Macroalgal diversity along the Baltic Sea salinity gradient challenges Remane's species-minimum concept.

Remane's species-minimum concept, which states that the lowest number of taxa occurs at the horohalinicum (5-8psu), was tested by investigating macroalgal diversity on hard substrates along the natural salinity gradient in the Baltic Sea. Field data on species occurrence and abundance were collected by SCUBA diving along 10 transects of the Finnish, Swedish and German coasts, covering a salinity range from 3.9 to 27psu.