Community structure and recovery in cryptic intertidal communities reflects dynamics on open‐surface communities

Research on intertidal community structure and recovery in the California Current System has largely focused macrophytes invertebrates occupying two-dimensional, readily studied “open” rock surfaces. However, most rocky shores have a “third” dimension that includes channels, cracks, crevices, overhangs whose organismal assemblages, termed “cryptic communities,” are poorly studied. Cryptic communities not only share many species with those more accessible surfaces but also include high abundances of colonial such as tunicates, sponges, bryozoans, hydrozoans. We investigated abundance diversity cryptic tested their from disturbance by comparing removal plots to undisturbed controls for ~1.5 years. Additionally, we whether varied contrasting large-scale levels ecological subsidies (invertebrate recruitment, nutrients, phytoplankton) local-scale microhabitat differences (emersion solar irradiation) Oregon Coast. compared rates open-surface communities. In communities, site explained (92%) variance plots, while metrics had little (1.2%) effect. Further, were faster at higher subsidy inputs than one lower both noncryptic Hence, larger scale environmental drivers appeared important within Our research provides novel insight into surge channel dynamics.