| dc.description.abstract | In urban coastal habitats, prolonged intensified human activities significantly alter global ecological communities by losing species and their associated functions, resulting in a regional species pool where different species perform similar roles in different habitats. We tested this idea by emphasizing taxonomic (TD) and functional diversity (FD) in various intertidal habitats, including rocks, boulders, mud, and sand, characterized by distinct geomorphology. Polychaete communities were collected along the two sites in each habitat across the highly urbanized coast of Mumbai city. The species richness of polychaetes varied greatly across all habitats; moreover, the overall functional richness was comparatively low, with the highest value recorded in the boulder habitat. Habitats differed in polychaete assemblages despite some overlap in common species, supported by multivariate analyses performed at functional and taxonomic resolutions; however, habitat differences were less apparent functionally than taxonomically. The functional analysis revealed overlapping traits among Rock, Mud, and Boulder habitats, with Mud and Boulder habitats displaying high levels of TD and FD. In contrast, the sand habitat exhibited reduced polychaete functional diversity due to a decrease in species richness (R), functional richness (FRic), and evenness (FEve). Functional redundancy increased with R , species diversity (H), and trait diversity (FDis), with Mud and Boulder habitats showing high redundancy levels, supporting the concept of a regional species pool and enhancing resilience. Conversely, low functional redundancy indicates uniqueness of species in Rock and Sand habitats, leading to an increased risk of extinction. These results emphasize the need for a comprehensive management approach that considers both taxonomic and functional diversity to preserve the ecological integrity of urban coastal ecosystems and enhance their resilience to anthropogenic pressures | |