Density dependent effects of an exotic marine macroalga on native community diversity

White, Laura F.; Shurin, Jonathan B.

doi:10.1016/j.jembe.2011.05.024

Cited by 41 publications

(23 citation statements)

References 47 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Instead, S. trilobata or all invasive plants slightly increased the plant diversity of the invaded community within a certain range of cover values (slight invasion phase), possibly due to direct or indirect facilitation of non-native species during their initial introduction [39]. For example, invasive Sargassum muticum increased native species richness at a low percent cover (20%) [33]. This finding is consistent with a study by Melo et al .…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 89%

Curvilinear Effects of Invasive Plants on Plant Diversity: Plant Community Invaded by Sphagneticola trilobata

Dai

Zhai

et al. 2014

PLoS ONE

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The effects of invasive plants on the species diversity of plant communities are controversial, showing either a positive or negative linear relationship. Based on community data collected from forty 5 m×5 m plots invaded by Sphagneticola trilobata in eight cities across Hainan Island, China, we found S. trilobata decreased plant community diversity once its cover was beyond 10%. We demonstrated that the effects of invasive/native plants on the plant diversity of communities invaded by S. trilobata were curvilinear. These effects, which showed peaks under different degrees of vegetation cover, appeared not only for S. trilobata and all invasive plants, but also for all native plants. Invasive plants primarily had negative effects on plant diversity when they became abundant at a much lower cover level (less than 35%), compared with the native plants (over 60%). Thus, it is necessary to distinguish a range for assessing the effects of plants, especially invasive plants. Our results also confirmed that the invasion intensity of invasive alien plants increased with the intensity of local economic development. We highlight and further discuss the critical importance of curvilinear effects of biological invasion to provide ideas regarding the conservation of local biodiversity and the management of invasive plants.

show abstract

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 89%

Curvilinear Effects of Invasive Plants on Plant Diversity: Plant Community Invaded by Sphagneticola trilobata

Dai

Zhai

et al. 2014

PLoS ONE

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Low abundances of the invasive alga, Caulerpa racemosa, altered benthic community structure of algal dominated subtidal rocky reefs in the Mediterranean (Bulleri et al 2010). Similarly, a few examples show that the facilitation of native macrophytes and epibiota by habitat‐forming invasive species is also density dependent (Thomsen 2010, White and Shurin 2011). Understanding the density dependent impacts of habitat‐forming invasive species will clearly benefit the development of appropriate management strategies for these organisms (Yokomizo et al 2009, Elgersma and Ehrenfeld 2011).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Positive versus negative effects of an invasive ecosystem engineer on different components of a marine ecosystem

Gribben

Byers

Wright

et al. 2012

Oikos

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Habitat‐forming invasive species have complex impacts on native communities. Positive above ground and negative below ground impacts are reported, suggesting that habitat‐forming invasive species may affect community components differently. Furthermore, such effects may vary depending on the density of the invader. We determined the responses of community components to different densities of the invasive green alga Caulerpa taxifolia in southeastern Australia. Initially we investigated differences in soft‐sediment faunal communities (above and below ground) across a biomass gradient at two invaded sites. Caulerpa taxifolia biomass was positively associated with the composition and abundance of the epifaunal community, but negatively correlated with the abundance of infauna. To examine the response of common community members in more detail, we caged two species of mollusk (the infaunal bivalve, Anadara trapezia and the epifaunal gastropod, Batillaria australis) across the same biomass gradient to determine lethal and sublethal effects of C. taxifolia biomass on individuals. Survivorship of A. trapezia was low when C. taxifolia was above 300 g m−2. Negative sublethal effects were also density‐dependent with A. trapezia tissue weight being lowest above this same C. taxifolia biomass. The proportion of B. australis surviving was unaffected by C. taxifolia biomass. However, the total number of live B. australis recovered in cages increased as C. taxifolia biomass increased, providing further evidence of positive density dependent effects (in line with the survey data) of C. taxifolia on epifauna. Finally, we removed C. taxifolia from plots of differing C. taxifolia biomass and followed community change for 5 months. Community change following C. taxifolia removal was also density dependent as recovery 5 months post‐removal depended on the initial biomass of C. taxifolia, suggesting a lag in the recovery of communities due to residual environmental effects post‐removal (i.e. hysteresis). We have shown that the effects of a habitat‐forming invasive species are biomass dependent and also affect community components differently, suggesting that, globally, the impact of these types of invaders may be context dependent.

show abstract

“…Wilson () found similar patterns of no impact on tidepool community structure along the Californian coast when comparing S. muticum pools with pools lacking S. muticum (either naturally or experimentally). Conversely, in Washington State rocky inter‐tidal habitats, S. muticum excluded many native macrophyte species and reduced richness when abundant but actually increased diversity and facilitated native species when it was present but low in abundance (White & Shurin ). Comparatively, in subtidal habitats along the Northeast Pacific coast, S. muticum has been shown to alter community structure, including reducing the recruitment and density of kelps and other fleshy algae (Ambrose & Nelson ; De Wreede ; Britton‐Simmons ) as well as the abundance of urchins (Britton‐Simmons ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The putative impacts of the non‐native seaweed Sargassum muticum on native communities in tidepools of Southern California and investigation into the feasibility of local eradication

Smith

2015

Marine Ecology

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The ecological impacts of introduced seaweeds have been relatively understudied. Current research suggests that seaweed invasions often result in alterations of native marine communities and disruptions of normal ecosystem functioning, but the effects on native communities can vary among invasive seaweed species, among habitats and over small and large spatial scales. In this study, the impacts of Sargassum muticum, a non‐native brown alga introduced into southern California, USA, several decades ago, were examined by comparing community structure in rocky inter‐tidal pools with and without the seaweed. Sargassum muticum appeared to have little impact on the native community despite measures revealing changes in the abiotic conditions of pools, with S. muticum presence reducing light penetration and ameliorating pool temperature changes during low tides. In other regions and habitat types, S. muticum presence often, but not consistently, resulted in declines in macrophyte diversity and/or abundance and increases in faunal assemblages. The lack of effects of S. muticum in this study, combined with variable impacts by S. muticum and other invasive seaweeds worldwide, suggests that predicting the effects of introduced seaweeds is problematic and warrants further research. Regardless of the effects on native communities, there is often a desire to eradicate or control the spread of non‐native seaweeds. In this study, localized S. muticum eradication attempts, including manipulations of a native canopy and herbivorous urchins, proved unsuccessful as full recovery occurred in ~9 months. While eradication efforts conducted worldwide have resulted in mixed success, there is a trend that early detection and rapid response can increase success, highlighting a need for systematic monitoring and establishment of regional rapid response plans.

show abstract

Density dependent effects of an exotic marine macroalga on native community diversity

Cited by 41 publications

References 47 publications

Curvilinear Effects of Invasive Plants on Plant Diversity: Plant Community Invaded by Sphagneticola trilobata

Curvilinear Effects of Invasive Plants on Plant Diversity: Plant Community Invaded by Sphagneticola trilobata

Positive versus negative effects of an invasive ecosystem engineer on different components of a marine ecosystem

The putative impacts of the non‐native seaweed Sargassum muticum on native communities in tidepools of Southern California and investigation into the feasibility of local eradication

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About