Global synthesis suggests that food web connectance correlates to invasion resistance

Smith‐Ramesh, Lauren M.; Moore, Alexandria C.; Schmitz, Oswald J.

doi:10.1111/gcb.13460

Cited by 65 publications

(53 citation statements)

References 59 publications

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“…Although introduced one century ago, a similar difference in trophic position between areas was also observed for the alien L. gibbosus, whereas it was much less evident for the native P. fluviatilis. In contrast, in accordance with previous studies indicating that ecosystems with low diversity and food-web complexity are more vulnerable to invasion (Smith-Ramesh, Moore, & Schmitz, 2017;Stachowicz, Whitlatch, & Osman, 1999), the introduced M. salmoides and L. gibbosus were observed to enjoy greater invasive success in North, where both fish diversity and fish diet overlaps were lower than in South. In contrast, in accordance with previous studies indicating that ecosystems with low diversity and food-web complexity are more vulnerable to invasion (Smith-Ramesh, Moore, & Schmitz, 2017;Stachowicz, Whitlatch, & Osman, 1999), the introduced M. salmoides and L. gibbosus were observed to enjoy greater invasive success in North, where both fish diversity and fish diet overlaps were lower than in South.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 91%

The role of alien fish (the centrarchidMicropterus salmoides)in lake food webs highlighted by stable isotope analysis

et al. 2018

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Non‐native freshwater fish species can have adverse ecological impacts on native populations. However, the mechanisms determining the success or otherwise of their invasion and their role in invaded communities remain largely unknown. This is particularly true for the Mediterranean region, where endemic species characterised by restricted natural ranges may be at high risk of extinction. The largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) is native to North America but is invasive in the Italian Peninsula. The aim of this study was to explore the trophic position of M. salmoides, its diet and niche overlap with native fish species in the littoral areas of a Mediterranean lake. Our study was supported by analysis of stable C and N isotopes in the tissues of fish and their potential food sources, twenty years after the introduction of the largemouth bass to Lake Bracciano (Italy). Samples were collected in locations varying in terms of physical structure and resource availability at lower trophic levels in the food web, which was greater in the southern (hereafter: South) than in the northern (hereafter: North) area of the lake. These differences made it possible to explore the mechanisms linking environmental conditions and the role of alien predators in the invaded food web. The abundance of M. salmoides was higher, and the diversity of native fish species was lower, in North than South. In North, M. salmoides had a piscivorous diet and occupied a higher trophic position in the food web than in South, where invertebrates constituted an important part of its diet. As a consequence, trophic niche interference with other fish species at intermediate trophic levels was higher in South. In contrast, in North, M. salmoides showed stronger trophic interference with the percid Perca fluviatilis, a native top predator in the food web, but weaker interference with remaining fish species. Our results help to understand the role of alien species in the food webs of Lake Bracciano, which primarily depends on the habitat and the availability of prey across trophic levels. Physical and ecological variations in the habitat were associated with differences in predatory interactions among native and alien fish species. This suggests that a reduction in productivity and biodiversity at lower trophic levels in lake food webs may favour the success of opportunistic invasive fish species, given the ability of the invaders to maintain some of their characteristics silent, and to fully express their genotype under favourable environmental conditions.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 91%

The role of alien fish (the centrarchidMicropterus salmoides)in lake food webs highlighted by stable isotope analysis

et al. 2018

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“…Despite calls for standardized impact definitions (e.g., Jeschke et al, ) and protocols (Barney et al, ; e.g., Kumschick et al, ), important gaps remain. For example, recording multiple metrics across a range of species and ecosystem processes (Barney, Tekiela, Dollete, & Tomasek, ), and placing invasive species within a food web context (Smith‐Ramesh et al, ), which affords more accurate accounting of the lateral (i.e., within a trophic level) and cascading (i.e., “up” and “down” trophic levels) impacts. This expanded understanding is requisite for appropriate and pragmatic management.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Invasive plants negatively impact native, but not exotic, animals

Fletcher

Brooks

Lakoba

et al. 2019

Global Change Biology

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Despite our growing understanding of the impacts of invasive plants on ecosystem structure and function, important gaps remain, including whether native and exotic species respond differently to plant invasion. This would elucidate basic ecological interactions and inform management. We performed a meta‐analytic review of the effects of invasive plants on native and exotic resident animals. We found that invasive plants reduced the abundance of native, but not exotic, animals. This varied by animal phyla, with invasive plants reducing the abundance of native annelids and chordates, but not mollusks or arthropods. We found dissimilar impacts among “wet” and “dry” ecosystems, but not among animal trophic levels. Additionally, the impact of invasive plants increased over time, but this did not vary with animal nativity. Our review found that no studies considered resident nativity differences, and most did not identify animals to species. We call for more rigorous studies of invaded community impacts across taxa, and most importantly, explicit consideration of resident biogeographic origin. We provide an important first insight into how native and exotic species respond differently to invasion, the consequences of which may facilitate cascading trophic disruptions further exacerbating global change consequences to ecosystem structure and function.

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“…Such complex interactions among disturbances could be common in human‐disturbed ecosystems. The more food web connections that are broken or altered by human‐induced disturbances, the larger the impact of invaders may be, as higher food web connectance correlates with invasion resistance (Smith‐Ramesh, Moore, & Schmitz, ). Evidence is currently building that invaders can have positive effects on disturbed ecosystems, with invaders replacing the function of lost or declining species, or providing new functions useful in the altered habitat (Carroll, ; Ramus, Silliman, Thomsen, & Long, ; Ricciardi et al., ; Schlaepfer, Sax, & Olden, ; Thomsen et al., ; Wallach et al., ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Environmental disturbance alters the ecological impact of an invading shrimp

2018

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Alien species are altering ecosystems around the globe. To predict and manage their impacts, the underlying mechanisms need to be understood. This is challenging in ecosystems undergoing multiple disturbances as unexpected interactions can alter the impact of individual disturbances. Such interactions are likely to be common in disturbed ecosystems, but have so far received little attention. We investigated whether interactions between an invading shrimp Palaemon elegans and another human‐induced disturbance, the population growth of a native mesopredator, the threespine stickleback, influences a third human‐induced disturbance, the increase in biomass of filamentous algae. Increases in both the native mesopredator population and algal biomass have been promoted by eutrophication and a trophic cascade triggered by declining predatory fish stocks. We used mesocosm and field enclosure experiments, combined with analyses of long‐term trends in the abundance of the invader and the native mesopredator, to dissect the influence of the two species on algal biomass when alone and when co‐occurring. The impact of the invader on algal biomass depended on the native mesopredator; shrimp on their own had no effect on algal growth, but mitigated algae accumulation when competing with the stickleback for resources. Competition caused the shrimp to shift its diet from grazers to algae, and its habitat choice from open to vegetated habitats. The native mesopredator, in contrast, increased algal biomass irrespective of the presence of the invader, by preying on grazers and inducing a trophic cascade. Our results show that the presence of a native mesopredator causes an invader to alter its behaviour and thereby its ecological impact. This demonstrates that interactions between invaders and other anthropogenic disturbances can alter the ecological impact of invaders, and, notably, that the impact of invaders can be positive and stabilize disturbed ecosystems. These results stress the importance of considering interactions among disturbances when investigating the ecological impact of alien species. A http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/1365-2435.13078/suppinfo is available for this article.

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Global synthesis suggests that food web connectance correlates to invasion resistance

Cited by 65 publications

References 59 publications

The role of alien fish (the centrarchidMicropterus salmoides)in lake food webs highlighted by stable isotope analysis

The role of alien fish (the centrarchidMicropterus salmoides)in lake food webs highlighted by stable isotope analysis

Invasive plants negatively impact native, but not exotic, animals

Environmental disturbance alters the ecological impact of an invading shrimp

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