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Carneiro L, Miiller NOR, Cuthbert RN, Vitule JRS. Biological invasions negatively impact global protected areas. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 948:174823. [PMID: 39019276 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.174823] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2024] [Revised: 06/24/2024] [Accepted: 07/13/2024] [Indexed: 07/19/2024]
Abstract
Protected areas underpin global biodiversity conservation and sustainability agendas. Biological invasions increasingly threaten the ecological functioning and long-term conservation value of protected areas, while a lack of information on impact impedes management decisions. We collated data from effects of biological invasions in protected areas to provide the first quantitative analysis of their global impacts. Based on 300 reported effects from 44 invasive species, we show that there are overall negative impacts from invasive species on both biotic and abiotic characteristics of protected areas globally. Impacts were pervasive across population, community, and ecosystem scales, and for the vast majority of invasive taxa with sufficient data. Negative impacts have been incurred around the world, with National Parks and World Heritage Sites in the Neartic and Neotropical regions the most studied. Notwithstanding context-dependencies and uneven research efforts, the recurrent negative impacts of invasive species indicate that current efforts are insufficient to curb current stressors and meet conservation and sustainability targets on land and in water. To address the risk of biological invasions in protected areas, it is imperative to prioritise fundamental research on ecological interactions, establish robust monitoring and prevention programs, and raise awareness through global initiatives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laís Carneiro
- Laboratório de Ecologia e Conservação, Departamento de Engenharia Ambiental, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Brazil; Programa de Pós-graduação em Ecologia e Conservação, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Brazil.
| | - Natali O R Miiller
- Laboratório de Ecologia e Conservação, Departamento de Engenharia Ambiental, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Brazil; Programa de Pós-graduação em Ecologia e Conservação, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Brazil
| | - Ross N Cuthbert
- Institute for Global Food Security, School of Biological Sciences, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast BT9 5DL, United Kingdom
| | - Jean R S Vitule
- Laboratório de Ecologia e Conservação, Departamento de Engenharia Ambiental, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Brazil; Programa de Pós-graduação em Ecologia e Conservação, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Brazil
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2
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Flood PJ, Loftus WF, Trexler JC. Do community changes persist after irruptive population dynamics? A case study from an invasive species boom and bust. Oecologia 2024:10.1007/s00442-024-05582-3. [PMID: 38972958 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-024-05582-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2023] [Accepted: 06/07/2024] [Indexed: 07/09/2024]
Abstract
Irruptive or boom-and-bust population dynamics, also known as 'outbreaks', are an important phenomenon that has been noted in biological invasions at least since Charles Elton's classic book was published in 1958. Community-level consequences of irruptive dynamics are poorly documented and invasive species provide excellent systems for their study. African Jewelfish (Rubricatochromis letourneuxi, "jewelfish") are omnivores that demonstrate opportunistic carnivory, first reported in Florida in the 1960s and in Everglades National Park (ENP) in 2000. Twelve years after invasion in ENP, jewelfish underwent a 25-fold increase in density in one year. By 2016, jewelfish represented 25-50% of fish biomass. Using a 43-year fish community dataset at two sites (1978-2021), and a 25-year dataset of fish and invertebrate communities from the same drainage (1996-2021), with additional spatial coverage, we quantified differences in fish and invertebrate communities during different phases of invasion. During jewelfish boom, abundant, native cyprinodontiform fishes decreased in density and drove changes in community structure as measured by similarity of relativized abundance. Density of two species declined by > 70%, while four declined by 50-62%. Following the jewelfish bust, some species recovered to pre-boom densities while others did not. Diversity of recovery times produced altered community structure that lagged for at least four years after the jewelfish population declined. Community structure is an index of ecological functions such as resilience, productivity, and species interaction webs; therefore, these results demonstrate that irruptive population dynamics can alter ecological functions of ecosystems mediated by community structure for years following that population's decline.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter J Flood
- Department of Biological Sciences and Institute of Environment, Florida International University, North Miami, FL, USA.
- School for Environment and Sustainability, University of Michigan, 440 Church St, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA.
| | | | - Joel C Trexler
- Department of Biological Sciences and Institute of Environment, Florida International University, North Miami, FL, USA
- Coastal and Marine Laboratory, Florida State University, St. Teresa, FL, USA
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3
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Peller T, Altermatt F. Invasive species drive cross-ecosystem effects worldwide. Nat Ecol Evol 2024; 8:1087-1097. [PMID: 38503866 DOI: 10.1038/s41559-024-02380-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2023] [Accepted: 02/13/2024] [Indexed: 03/21/2024]
Abstract
Invasive species are pervasive around the world and have profound impacts on the ecosystem they invade. Invasive species, however, can also have impacts beyond the ecosystem they invade by altering the flow of non-living materials (for example, nutrients or chemicals) or movement of organisms across the boundaries of the invaded ecosystem. Cross-ecosystem interactions via spatial flows are ubiquitous in nature, for example, connecting forests and lakes, grasslands and rivers, and coral reefs and the deep ocean. Yet, we have a limited understanding of the cross-ecosystem impacts invasive species have relative to their local effects. By synthesizing emerging evidence, here we demonstrate the cross-ecosystem impacts of invasive species as a ubiquitous phenomenon that influences biodiversity and ecosystem functioning around the world. We identify three primary ways by which invasive species have cross-ecosystem effects: first, by altering the magnitude of spatial flows across ecosystem boundaries; second, by altering the quality of spatial flows; and third, by introducing novel spatial flows. Ultimately, the strong impacts invasive species can drive across ecosystem boundaries suggests the need for a paradigm shift in how we study and manage invasive species around the world, expanding from a local to a cross-ecosystem perspective.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tianna Peller
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland.
- Department of Aquatic Ecology, Eawag: Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, Dübendorf, Switzerland.
| | - Florian Altermatt
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland.
- Department of Aquatic Ecology, Eawag: Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, Dübendorf, Switzerland.
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4
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Chen X, Evans TG, Jeschke JM, Jähnig SC, He F. Global introductions and environmental impacts of freshwater megafish. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2024; 30:e17289. [PMID: 38660818 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.17289] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2023] [Revised: 03/28/2024] [Accepted: 04/06/2024] [Indexed: 04/26/2024]
Abstract
Freshwater megafish species, such as sturgeons, salmonids, carps, and catfishes, have a maximum reported weight ≥30 kg. Due to their charisma and economic value, they have been widely introduced outside of their native ranges. Here, we provide a comprehensive overview of the introduction of freshwater megafish and an assessment of their environmental impacts. Of the 134 extant freshwater megafish species, 46% have been introduced to new environments, and of these, 69% have established self-sustaining alien populations. These introductions affect 59% of the world's main basins, with the USA and western Europe being particular hotspots of megafish introductions. The common carp (Cyprinus carpio) is the most widely introduced species. Using the Environmental Impact Classification for Alien Taxa (EICAT and EICAT+) frameworks, we assessed the severity and type of negative and positive impacts posed by alien megafish on native species. Alien megafish caused negative impacts through nine different mechanisms, with predation being the most frequently reported mechanism, followed by herbivory and competition. Moreover, 58% of the alien megafish species with sufficient data to evaluate the severity of their impacts caused declining populations of native species, or worse, extirpations of native species populations. The positive environmental impacts of alien megafish were far less frequently documented. They include biotic interactions that benefit native species, and the provision of trophic resources or habitats. Widely introduced or extensively studied species are more likely to have documented severe impacts on native species. There is a clear trade-off between the economic benefits associated with megafish introductions and the severe adverse impacts they have on native biodiversity. Our study highlights the need for comprehensive risk assessments to evaluate the potential environmental impacts of megafish. More research and long-term monitoring schemes are required to inform management actions to protect biodiversity, particularly in the Global South.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xing Chen
- Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries, Berlin, Germany
- Institute of Biology, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Thomas G Evans
- Institute of Biology, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Jonathan M Jeschke
- Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries, Berlin, Germany
- Institute of Biology, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Sonja C Jähnig
- Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries, Berlin, Germany
- Geography Department, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Fengzhi He
- Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries, Berlin, Germany
- Geography Department, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- State Key Laboratory of Black Soils Conservation and Utilization, Key Laboratory of Wetland Ecology and Environment, Northeast Institute of Geography and Agroecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun, China
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5
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Zhang H, Yang J, Zhang L, Gu X, Zhang X. Citizen science meets eDNA: A new boom in research exploring urban wetland biodiversity. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND ECOTECHNOLOGY 2023; 16:100275. [PMID: 37213810 PMCID: PMC10196805 DOI: 10.1016/j.ese.2023.100275] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2022] [Revised: 03/17/2023] [Accepted: 03/19/2023] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
•eDNA citizen science provides a comprehensive picture of the biodiversity.•Non-native species reduced the local fish diversity in urban wetlands.•Expanding water area can improve wetland biodiversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haowen Zhang
- Nanjing Foreign Language School, 30 East Beijing Road, Xuanwu District, Nanjing, 210008, China
| | - Jianghua Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control & Resource, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing University Xianlin Campus, 163 Xianlin Avenue, Nanjing, 210023, China
- Corresponding author.
| | - Lijuan Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control & Resource, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing University Xianlin Campus, 163 Xianlin Avenue, Nanjing, 210023, China
| | - Xueping Gu
- Nanjing Foreign Language School, 30 East Beijing Road, Xuanwu District, Nanjing, 210008, China
| | - Xiaowei Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control & Resource, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing University Xianlin Campus, 163 Xianlin Avenue, Nanjing, 210023, China
- Jiangsu Province Ecology and Environment Protection Key Laboratory of Chemical Safety and Health Risk, Nanjing, 210023, China
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Nile Tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus Linnaeus, 1758) Invasion Caused Trophic Structure Disruptions of Fish Communities in the South China River—Pearl River. BIOLOGY 2022; 11:biology11111665. [DOI: 10.3390/biology11111665] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2022] [Revised: 11/07/2022] [Accepted: 11/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Widespread introductions of non-native species, including aquaculture and ornamental species, threaten biodiversity and ecosystem functioning by modifying the trophic structure of communities. In this study, we quantified the multiple facets of trophic disruption in freshwater communities invaded by Nile tilapia, by comparing uninvaded and invaded rivers downstream of the Pearl River, China. Nile tilapia invasion reduced the trophic status of native fish species by forcing native herbivores and planktivores to seek new food sources. The food chain was also shortened by decreasing the trophic levels of native invertivores, omnivores, and piscivores, while the total isotopic niche area (TA) of native invertivores, omnivores, piscivores, and planktivores species also decreased. Simultaneously, Nile tilapia invasion affected the isotopic diversity of the fish community. Decreasing isotopic richness (IRic), isotopic evenness (IEve), and increasing isotopic uniqueness (IUni) indicated that Nile tilapia had a high trophic niche overlap with native species and competed with native species for food resources, and even caused the compression of the trophic niche of native species. Understanding the process described in this study is essential to conserve the stability of freshwater ecosystems, and improve the control strategy of alien aquatic organisms in south China.
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Lagerstrom KM, Vance S, Cornwell BH, Ruffley M, Bellagio T, Exposito-Alonso M, Palumbi SR, Hadly EA. From coral reefs to Joshua trees: What ecological interactions teach us about the adaptive capacity of biodiversity in the Anthropocene. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2022; 377:20210389. [PMID: 35757872 PMCID: PMC9234817 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2021.0389] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
The pervasive loss of biodiversity in the Anthropocene necessitates rapid assessments of ecosystems to understand how they will respond to anthropogenic environmental change. Many studies have sought to describe the adaptive capacity (AC) of individual species, a measure that encompasses a species’ ability to respond and adapt to change. Only those adaptive mechanisms that can be used over the next few decades (e.g. via novel interactions, behavioural changes, hybridization, migration, etc.) are relevant to the timescale set by the rapid changes of the Anthropocene. The impacts of species loss cascade through ecosystems, yet few studies integrate the capacity of ecological networks to adapt to change with the ACs of its species. Here, we discuss three ecosystems and how their ecological networks impact the AC of species and vice versa. A more holistic perspective that considers the AC of species with respect to their ecological interactions and functions will provide more predictive power and a deeper understanding of what factors are most important to a species’ survival. We contend that the AC of a species, combined with its role in ecosystem function and stability, must guide decisions in assigning ‘risk’ and triaging biodiversity loss in the Anthropocene. This article is part of the theme issue ‘Ecological complexity and the biosphere: the next 30 years’.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Summer Vance
- Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Brendan H Cornwell
- Hopkins Marine Station of Stanford University, Pacific Grove, CA 93950, USA
| | - Megan Ruffley
- Department of Plant Biology, Carnegie Institution for Science, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Tatiana Bellagio
- Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA.,Department of Plant Biology, Carnegie Institution for Science, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Moi Exposito-Alonso
- Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA.,Department of Plant Biology, Carnegie Institution for Science, Stanford, CA 94305, USA.,Department of Global Ecology, Carnegie Institution for Science, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Stephen R Palumbi
- Hopkins Marine Station of Stanford University, Pacific Grove, CA 93950, USA
| | - Elizabeth A Hadly
- Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA.,Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA.,Center for Innovation in Global Health, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
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8
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Clark‐Wolf TJ, Hahn PG, Brelsford E, Francois J, Hayes N, Larkin B, Ramsey P, Pearson DE. Preventing a series of unfortunate events: using qualitative models to improve conservation. J Appl Ecol 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2664.14231] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- T. J. Clark‐Wolf
- Wildlife Biology Program, Department of Ecosystem and Conservation Sciences, W.A. Franke College of Forestry and Conservation University of Montana Missoula, MT 59812 USA
- Current Address: Center for Ecosystem Sentinels, Department of Biology University of Washington Seattle, WA 98195 USA
| | - Philip G. Hahn
- Department of Entomology and Nematology University of Florida Gainesville, FL 32608 USA
| | - Eric Brelsford
- Stamen, 2017 Mission St Suite 300 San Francisco, CA 94110 USA
| | - Jaleen Francois
- Stamen, 2017 Mission St Suite 300 San Francisco, CA 94110 USA
| | - Nicolette Hayes
- Stamen, 2017 Mission St Suite 300 San Francisco, CA 94110 USA
| | - Beau Larkin
- MPG Ranch, 19400 Lower Woodchuck Road Florence, MT 59833 USA
| | - Philip Ramsey
- MPG Ranch, 19400 Lower Woodchuck Road Florence, MT 59833 USA
| | - Dean E. Pearson
- Rocky Mountain Research Station, U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service Missoula, MT 59801 USA
- Division of Biological Sciences University of Montana Missoula, MT 59812 USA
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9
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Richmond JQ, Swift CC, Wake TA, Brehme CS, Preston KL, Kus BE, Ervin EL, Tremor S, Matsuda T, Fisher RN. Impacts of a Non-indigenous Ecosystem Engineer, the American Beaver (Castor canadensis), in a Biodiversity Hotspot. FRONTIERS IN CONSERVATION SCIENCE 2021. [DOI: 10.3389/fcosc.2021.752400] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Non-native species having high per capita impacts in invaded communities are those that modulate resource availability and alter disturbance regimes in ways that are biologically incompatible with the native biota. In areas where it has been introduced by humans, American beaver (Castor canadensis) is an iconic example of such species due to its capacity to alter trophic dynamics of entire ecosystems and create new invasional pathways for other non-native species. The species is problematic in several watersheds within the Southern California-Northern Baja California Coast Ecoregion, a recognized hotspot of biodiversity, due to its ability to modify habitat in ways that favor invasive predators and competitors over the region's native species and habitat. Beaver was deliberately introduced across California in the mid-1900s and generally accepted as non-native to the region up to the early 2000s; however, articles promoting the idea that beaver may be a natural resident have gained traction in recent years, due in large part to the species' charismatic nature rather than by presentation of sound evidence. Here, we discuss the problems associated with beaver disturbance and its effects on conserving the region's native fauna and flora. We refute arguments underlying the claim that beaver is native to the region, and review paleontological, zooarchaeological, and historical survey data from renowned field biologists and naturalists over the past ~160 years to show that no evidence exists that beaver arrived by any means other than deliberate human introduction. Managing this ecosystem engineer has potential to reduce the richness and abundance of other non-native species because the novel, engineered habitat now supporting these species would diminish in beaver-occupied watersheds. At the same time, hydrologic functionality would shift toward more natural, ephemeral conditions that favor the regions' native species while suppressing the dominance of the most insidious invaders.
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Species invasion progressively disrupts the trophic structure of native food webs. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2021; 118:2102179118. [PMID: 34725150 PMCID: PMC8609295 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2102179118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2021] [Accepted: 09/14/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Invasive species are a leading cause of biodiversity loss, yet the mechanisms by which invaders progressively disrupt ecosystems and native species remain unclear. Using an extensive isotope dataset across multiple ecosystems and stages of invasion, we show that an invasive fish predator (lake trout) disrupted food webs by forcing native fishes to feed on suboptimal food sources in different habitats, resulting in the functional extirpation of the native predator, threatened bull trout. Our results provide insights into the magnitude, direction, and timing of food web disruption from invasive species and will be important for predicting ecosystem consequences of species invasions. Species invasions can have substantial impacts on native species and ecosystems, with important consequences for biodiversity. How these disturbances drive changes in the trophic structure of native food webs through time is poorly understood. Here, we quantify trophic disruption in freshwater food webs to invasion by an apex fish predator, lake trout, using an extensive stable isotope dataset across a natural gradient of uninvaded and invaded lakes in the northern Rocky Mountains, USA. Lake trout invasion increased fish diet variability (trophic dispersion), displaced native fishes from their reference diets (trophic displacement), and reorganized macroinvertebrate communities, indicating strong food web disruption. Trophic dispersion was greatest 25 to 50 y after colonization and dissipated as food webs stabilized in later stages of invasion (>50 y). For the native apex predator, bull trout, trophic dispersion preceded trophic displacement, leading to their functional loss in late-invasion food webs. Our results demonstrate how invasive species progressively disrupt native food webs via trophic dispersion and displacement, ultimately yielding biological communities strongly divergent from those in uninvaded ecosystems.
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11
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Of olives and carp: interactive effects of an aquatic and a terrestrial invader on a stream‐riparian ecosystem. Ecosphere 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.3789] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
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Wang J, Chen L, Tang W, Heino J, Jiang X. Effects of dam construction and fish invasion on the species, functional and phylogenetic diversity of fish assemblages in the Yellow River Basin. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2021; 293:112863. [PMID: 34289589 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2021.112863] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2021] [Revised: 05/19/2021] [Accepted: 05/20/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
An understanding of the consequences of human-mediated disturbances from multi-facet diversity (i.e. species, functional and phylogenetic) perspectives is of great significance in biodiversity assessment and conservation planning. Most previous studies have concentrated on anthropogenic effects on species diversity in the Yellow River Basin (YRB) in China, but information on anthropogenic effects on phylogenetic and functional facets is still pending. Here, we identified the temporal changes in species, functional, and phylogenetic alpha diversity of fish assemblages in 18 reaches (i.e. 15 mainstream reaches and 3 tributaries) of the YRB under the background of long-term cascade hydropower construction and widespread introduction of non-native fish species. The results showed that native fishes experienced a sharp decline through time, with an average of 25.6 (extirpation rate 46.7%) native species extirpated per sub-region, and 89 of 182 (48.9%) native species extirpated across the whole basin during the period considered. However, the number of non-native fish species substantially increased, with an average increase of 8.6 species (invasion rate 26.9%) per sub-region. Furthermore, the percentage of non-native species showed a significant unimodal relationship with average altitude, with highest invasion rates (ca. 70%) in upstream reaches. The extirpation rate was negatively related to altitude, increasing from upstream to downstream reaches. Interestingly, the functional diversity indices (FEve, FDiv, FDis, RaoQ) and phylogenetic diversity indices (Δ+ and Λ+) of the entire fish fauna significantly increased through time, whereas these indices based on native fish fauna only did not change. Such increases in functional and phylogenetic diversities were mainly triggered by introductions of non-native species, which were functionally distinct and phylogenetically distant from native species, and extirpation of congeneric endemic species. In general, the present study revealed anthropogenic impacts on the multi-faceted diversity of fish assemblages in a large river and highlighted the negative effects of cascaded hydropower developments and non-native fish invasions on native fish. Moreover, evaluating the responses of multi-faceted diversity to anthropogenic disturbances is a suitable means to understand assemblage reorganization and to assess how such impacts lead to the decline of biodiversity. The complementary information derived from using the multi-faceted diversity approach indicate functional and phylogenetic diversity measures could be implemented in biodiversity planning in the sediment-laden and ecologically important Yellow River Basin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Eco-hydraulic in Northwest Arid Region of China, Xi'an University of Technology, Xi'an, 710048, Shaanxi, China
| | - Liang Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Eco-hydraulic in Northwest Arid Region of China, Xi'an University of Technology, Xi'an, 710048, Shaanxi, China
| | - Wenjia Tang
- Qinghai Ecological Environment Monitoring Center, Xining, 810007, China
| | - Jani Heino
- Finnish Environment Institute, Freshwater Institute, Paavo Havaksen Tie 3, FI-90570, Oulu, Finland
| | - Xiaoming Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of Eco-hydraulic in Northwest Arid Region of China, Xi'an University of Technology, Xi'an, 710048, Shaanxi, China.
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13
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Presence of Microplastics in the Food Web of the Largest High-Elevation Lake in North America. WATER 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/w13030264] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Microplastics have been documented in aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems throughout the world. However, few studies have investigated microplastics in freshwater fish diets. In this study, water samples and three trophic levels of a freshwater food web were investigated for microplastic presence: amphipods (Gammarus lacustris), Yellowstone cutthroat trout (Oncorhynchus clarkii bouvieri), and lake trout (Salvelinus namaycush). Microplastics and other anthropogenic materials were documented in water samples, amphipods, and fish, then confirmed using FTIR (Fourier-transform infrared) and Raman spectroscopy. Our findings confirmed the presence of microplastics and other anthropogenic materials in three trophic levels of a freshwater food web in a high-elevation lake in a national park, which corroborates recent studies implicating the global distribution of microplastics. This study further illustrates the need for global action regarding the appropriate manufacturing, use, and disposal of plastics to minimize the effects of plastics on the environment.
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14
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Lam SS, Chew KW, Show PL, Ma NL, Ok YS, Peng W, Alstrup AKO, Adams DH, Rinklebe J, Sonne C. Environmental management of two of the world's most endangered marine and terrestrial predators: Vaquita and cheetah. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2020; 190:109966. [PMID: 32829186 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2020.109966] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2020] [Revised: 07/16/2020] [Accepted: 07/16/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Two of the world most endangered marine and terrestrial species are at the brink of extinction. The vaquita (Phocoena sinus) is the smallest existing cetacean and the population has declined to barely 22 individuals now remaining in Mexico's Gulf of California. With the ongoing decline, it is likely to go extinct within few years. The primary threat to this species has been mortality as a result of by-catch from gillnet fishing as well as environmental toxic chemicals and disturbance. This has called for the need to establish a National Park within the Gulf of California to expand essential habitat and provide the critical ecosystem protection for vaquita to thrive and multiply, given that proper conservation enforcement and management of the park are accomplished. In the terrestrial environment, the cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus) is reduced to a low number worldwide with the Iran subpopulation currently listed as Critically Endangered and the Indian subpopulation already extinct. There is a need for conservation efforts due to habitat loss, but also an indication of the conspicuous threat of illegal trade and trafficking from Africa and Arab countries in the Middle East. Funds have also been set up to provide refuges for the cheetah by working directly with farmers and landowners, which is a critical movement in adaptive management. These are the potential options for the preservation and possibly the expansion of the overall vaquita and cheetah populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Su Shiung Lam
- Henan Province Engineering Research Center for Biomass Value-added Products, School of Forestry, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, 450002, China; Pyrolysis Technology Research Group, Institute of Tropical Aquaculture and Fisheries (AKUATROP), Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, 21030, Kuala Nerus, Terengganu, Malaysia
| | - Kit Wayne Chew
- School of Energy and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University Malaysia, Jalan Sunsuria, Bandar Sunsuria, 43900, Sepang, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Pau Loke Show
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Science and Engineering, University of Nottingham Malaysia, Jalan Broga, 43500, Semenyih, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Nyuk Ling Ma
- Henan Province Engineering Research Center for Biomass Value-added Products, School of Forestry, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, 450002, China; Faculty of Science & Marine Environment, Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, 21030, Kuala Nerus, Terengganu, Malaysia
| | - Yong Sik Ok
- Henan Province Engineering Research Center for Biomass Value-added Products, School of Forestry, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, 450002, China; Korea Biochar Research Center & Division of Environmental Science and Ecological Engineering, Korea University, Seoul, 02841, Republic of Korea
| | - Wanxi Peng
- Henan Province Engineering Research Center for Biomass Value-added Products, School of Forestry, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, 450002, China
| | - Aage K O Alstrup
- Aarhus University Hospital, Department of Nuclear Medicine and PET, Palle Juul-Jensens Boulevard 99, DK-8200, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Douglas H Adams
- Cape Canaveral Scientific, 220 Surf Road, Melbourne Beach, Florida, 32951, USA
| | - Jörg Rinklebe
- University of Wuppertal, School of Architecture and Civil Engineering, Institute of Foundation Engineering, Water- and Waste-Management, Soil- and Groundwater-Management, Pauluskirchstraße 7, 42285, Wuppertal, Germany; Department of Environment, Energy, and Geoinformatics, Sejong University, Seoul, 05006, Republic of Korea
| | - Christian Sonne
- Henan Province Engineering Research Center for Biomass Value-added Products, School of Forestry, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, 450002, China; Department of Bioscience, Arctic Research Centre (ARC), Aarhus University, Faculty of Science and Technology, Frederiksborgvej 399, PO Box 358, DK-4000, Roskilde, Denmark.
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15
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Herrera-R GA, Oberdorff T, Anderson EP, Brosse S, Carvajal-Vallejos FM, Frederico RG, Hidalgo M, Jézéquel C, Maldonado M, Maldonado-Ocampo JA, Ortega H, Radinger J, Torrente-Vilara G, Zuanon J, Tedesco PA. The combined effects of climate change and river fragmentation on the distribution of Andean Amazon fishes. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2020; 26:5509-5523. [PMID: 32785968 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.15285] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2019] [Revised: 06/04/2020] [Accepted: 06/30/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Upstream range shifts of freshwater fishes have been documented in recent years due to ongoing climate change. River fragmentation by dams, presenting physical barriers, can limit the climatically induced spatial redistribution of fishes. Andean freshwater ecosystems in the Neotropical region are expected to be highly affected by these future disturbances. However, proper evaluations are still missing. Combining species distribution models and functional traits of Andean Amazon fishes, coupled with dam locations and climatic projections (2070s), we (a) evaluated the potential impacts of future climate on species ranges, (b) investigated the combined impact of river fragmentation and climate change and (c) tested the relationships between these impacts and species functional traits. Results show that climate change will induce range contraction for most of the Andean Amazon fish species, particularly those inhabiting highlands. Dams are not predicted to greatly limit future range shifts for most species (i.e., the Barrier effect). However, some of these barriers should prevent upstream shifts for a considerable number of species, reducing future potential diversity in some basins. River fragmentation is predicted to act jointly with climate change in promoting a considerable decrease in the probability of species to persist in the long-term because of splitting species ranges in smaller fragments (i.e., the Isolation effect). Benthic and fast-flowing water adapted species with hydrodynamic bodies are significantly associated with severe range contractions from climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guido A Herrera-R
- UMR Laboratoire Évolution et Diversité Biologique, CNRS 5174, IRD 253, UPS, Toulouse, France
- Department of Earth and Environment and Institute of Environment, Florida International University, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Thierry Oberdorff
- UMR Laboratoire Évolution et Diversité Biologique, CNRS 5174, IRD 253, UPS, Toulouse, France
| | - Elizabeth P Anderson
- Department of Earth and Environment and Institute of Environment, Florida International University, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Sébastien Brosse
- UMR Laboratoire Évolution et Diversité Biologique, CNRS 5174, IRD 253, UPS, Toulouse, France
| | - Fernando M Carvajal-Vallejos
- Laboratorio de Biología Molecular y Cultivo de Tejidos Vegetales, Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias y Tecnología, Universidad Mayor de San Simón, Cochabamba, Bolivia
| | - Renata G Frederico
- Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG), Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Max Hidalgo
- Departamento de Ictiología, Museo de Historia Natural, Universidad Nacional Mayor San Marcos, Lima, Peru
| | - Céline Jézéquel
- UMR Laboratoire Évolution et Diversité Biologique, CNRS 5174, IRD 253, UPS, Toulouse, France
| | - Mabel Maldonado
- Unidad de Limnología y Recursos Acuáticos, Universidad Mayor de San Simón, Cochabamba, Bolivia
| | - Javier A Maldonado-Ocampo
- Unidad de Ecología y Sistemática (UNESIS), Laboratorio de Ictiología, Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Hernán Ortega
- Departamento de Ictiología, Museo de Historia Natural, Universidad Nacional Mayor San Marcos, Lima, Peru
| | - Johannes Radinger
- GRECO, Institute of Aquatic Ecology, University of Girona, Girona, Spain
- Leibniz-Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries, Berlin, Germany
| | | | - Jansen Zuanon
- Coordenacão de Biodiversidade, Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazonia (INPA), Manaus, Brazil
| | - Pablo A Tedesco
- UMR Laboratoire Évolution et Diversité Biologique, CNRS 5174, IRD 253, UPS, Toulouse, France
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16
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Gomes-Silva G, Cyubahiro E, Wronski T, Riesch R, Apio A, Plath M. Water pollution affects fish community structure and alters evolutionary trajectories of invasive guppies (Poecilia reticulata). THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2020; 730:138912. [PMID: 32402962 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.138912] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2019] [Revised: 04/17/2020] [Accepted: 04/20/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Anthropogenic habitat alterations have the potential to affect both, ecological dynamics of communities and populations, as well as evolutionary processes within populations. Invasive species may benefit from anthropogenic disturbance, such as water pollution, to which they sometimes seem more resistant than native ones. They also allow investigating evolutionary divergence among populations occurring along pollution gradients. We assessed fish communities at 55 sampling sites in the degraded and heavily overstocked Mutara Rangelands of north-eastern Rwanda (upper Nile drainage), which receive pollution from domestic wastewater and cattle dung. Diverse fish communities became apparent that included invasive guppies (Poecilia reticulata, Poeciliidae), and canonical correspondence analyses found significant differentiation of community structures along several environmental parameters (condensed into principal components), including pollution-effects. As predicted, generalized linear models found guppies to have a higher likelihood of occurrence at polluted sites. Local abundances of guppies, however, decreased at polluted sites. Since guppies are color-polymorphic, and color patterns have a heritable basis, they allow inferences regarding both pollution-induced suppression of male ornamentation (e.g., through xenestrogens) and evolutionary population divergence. We thus quantified different ornament types (numbers and percent body surface cover). ANCOVAs uncovered several weak (based on effect strengths), but statistically significant pollution-effects and interactions with other environmental parameters. The direction of several interaction effects was similar for blue/black and red/orange ornaments, while white/iridescent ornaments responded dissimilarly. As responses differed between ornament types, they likely reflect evolutionary divergence due to site-specific alterations of selective regimes rather than developmental inhibition of male secondary sexual characters. We propose that pollution affects local fitness landscapes resulting, e.g., from predation and mate competition (as a function of local abundances), altogether driving evolutionary divergence of sexually selected traits. This study highlights how human activities not only impact ecological dynamics, but-mediated by altered Eco-Evo dynamics-might change the evolutionary trajectories of populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guilherme Gomes-Silva
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Xinong Road 22, Yangling, PR China
| | - Eric Cyubahiro
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Xinong Road 22, Yangling, PR China; Department of Wildlife and Aquatic Resources Management, University of Rwanda, Nyagatare Campus, P.O. Box 57, Nyagatare, Rwanda
| | - Torsten Wronski
- Liverpool John Moores University, School of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Science, James Parsons Building, Byrom Street, Liverpool L3 3AF, UK
| | - Rüdiger Riesch
- Department of Biological Sciences, Royal Holloway University of London, Egham, Surrey, TW20 0EX, UK
| | - Ann Apio
- Department of Wildlife and Aquatic Resources Management, University of Rwanda, Nyagatare Campus, P.O. Box 57, Nyagatare, Rwanda
| | - Martin Plath
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Xinong Road 22, Yangling, PR China; Shaanxi Key Laboratory for Molecular Biology in Agriculture, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, PR China.
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17
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Abstract
Invasive predatory lake trout Salvelinus namaycush were discovered in Yellowstone Lake in 1994 and caused a precipitous decrease in abundance of native Yellowstone cutthroat trout Oncorhynchus clarkii bouvieri. Suppression efforts (primarily gillnetting) initiated in 1995 did not curtail lake trout population growth or lakewide expansion. An adaptive management strategy was developed in 2010 that specified desired conditions indicative of ecosystem recovery. Population modeling was used to estimate effects of suppression efforts on the lake trout and establish effort benchmarks to achieve negative population growth (λ < 1). Partnerships enhanced funding support, and a scientific review panel provided guidance to increase suppression gillnetting effort to >46,800 100-m net nights; this effort level was achieved in 2012 and led to a reduction in lake trout biomass. Total lake trout biomass declined from 432,017 kg in 2012 to 196,675 kg in 2019, primarily because of a 79% reduction in adults. Total abundance declined from 925,208 in 2012 to 673,983 in 2019 but was highly variable because of recruitment of age-2 fish. Overall, 3.35 million lake trout were killed by suppression efforts from 1995 to 2019. Cutthroat trout abundance remained below target levels, but relative condition increased, large individuals (> 400 mm) became more abundant, and individual weights doubled, probably because of reduced density. Continued actions to suppress lake trout will facilitate further recovery of the cutthroat trout population and integrity of the Yellowstone Lake ecosystem.
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18
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Carter MJ, Flores M, Ramos-Jiliberto R. Geographical origin determines responses to salinity of Mediterranean caddisflies. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0220275. [PMID: 31929552 PMCID: PMC6957138 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0220275] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2019] [Accepted: 12/11/2019] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Many freshwater ecosystems worldwide, and particularly Mediterranean ones, show increasing levels of salinity. These changes in water conditions could affect abundance and distribution of inhabiting species as well as the provision of ecosystem services. In this study we conduct laboratory experiments using the macroinvertebrate Smicridea annulicornis as a model organism. Our factorial experiments were designed to evaluate the effects of geographical origin of organisms and salinity levels on survival and behavioral responses of caddisflies. The experimental organisms were captured from rivers belonging to three hydrological basins along a 450 Km latitudinal gradient in the Mediterranean region of Chile. Animals were exposed to three conductivity levels, from 180 to 1400 μS/cm, close to the historical averages of the source rivers. We measured the behavioral responses to experimental stimuli and the survival time. Our results showed that geographical origin shaped the behavioral and survival responses to salinity. In particular, survival and activity decreased more strongly with increasing salinity in organisms coming from more dilute waters. This suggests local adaptation to be determinant for salinity responses in this benthic invertebrate species. In the current scenario of fast temporal and spatial changes in water levels and salt concentration, the conservation of geographic intra-specific variation of aquatic species is crucial for lowering the risk of salinity-driven biodiversity loss.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mauricio J. Carter
- Universidad Andrés Bello, Facultad de Ciencias de la Vida, Santiago, Chile
| | - Matías Flores
- Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Rodrigo Ramos-Jiliberto
- GEMA Center for Genomics, Ecology & Environment, Faculty of Interdisciplinary Studies, Universidad Mayor, Santiago, Chile
- * E-mail:
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19
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Harvey E, Gounand I, Fronhofer EA, Altermatt F. Metaecosystem dynamics drive community composition in experimental, multi‐layered spatial networks. OIKOS 2019. [DOI: 10.1111/oik.07037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Eric Harvey
- Dept of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, Univ. of Zurich Winterthurerstrasse 190 CH‐8057 Zürich Switzerland
- Eawag, Swiss Federal Inst. of Aquatic Science and Technology, Dept of Aquatic Ecology Überlandstrasse 133 CH‐8600 Dübendorf Switzerland
- Dépt de Sciences Biologiques, Univ. de Montréal Canada
| | - Isabelle Gounand
- Dept of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, Univ. of Zurich Winterthurerstrasse 190 CH‐8057 Zürich Switzerland
- Eawag, Swiss Federal Inst. of Aquatic Science and Technology, Dept of Aquatic Ecology Überlandstrasse 133 CH‐8600 Dübendorf Switzerland
| | - Emanuel A. Fronhofer
- Dept of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, Univ. of Zurich Winterthurerstrasse 190 CH‐8057 Zürich Switzerland
- Eawag, Swiss Federal Inst. of Aquatic Science and Technology, Dept of Aquatic Ecology Überlandstrasse 133 CH‐8600 Dübendorf Switzerland
| | - Florian Altermatt
- Dept of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, Univ. of Zurich Winterthurerstrasse 190 CH‐8057 Zürich Switzerland
- Dépt de Sciences Biologiques, Univ. de Montréal Canada
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20
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The Intersection of Human Disturbance and Diel Activity, with Potential Consequences on Trophic Interactions. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0226418. [PMID: 31834919 PMCID: PMC6910683 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0226418] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2019] [Accepted: 11/26/2019] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Direct effects of human disturbance on animal populations are well documented across habitats, biomes, and species, but indirect effects of diel have received less attention. An emerging field in applied ecology involves behavioral avoidance of or attraction to humans and their trappings. We posit trophic consequences, in terms of relative risk, for four species of mammals, each of which strongly avoids human activity, in urban reserves of coastal southern California. Two species, one predator and one prey, avoid human activity via a temporal shift to become “more nocturnal”—the species’ activity is centered near dawn on days without human activity but nearer to midnight on days with human activity. Diel shifts have brought the species into greater overlap, respectively, with a key prey and a key predator, overlap that may increase encounter rate and thus increase relative risk of predation, with potential consequences for trophic dynamics and cascades: increased risk of predation may depress prey population, either directly (e.g., mortality) or indirectly (e.g., “landscape of fear”). Human use of reserves, especially in high population density regions, needs to be reconsidered either to reduce access or to restrict access entirely to areas that may provide refuge to both predators and prey.
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