"Life between two stress gradients: species distributions and interactions in sub-Arctic intertidal ecosystems", Marta Prieto, PhD student, AMSE-Arctic Marine System Ecology group, UiT-The Arctic University of Norway
Abstract: Rocky intertidal ecosystems are shaped by vertical stress gradients driven by emersion time. However, horizontal stress gradients caused by freshwater inputs, such as snowmelt and precipitation, also occur but have been scarcely studied. These interacting stress gradients create complex conditions that influence intertidal community structure. This work examines how the combination of these gradients shapes species distributions and interactions in northern Norway intertidal zones, focusing on blue mussels (Mytilus edulis), dogwhelks (Nucella lapillus), and seaweed canopies (Ascophyllum nodosum). We assess how salinity and vertical zonation define the fundamental niche, while interspecific interactions, like predation, shape the realized niche.
Bio:I am Marta Prieto, a PhD student in Tromsø, Norway, in the AMSE (Arctic Marine System Ecology) group at UiT (The Arctic University of Norway). My research focuses on intertidal ecology, specifically on species interactions under environmental stress gradients.
Source: BLISS-BRC