The influence of native macroalgal canopies on the distribution and abundance of the non-native kelp Undaria pinnatifida in natural reef habitats

Leij, Rebecca De; Epstein, Graham; Brown, Matthew; Smale, Dan

doi:10.1007/s00227-017-3183-0

Cited by 27 publications

(30 citation statements)

References 71 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…This has been shown for Undaria , as its abundance and spread is limited by the presence of diverse, native macroalgae canopies (e.g. Castric‐Fey et al., ; De Leij et al., ; Russell et al., ; Valentine & Johnson, , ).…”

Section: Lessons Learnt For Wider Marine Invasion Ecologymentioning

confidence: 87%

“…Where it has invaded, this pioneer‐like trait is indicated by ecosystem stress or disturbance being key to Undaria 's recruitment into mixed canopy assemblages (Table ). In some cases, stress from eutrophic conditions has been shown to promote Undaria recruitment (Carnell & Keough, ; Curiel et al., ), while canopy disturbance is often a critical factor (De Leij et al., ; Edgar, Barrett, Morton, & Samson, ; Floc'h et al., ; Martin & Bastida, ; South & Thomsen, ; Thompson & Schiel, ; Valentine & Johnson, ). Experimental clearance of native kelp species within intertidal and subtidal environments in Australia and New Zealand caused Undaria to recruit into manipulated patches, while the following year Undaria declined and the native seaweeds started to recover (Thompson & Schiel, ; Valentine & Johnson, ).…”

Section: Undaria Pinnatifidamentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Undaria pinnatifida: A case study to highlight challenges in marine invasion ecology and management

Epstein

Smale

2017

Ecology and Evolution

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Marine invasion ecology and management have progressed significantly over the last 30 years although many knowledge gaps and challenges remain. The kelp Undaria pinnatifida, or “Wakame,” has a global non‐native range and is considered one of the world's “worst” invasive species. Since its first recorded introduction in 1971, numerous studies have been conducted on its ecology, invasive characteristics, and impacts, yet a general consensus on the best approach to its management has not yet been reached. Here, we synthesize current understanding of this highly invasive species and adopt Undaria as a case study to highlight challenges in wider marine invasion ecology and management. Invasive species such as Undaria are likely to continue to spread and become conspicuous, prominent components of coastal marine communities. While in many cases, marine invasive species have detectable deleterious impacts on recipient communities, in many others their influence is often limited and location specific. Although not yet conclusive, Undaria may cause some ecological impact, but it does not appear to drive ecosystem change in most invaded regions. Targeted management actions have also had minimal success. Further research is needed before well‐considered, evidence‐based management decisions can be made. However, if Undaria was to become officially unmanaged in parts of its non‐native range, the presence of a highly productive, habitat former with commercial value and a broad ecological niche, could have significant economic and even environmental benefit. How science and policy reacts to the continued invasion of Undaria may influence how similar marine invasive species are handled in the future.

show abstract

Section: Lessons Learnt For Wider Marine Invasion Ecologymentioning

confidence: 87%

Section: Undaria Pinnatifidamentioning

confidence: 99%

Undaria pinnatifida: A case study to highlight challenges in marine invasion ecology and management

Epstein

Smale

2017

Ecology and Evolution

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…However, several life‐history traits have been identified as key to rendering U. pinnatifida a successful invader (South et al., 2017; Wallentinus, 2007). It is an opportunistic species which can rapidly colonize disturbed habitats, as shown by experimental removal of native canopies (De Leij, Epstein, Brown, & Smale, 2017; South & Thomsen, 2016; Valentine & Johnson, 2003). This kelp displays a haploid–diploid life cycle, consisting of a large diploid sporophyte phase alternating with a microscopic haploid gametophyte phase.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…First, U. pinnatifida is usually less abundant in dense native macroalgal canopies. The native macroalgal canopies seem to resist invasion by U. pinnatifida , suggesting that this NIS is poorly competitive (De Leij et al., 2017; South & Thomsen, 2016). Second, spores and gametes of U. pinnatifida have very short life duration, thus limiting its ability to disperse by these natural means to distances of 1–100 m, although possible longer distance dispersal (1–10 km) might be possible through drifting mature thalli (Forrest, Brown, Taylor, Hurd, & Hay, 2000; Grulois, Lévêque, & Viard, 2011; Sliwa, Johnson, & Hewitt, 2006).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Population genomics of the introduced and cultivated Pacific kelp Undaria pinnatifida: Marinas—not farms—drive regional connectivity and establishment in natural rocky reefs

Guzinski

Ballenghien

Daguin‐Thiébaut

et al. 2018

Evolutionary Applications

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Ports and farms are well‐known primary introduction hot spots for marine non‐indigenous species (NIS). The extent to which these anthropogenic habitats are sustainable sources of propagules and influence the evolution of NIS in natural habitats was examined in the edible seaweed Undaria pinnatifida, native to Asia and introduced to Europe in the 1970s. Following its deliberate introduction 40 years ago along the French coast of the English Channel, this kelp is now found in three contrasting habitat types: farms, marinas and natural rocky reefs. In the light of the continuous spread of this NIS, it is imperative to better understand the processes behind its sustainable establishment in the wild. In addition, developing effective management plans to curtail the spread of U. pinnatifida requires determining how the three types of populations interact with one another. In addition to an analysis using microsatellite markers, we developed, for the first time in a kelp, a ddRAD‐sequencing technique to genotype 738 individuals sampled in 11 rocky reefs, 12 marinas, and two farms located along ca. 1,000 km of coastline. As expected, the RAD‐seq panel showed more power than the microsatellite panel for identifying fine‐grained patterns. However, both panels demonstrated habitat‐specific properties of the study populations. In particular, farms displayed very low genetic diversity and no inbreeding conversely to populations in marinas and natural rocky reefs. In addition, strong, but chaotic regional genetic structure, was revealed, consistent with human‐mediated dispersal (e.g., leisure boating). We also uncovered a tight relationship between populations in rocky reefs and those in nearby marinas, but not with nearby farms, suggesting spillover from marinas into the wild. At last, a temporal survey spanning 20 generations showed that wild populations are now self‐sustaining, albeit there was no evidence for local adaptation to any of the three habitats. These findings highlight that limiting the spread of U. pinnatifida requires efficient management policies that also target marinas.

show abstract

“…, De Leij et al. , Epstein and Smale ). These conclusions are, however, variable and context specific, and based largely on observational or correlative results; therefore, the effects of Undaria on recipient communities within this ecoregion could be greatly underestimated (Epstein and Smale and references therein).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Inconspicuous impacts: Widespread marine invader causes subtle but significant changes in native macroalgal assemblages

2019

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Invasive species are a major cause of global biodiversity decline; however, under certain environmental settings, some invaders can co‐exist with native species with little detectable impact. Even so, in many cases the realized impact of invasive species may be underestimated due to procedural or temporal constraints related to observation or experimentation. The invasive kelp, Undaria pinnatifida, is considered to have limited impact on macroalgal assemblages on rocky reefs of the northeast Atlantic, although this is largely based on correlative or observational findings. Here, a high intensity press‐removal manipulation was maintained for two years at a heavily invaded, Undaria dominated study site to improve current understanding of the potential impacts of Undaria on native macroalgal assemblages. Population and community effects as well as organismal performance effects (biochemical measures of condition and stress) were examined to investigate the potential for cryptic impacts. Where Undaria was removed, there was no difference in understory macroalgal assemblages; however, for three native kelp species, significant increases in abundance, biomass, and condition were recorded. The two perennial native kelps (Laminaria digitata and Saccharina latissima) exhibited small and inconsistent increases in all impact metrics where Undaria was removed, and therefore, the overall effects of Undaria on their populations are likely to be negligible. However, the native annual kelp, Saccorhiza polyschides, was consistently and significantly higher (3–6 times when compared to controls) in abundance and biomass under reduced competition from Undaria and exhibited significant changes in organismal‐level responses which indicated improved condition of sporophytes. Whether the potential replacement of this native species could alter ecosystem functioning requires further investigation. Targeted long‐term manipulative experiments can identify previously undetected impacts of invasive species in coastal ecosystems. Caution must be used when broadly classifying invasive species as having limited ecological impacts on recipient communities. Subtle impacts manifesting at the organism, population, and community levels should be considered before robust management prioritizations can be made.

show abstract

The influence of native macroalgal canopies on the distribution and abundance of the non-native kelp Undaria pinnatifida in natural reef habitats

Cited by 27 publications

References 71 publications

Undaria pinnatifida: A case study to highlight challenges in marine invasion ecology and management

Undaria pinnatifida: A case study to highlight challenges in marine invasion ecology and management

Population genomics of the introduced and cultivated Pacific kelp Undaria pinnatifida: Marinas—not farms—drive regional connectivity and establishment in natural rocky reefs

Inconspicuous impacts: Widespread marine invader causes subtle but significant changes in native macroalgal assemblages

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About