Assessing how biofilms modulate stream periphyton metacommunity assemblage: A translocation experiment.

ABSTRACT: The role of three-dimensional structural complexity in shaping communities has been increasingly studied, and evidence indicates that vertical stratification favors coexistence through niche partitioning. Despite the clear relationship between three-dimensional structure and community assemblages, its role in shaping metacommunity processes is still unclear. To address this knowledge gap, we carried out a translocation experiment using stream periphyton (benthic microalgae) as a model community. Structural complexity in stream periphyton is observed when thicker biofilms develop, reducing hydraulic stress and improving nutrient uptake, particularly for understory taxa. In this experiment, we exposed ceramic tiles in a source river for 4, 11, or 21 days, creating a biofilm biomass and succe

SUBMITTER: Zamorano D 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12442210 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature