Topographic complexity is often considered to be closely associated with habitat complexity and niche diversity; however, complex topography does not imply habitat suitability. Rather, ecologically suitable habitats may emerge if topographic features interact with environmental factors and thereby alter their surrounding microenvironment to the benefit of local organisms (e.g., resource provisioning, stress mitigation). Topography may thus act as a key modulator of abiotic stressors and biotic pressures, particularly in environmentally challenging intertidal systems. Here, we review how topography can alter microhabitat conditions with respect to four resources required by intertidal organisms: a source of energy (light, suspended food particles, prey, detritus), water (hydration, buffering of light, temperature and hydrodynamics), shelter (temperature, wave exposure, predation), and habitat space (substratum area, propagule settlement, movement). We synthesize mechanisms and quantitative findings of how environmental factors can be altered through topography and suggest an organism-centered ‘form-follows-ecological-function’ approach to designing multifunctional marine infrastructure.

中文翻译：

---

基于地形的环境因素调节作为潮间带微生境形成的机制：海洋生态设计的基础

地形复杂性通常被认为与生境复杂性和生态位多样性密切相关；然而，复杂的地形并不意味着栖息地的适宜性。相反，如果地形特征与环境因素相互作用，从而改变周围的微环境，从而有利于当地生物（例如，资源供应、压力缓解），则可能会出现生态适宜的栖息地。因此，地形可能充当非生物应激源和生物压力的关键调节剂，特别是在环境挑战的潮间带系统中。在这里，我们回顾了地形如何改变潮间带生物所需的四种资源的微生境条件：能源（光、悬浮食物颗粒、猎物、碎屑）、水（水合作用、光缓冲、温度和流体动力学）、庇护所（温度、波浪暴露、捕食）和栖息地空间（底层面积、繁殖体沉降、运动）。我们综合了如何通过地形改变环境因素的机制和定量发现，并提出了一种以生物体为中心的“形式遵循生态功能”的方法来设计多功能海洋基础设施。