Epifaunal Communities in Floating Buoys on Gran Canaria (Canary Islands, NE Atlantic Ocean)

Abstract

Ocean sprawl has become increasingly prevalent in marine environments. Artificial substrates, notably floating structures like buoys, have gained significant attention in recent years. They serve as valuable models for future studies aimed at understanding and mitigating the impacts of anthropogenic activities on marine ecosystems. We studied the epifauna from buoys at six different locations on the northern and southern coasts of the island of Gran Canaria (Canary Is., NE Atlantic Ocean). A total of 12,130 individuals belonging to 57 species were collected. The abundance of individuals was higher in the northern area, whereas the species richness was higher in the southern area. The n-MDS showed significant differences between localities, with Las Alcaravaneras being separated from the remaining ones. These dissimilarities were due to the differences in the abundances of the amphipods P. gammaroides and A. rubricata. The orientation was a pivotal factor in structuring these associated communities in floating buoys. As a preliminary approach, high biodiversity and species richness were observed in these buoys; hence, they have a high potential to be used as bioindicators of human disturbance.