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 ‘harsh..