Interacting effects of habitat structure and seeding with oysters on the intertidal biodiversity of seawalls

Effect of habitat structure and seeding with native oysters on the species density, and abundances of the four functional groups The effects of the treatments on the species density differed among the four functional groups (Fig 4, Table 1, S4 Table). Whereas for sessile taxa, species density responded to the interacting Fig 3. Effect of seeding with oysters (unseeded vs. seeded) and a) habitat structure (flat vs. complex) and b) microhabitat identity (crevice vs. ridge, on complex tiles) on the mean (+/-SE) percentage cover of S. glomerata (both transplants and recruits) on experimental tiles 0, 1, 6 and 12 months following deployment, (n = 5). Data are pooled across sites. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0230807.g003 Table 1. Summary of the results of general linear models testing for effects of habitat structure on the number of live seeded S. glomerata and the effects of habitat structure and seeding with native oysters on the percentage cover of S. glomerata, the species density and abundances (percentage cover, counts or MaxN) of sessile taxa, mobile taxa, cryptobenthic and pelagic fishes. Details of these analyses are given in Appendices S2-S5. NANot applicable, nsp>0.05, �p < 0.05, ��p < 0.01, ���p < 0.001. Factors Number of live seeded S. glomerata Cover of S. glomerata Species density of sessile taxa Cover of sessile taxa Species density of mobile taxa Counts of mobile taxa Species density of cryptobenthic fishes MaxN of cryptobenthic fishes Species density of pelagic fishes MaxN of pelagic fishes Habitat ns ��� �� ns ns ns ns ns ns ns

Seeding NA �� �� ns ��� ns � �� ns � Habitat x Seeding NA ��� � ns ns �� � ns ns ns ns Site ��� ns ns ns ns ns ns ns ns ns Habitat x Site � ns ns ns ns �� � ns ns ns ns Seeding x Site NA ns ns ns ns � ns ns ns ns Month ��� ��� ��� �� � ��� �� � Habitat x Month ns ��� ns ns ns ns Seeding x Month NA ��� ns �� � ns �� � Site x Month ��� ns ns �� � ns ns Habitat x Site x Month � ns ns ns ns ns Habitat x Seeding x Site NA ns ns ns ns ns ns ns ns ns Habitat x Seeding x Month NA ��� ns �� � ns ns Seeding x Site x Month NA ns ns � ns ns Habitat x Seeding x Site x Month NA ns ns �� � ns ns https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0230807.t001 PLOS ONE Effects of microhabitats and seeding with oysters on intertidal biodiversity PLOS ONE | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0230807 July 16, 2020 10 / 21