Mixed species diets enhance the growth of two rocky intertidal herbivores

Aquilino, Kristin M.; Coulbourne, Meghan E.; Stachowicz, John J.

doi:10.3354/meps09893

Cited by 17 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 62 publications

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“…over the other 4 species of algae, which might be slower-growing and chemically or structurally defended (Watanabe 1984, Steinberg 1985. Similar feeding preferences were found in a recent laboratory study, despite minor differences in the rankings of algae (Aquilino et al 2012). …”

Section: Tidepoolssupporting

confidence: 81%

Trait-mediated indirect interactions among residents of rocky shore tidepools

Morgan

Gravem²,

Lipus³

et al. 2016

Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser.

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Trait-mediated indirect interactions (TMIIs) are an important component of food web structure and dynamics. We determined whether TMIIs occur in rocky tidepool communities on the west coast of the USA. In the laboratory, both adults and juveniles of the keystone predator Pisaster ochraceus and adults of a smaller predatory seastar Leptasterias spp. caused the abundant herbivorous snail Tegula funebralis to stop foraging and flee the water, inducing a positive TMII on micro-and macroalgae. Snails preferred 3 common species of macroalgae (Ulva lactuca, Cladophora columbiana and Porphyra spp.) over 4 others, indicating that seastars might provide the strongest benefits to these species in tidepools. In the laboratory, snails responded rapidly to both species of predatory seastars and many more snails responded than could be eaten; thus, there is a potential for TMIIs to occur in natural populations. Snails responded to waterborne cues from P. ochraceus by reducing grazing and leaving still water, and reducing grazing in laminar flow (0.5 l min −1 ), resulting in TMII effects at least as far as 75 cm away. Adult P. ochraceus and Leptasterias spp. introduced to tidepools during low tide induced many snails to flee the tidepools. Considerable individual variation occurred in the responses of snails. Medium and large snails mediated TMIIs and hungry snails were marginally less responsive to seastars potentially altering TMII strength in nature. Thus, we demonstrated that TMIIs could occur in natural tidepools and showed how predator and algal identity, predator and prey size, water flow and prey hunger level may influence these TMIIs.KEY WORDS: Trait-mediated indirect interaction · Predator-prey interaction · Chemical cue Community structure · Rocky intertidal tidepools · Nonconsumptive effect OPEN PEN ACCESS CCESS

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Section: Tidepoolssupporting

confidence: 81%

Trait-mediated indirect interactions among residents of rocky shore tidepools

Morgan

Gravem²,

Lipus³

et al. 2016

Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser.

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“…The densities of these co‐occurring crabs vary greatly between and within marshes in southern California (Zedler 1982, DeRivera 2003, Wasson et al 2019). Rocky shore populations of P. crassipes graze macroalgae (Aquilino et al 2012), and salt marsh populations consume macroalgae, horn snails ( Cerithidea californica ), detritus, conspecifics, and small invertebrates (Willason 1981, Zedler 1982, Sousa 1993, Boyer and Fong 2005). However, no studies have specifically measured herbivory on plants by salt marsh populations of P. crassipes .…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Local and regional variation in effects of burrowing crabs on plant community structure

Walker

Rinehart

White

et al. 2020

Ecology

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Burrowing animals can profoundly influence the structure of surrounding communities, as well as the performance of individual species. Changes in the community structure of burrowing animals or plants together with changing abiotic parameters could shift the influence of burrowers on surrounding habitats. For example, prior studies in salt marshes suggest that fiddler crabs stimulate cordgrass production, but leaf‐grazing crabs suppress cordgrass production. Unfortunately, testing this prediction and others are impeded because few studies have examined crab impacts on the plant community and across multiple sites, multiple years, or both. This challenges our ability to predict how burrowing animals will influence plant community structure, and when and where these impacts will occur. We manipulated the densities of the dominant burrowing crabs in plant assemblages dominated by Pacific cordgrass (Spartina foliosa) and perennial pickleweed (Sarcocornia pacifica) at three sites in southern California for three years (2016, 2017, 2018). Crab impacts on plant community structure differed among each of our three sites. In contrast to our predictions, (1) leaf‐grazing crabs (Pachygrapsus crassipes) had positive effects on cordgrass cover at one site and no effect on cordgrass production at a nearby site in the same marsh and (2) fiddler crabs (Uca crenulata) did not stimulate cordgrass production at another marsh. Because crabs affected traits of cordgrass, but not pickleweed, in the direction consistent with changes in cordgrass cover, we propose that marsh‐specific crab effects on community structure were largely mediated through changes in cordgrass, as opposed to pickleweed. Importantly, crabs facilitated cordgrass during marsh‐wide cordgrass loss, suggesting that crabs may mitigate environmental stress for this ecologically important plant. Because cordgrass abundance can be a critical measure of marsh functioning and is often a restoration target, we suggest that managing cordgrass populations would benefit from additional information about crab populations and their impacts among years, and among and within marshes.

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“…Moreover, nutrient deficiency in nutrient-poor environments may constrain herbivore growth and reproduction (Elser et al 2000 ; Fink and von Elert 2006 ), thereby resulting in a weaker top-down control. However, nutrient enrichment often leads to reduced plant and algal diversity (Worm et al 2002 ; Hautier et al 2009 ; Groendahl and Fink 2017 ) and to dominance of less nutritious algal taxa in aquatic environments (Smith 2003 ; Iannino et al 2020 ), which can also be harmful for herbivore growth and fitness (Müller-Navarra et al 2000 ; Unsicker et al 2010 ; Aquilino et al 2012 ). Therefore, the reduced foraging movements of herbivores caused by eutrophication may be further modified by complex long-term outcomes that require further investigation.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Resource-dependent foraging behaviour of grazers enhances effects of nutrient enrichment on algal biomass

et al. 2023

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Both the quantity and nutritional quality of food resources can strongly influence the foraging movements of herbivores, which in turn determine the strength of top-down control on primary producer biomass. Nutrient enrichment can alter the biomass and nutritional quality of primary producers, but the consequences for the foraging of herbivores and hence for top-down control are still poorly understood. In this study, we combined a two-factorial experiment (two nutrient levels × grazing by the freshwater gastropod Ancylus fluviatilis) with video analyses tracking grazers’ movements to investigate nutrient enrichment effects on spatial ranges of grazing activity and algal biomass removal. Natural stream biofilms were grown in phosphorus-enriched (P+) and phosphorus-poor flumes (P−) for two weeks before A. fluviatilis were added to the flumes and allowed to graze on biofilm for an additional 2 weeks. Total periphyton biomass was enhanced by P+ and reduced by grazer presence. However, the total grazer effect depended on the nutrient level: at the end of the experiment, on average 95% of algal cover were removed by grazing in the P− flumes versus 26% in the P+ flumes. Fast movements of A. fluviatilis were detected significantly more often in the P− treatment, whereas grazers were detected resting more often in the P+ treatment. Our results demonstrate that nutrient enrichment can increase primary producer biomass both directly and indirectly by limiting the foraging ranges of herbivores. The resulting feedback loop between reduced grazing activity and increased plant biomass might in turn exacerbate eutrophication effects on habitat structure.

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Mixed species diets enhance the growth of two rocky intertidal herbivores

Cited by 17 publications

References 62 publications

Trait-mediated indirect interactions among residents of rocky shore tidepools

Trait-mediated indirect interactions among residents of rocky shore tidepools

Local and regional variation in effects of burrowing crabs on plant community structure

Resource-dependent foraging behaviour of grazers enhances effects of nutrient enrichment on algal biomass

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