Effect of turf or crust on canopy |
Functional group |
Example mechanism |
Example citation |
Competition |
Turfs |
Space limitation prevents canopy recruitment |
Dayton et al. 1984 |
Competition |
Turfs |
Abiotic disturbance (sedimentation,
eutrophication) favors the growth of opportunistic turfs, which
outcompete canopy-forming species |
Reviewed in Filbee-Dexter &
Wernberg 2018 |
Competition |
Coralline crusts |
Epithelial sloughing of coralline
surface cells prevents recruitment and establishment of canopy-forming
species |
Reviewed in McCoy and Kamenos 2013 |
Facilitation |
Coralline turfs |
Coralline turfs ameliorate desiccation
stress in canopy algae |
Hutto 2011 |
Facilitation |
Turfs |
Understory algae provide refuge from herbivory
for canopy recruits |
Harris et al. 1984 |