Multiple environmental gradients shape the functional structure of macrobenthic communities across the Pacific Arctic shelf

The Pacific Arctic shelf is undergoing significant environmental changes that are expected to impact the functioning of Arctic benthic ecosystem. By utilizing trait-based methods, we can better understand the effects of environmental changes on the functional structure of macrobenthic communities, offering a more detailed interpretation that complements traditional biodiversity assessments based on community structure. Using Biological Trait Analysis (BTA), we investigated shifts in the functional composition of macrobenthic communities across the subarctic to Arctic regions of the Pacific Arctic shelf, examining how these communities are responding to various environmental gradients. The study analyzed data from 14 environmental variables and 355 taxa, using 13 functional traits coded with 51 modalities collected from 78 boxcore stations. Multivariate statistics, including fuzzy correspondence analysis (FCA) and RLQ/fourth-corner combined analysis, were utilized. We find that the northern Bering Sea (NB) and southeastern Chukchi Sea (SEC) shelves exhibit shared functional similarities (e.g., small, chitinous skeletons, gregarious behavior, and low body flexibility) and significant regional differences from other subregions. The analysis revealed that sediment characteristics and sea ice cover influenced macrobenthic trait composition. The ongoing retreat of sea ice is expected to lead to rapid functional shifts in the Pacific Arctic shelves, potentially causing the migration of smaller, deposit-feeding, shorter-lived taxa to the Arctic seas. This could result in structural transformation in Arctic communities characterized by greater longevity, suspension-feeding, and larger size. These findings can inform future polar environmental management and help develop adaptive management strategies.