De- Lima, Xiao‐xu Li, Rui Seabra, Yun‐Wei Dong, Free Espinosa, Andy Foggo, Lynette H. L. Loke, Katrin Iken, Vanessa Mendonça, SU YIN CHEE, T C K Hui, Juan C. Astudillo, Maria Gabriela Palomo, Catarina Vinagre, Jeffrey A. Sibaja‐Cordero, J. David Aguirre, Yong‐Xu Sun, Stephen J. Hawkins, Mariana Mayer‐Pinto, Jeong Ha Kim, Mar Humet, Enrique Ostalé‐Valriberas, Rocío Nieto‐Vilela, Ana Silva
article en

Abstract

ABSTRACT Aim We investigated how local‐scale environmental heterogeneity influences biodiversity patterns across broad biogeographic gradients, using intertidal microhabitats as a model system within one of the most environmentally stressful ecosystems on Earth. Location Intertidal habitats at 26 locations (two rocky shore sites per location) across six continents, spanning 98° of latitude (38°S to 60°N). Time Period 2019–2022. Major Taxa Studied Algae, sessile and mobile invertebrates. Methods We compared biodiversity and thermal environments across contrasting microhabitats (rock pools and adjacent emergent rock) along a latitudinal gradient, sampling during environmentally ‘milder’ and ‘harsher’ periods. Biodiversity was quantified using multiple richness metrics (mean, total, unique taxa) and functional diversity. Results Microhabitat differences strongly influenced biodiversity patterns across latitude. Rock pools consistently supported higher taxonomic and functional diversity than emergent rock, irrespective of sampling period, reflecting their ability to buffer thermal extremes, particularly under harsher conditions. Mean species richness exhibited a non‐linear, s‐shaped latitudinal pattern, with lowest values near the equator and higher richness at mid‐latitudes, diverging from classical Latitudinal Diversity Gradient expectations. Biodiversity differences between microhabitats were greatest in temperate regions and diminished at low latitudes, where extreme conditions constrained diversity across habitats. Main Conclusions Local environmental heterogeneity can substantially modify, and in some cases obscure large‐scale biodiversity patterns. By mediating exposure to environmental stress, intertidal microhabitats provide insight into how fine‐scale variability interacts with latitudinal stress gradients to shape biodiversity distributions. Incorporating microhabitat variability into biogeographic frameworks is important for understanding global biodiversity patterns and predicting ecological responses to climate change.

Global Ecology and BiogeographyVol. 35(2)
Federal Institute of São Paulo (BR), Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom (GB), Instituto de Engenharia de Sistemas e Computadores Investigação e Desenvolvimento (PT), University of Tasmania (AU), Institute of the Estonian Language (EE), Prince of Songkla University (TH), Universiti Sains Malaysia (MY), University of Alaska Fairbanks (US), University of Lisbon (PT), University of Tsukuba (JP), University of Auckland (NZ), Ifremer (FR), The University of Melbourne (AU), National University of Singapore (SG), City University of Hong Kong (HK), University of Dar es Salaam (TZ), Universidade do Porto (PT), University of Hull (GB), Saurashtra University (IN), National Oceanography Centre (GB), University of Washington (US), Rhodes University (ZA), Universidade Politécnica de Lisboa (PT), Hainan University (CN), University of Johannesburg (ZA), University College Cork (IE), Catholic University of the Maule (CL), Institut Agro Rennes-Angers (FR), Norwegian Institute for Water Research (NO), UNSW Sydney (AU), Universidad de Costa Rica (CR), Heriot-Watt University (GB), University of Łódź (PL), Swansea University (GB), Bernardino Rivadavia Natural Sciences Museum (AR), Institut National de Recherche pour l'Agriculture, l'Alimentation et l'Environnement (FR), Luxel (United States) (US), Indigenous Education Institute (US), Anhui Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CN), University of Argentine Social Museum (AR), Centre for Marine Socioecology (AU), Sydney Institute of Marine Science (AU), Metropolitan University (BD), University of Washington Tacoma (US), Instituto de Física de Cantabria (ES), University of Southampton (GB), Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology (JP), Massey University (NZ), University of Tartu (EE), Ocean University of China (CN), University of Algarve (PT), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (SA), Universidad de Sevilla (ES), Sungkyunkwan University (KR), Newcastle University (GB), Universidade Federal de São Paulo (BR), University of Hong Kong (HK), University of Plymouth (GB), Macquarie University (AU)
Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades, European Commission, National Research Foundation, Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo, Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico, Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, European Regional Development Fund, Agencia Estatal de Investigación
Openalex Percentile: Top 57%
Marine and coastal plant biology
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