1
|
Betancourtt C, Catalán AM, Morales-Torres DF, Lopez DN, Escares-Aguilera V, Salas-Yanquin LP, Büchner-Miranda JA, Chaparro OR, Nimptsch J, Broitman BR, Valdivia N. Transient species driving ecosystem multifunctionality: Insights from competitive interactions between rocky intertidal mussels. MARINE ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2024; 196:106422. [PMID: 38437777 DOI: 10.1016/j.marenvres.2024.106422] [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: 11/27/2023] [Revised: 02/20/2024] [Accepted: 02/21/2024] [Indexed: 03/06/2024]
Abstract
Anthropogenic biodiversity loss poses a significant threat to ecosystem functioning worldwide. Numerically dominant and locally rare (i.e., transient) species are key components of biodiversity, but their contribution to multiple ecosystem functions (i.e., multifunctionality) has been seldomly assessed in marine ecosystems. To fill this gap, here we analyze the effects of a dominant and a transient species on ecosystem multifunctionality. In an observational study conducted along ca. 200 km of the southeastern Pacific coast, the purple mussel Perumytilus purpuratus numerically dominated the mid-intertidal and the dwarf mussel Semimytilus patagonicus exhibited low abundances but higher recruitment rates. In laboratory experiments, the relative abundances of both species were manipulated to simulate the replacement of P. purpuratus by S. patagonicus and five proxies for ecosystem functions-rates of clearance, oxygen consumption, total biodeposit, organic biodeposit, and excretion-were analyzed. This replacement had a positive, linear, and significant effect on the combined ecosystem functions, particularly oxygen consumption and excretion rates. Accordingly, S. patagonicus could well drive ecosystem functioning given favorable environmental conditions for its recovery from rarity. Our study highlights therefore the key role of transient species for ecosystem performance. Improving our understanding of these dynamics is crucial for effective ecosystem conservation, especially in the current scenario of biological extinctions and invasions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Claudia Betancourtt
- Instituto de Ciencias Marinas y Limnológicas, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Austral de Chile, Campus Isla Teja, Valdivia, Chile; Programa de Doctorado en Biología Marina, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile.
| | - Alexis M Catalán
- Centro de Investigación en Ecosistemas de la Patagonia, CIEP, Coyhaique, Chile
| | - Diego F Morales-Torres
- Instituto de Ciencias Marinas y Limnológicas, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Austral de Chile, Campus Isla Teja, Valdivia, Chile
| | - Daniela N Lopez
- Instituto de Ciencias Ambientales y Evolutivas, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile; Center of Applied Ecology and Sustainability (CAPES), Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Valentina Escares-Aguilera
- Instituto de Ciencias Marinas y Limnológicas, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Austral de Chile, Campus Isla Teja, Valdivia, Chile
| | - Luis P Salas-Yanquin
- Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Facultad de Ciencias, Unidad Multidisciplinaria de Docencia e Investigación, Sisal, Mexico
| | - Joseline A Büchner-Miranda
- Instituto de Ciencias Marinas y Limnológicas, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Austral de Chile, Campus Isla Teja, Valdivia, Chile
| | - Oscar R Chaparro
- Instituto de Ciencias Marinas y Limnológicas, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Austral de Chile, Campus Isla Teja, Valdivia, Chile
| | - Jorge Nimptsch
- Instituto de Ciencias Marinas y Limnológicas, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Austral de Chile, Campus Isla Teja, Valdivia, Chile
| | - Bernardo R Broitman
- Instituto Milenio en Socio-Ecología Costera (SECOS), Chile; Núcleo Milenio UPWELL, Chile; Facultad de Artes Liberales, Universidad Adolfo Ibañez, Viña Del Mar, Chile
| | - Nelson Valdivia
- Instituto de Ciencias Marinas y Limnológicas, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Austral de Chile, Campus Isla Teja, Valdivia, Chile; Centro FONDAP de Investigación de Dinámicas de Ecosistemas Marinos de Altas Latitudes (IDEAL), Chile
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Phillips JS, McCormick AR, Botsch JC, Ives AR. Ecosystem engineering alters density-dependent feedbacks in an aquatic insect population. Ecology 2021; 102:e03513. [PMID: 34365638 DOI: 10.1002/ecy.3513] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2021] [Revised: 05/05/2021] [Accepted: 07/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
Ecosystem engineers have large impacts on the communities in which they live, and these impacts may feed back to populations of engineers themselves. In this study, we assessed the effect of ecosystem engineering on density-dependent feedbacks for midges in Lake Mývatn, Iceland. The midge larvae reside in the sediment and build silk tubes that provide a substrate for algal growth, thereby elevating benthic primary production. Benthic algae are in turn the primary food source for the midge larvae, setting the stage for the effects of engineering to feed back to the midges themselves. Using a field mesocosm experiment manipulating larval midge densities, we found a generally positive but nonlinear relationship between density and benthic production. Furthermore, adult emergence increased with the primary production per midge larva. By combining these two relationships in a simple model, we found that the positive effect of midges on benthic production weakened negative density dependence at low to intermediate larval densities. However, this benefit disappeared at high densities when midge consumption of primary producers exceeded their positive effects on primary production through ecosystem engineering. Our results illustrate how ecosystem engineering can alter density-dependent feedbacks for engineer populations.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Joseph S Phillips
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin, 53706, USA
| | - Amanda R McCormick
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin, 53706, USA
| | - Jamieson C Botsch
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin, 53706, USA
| | - Anthony R Ives
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin, 53706, USA
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Habitat-Diversity Relations between Sessile Macrobenthos and Benthic Copepods in the Rocky Shores of a Marine Protected Area. WATER 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/w13081020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
In rocky shore systems, sessile macrobenthic assemblages may act as “ecosystem engineers” for many smaller benthic organisms. Thus, the influence of macrobenthic coverage on the diversity and assemblage structure of the harpacticoid copepod fauna was investigated in the rocky shores of a Marine Protect Area (MPA) in the Ligurian Sea (NW, Mediterranean Sea). Two sampling sites were investigated in two seasons at three different depths on both sub-vertical and inclined reefs. A total of 61 species of copepods mainly represented by Miraciidae, Laophontidae, Longipediidae and Thalestridae were found. The complex micro-topography of these substrata provided a wide variety of niches for many species with different lifestyles that suggests the important role of rocky shores to ensure the functioning of coastal ecosystems. The harpacticoid assemblage structure seemed mainly influenced by season and depth. The temporal spread observed is likely one of the underlying mechanisms of niche segregation that allows many species to co-occur in this specific environment along with a subordinate spatial segregation corresponding to the depth gradient. The results seem to support the hypothesis that the different species composition of the “ecosystem engineer” (and consequently its structure changes) are relevant in structuring the copepod assemblages. The comparison with previous data on general meiofauna underlines that higher surrogacy of the taxonomic identification could be used to study rocky shore communities, but the rich diversity that these systems host can only be understood at the lower taxonomic levels. The same holds for future evaluations of impact of environmental changes (including MPA regulations) on meiofaunal assemblages.
Collapse
|
4
|
Catalán AM, Büchner-Miranda J, Riedemann B, Chaparro OR, Valdivia N, Scrosati RA. Community-wide consequences of nonconsumptive predator effects on a foundation species. J Anim Ecol 2021; 90:1307-1316. [PMID: 33630333 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.13455] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2020] [Accepted: 02/05/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Predators can exert nonconsumptive effects (NCEs) on prey, which often take place through prey behavioural adjustments to minimise predation risk. As NCEs are widespread in nature, interest is growing to determine whether NCEs on a prey species can indirectly influence several other species simultaneously, thus leading to changes in community structure. In this study, we investigate whether a predator can exert NCEs on a foundation species and indirectly affect community structure. Through laboratory experiments, we first tested whether the predatory marine snail Acanthina monodon exerts negative NCEs on larviphagy (consumption of pelagic larvae) and phytoplankton filtration rates of the mussel Perumytilus purpuratus, an intertidal foundation species. These hypotheses stem from the notion that mussels may decrease feeding activities in the presence of predator cues to limit detection by predators. Afterwards, a field experiment tested whether the presence of A. monodon near mussel beds leads to higher colonisation rates of invertebrates that reproduce through pelagic larvae (expected under a lower larviphagy in P. purpuratus) and to a lower algal biomass on P. purpuratus shells (expected under a lower metabolite excretion in the mussels), thereby changing the community structure of the species typically found in P. purpuratus beds. The laboratory experiments revealed that waterborne cues from A. monodon limit the larviphagy and filtration rates of P. purpuratus. In turn, the field experiment showed that A. monodon cues led to greater abundances of barnacles and bivalves and a lower algal biomass in P. purpuratus beds, thus altering community structure. Overall, this study shows that a predator can indirectly affect community structure through NCEs on an invertebrate foundation species. As invertebrate foundation species are ubiquitous worldwide, understanding predator NCEs on these organisms could help to better understand community regulation in systems structured by such species.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alexis M Catalán
- Instituto de Ciencias Marinas y Limnológicas, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile.,Programa de Doctorado en Biología Marina, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile
| | | | - Bárbara Riedemann
- Instituto de Ciencias Marinas y Limnológicas, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile
| | - Oscar R Chaparro
- Instituto de Ciencias Marinas y Limnológicas, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile
| | - Nelson Valdivia
- Instituto de Ciencias Marinas y Limnológicas, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile.,Centro FONDAP de Investigación de Dinámica de Ecosistemas Marinos de Altas Latitudes (IDEAL), Valdivia, Chile
| | - Ricardo A Scrosati
- Department of Biology, St. Francis Xavier University, Antigonish, Nova Scotia, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
From Marine Metacommunities to Meta-ecosystems: Examining the Nature, Scale and Significance of Resource Flows in Benthic Marine Environments. Ecosystems 2020. [DOI: 10.1007/s10021-020-00580-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
|
6
|
Biodiversity and Habitat Assessment of Coastal Benthic Communities in a Sub-Arctic Industrial Harbor Area. WATER 2020. [DOI: 10.3390/w12092424] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
Coastal ecosystems face increasing anthropogenic pressures worldwide and their management requires a solid assessment and understanding of the cumulative impacts from human activities. This study evaluates the spatial variation of benthic macrofaunal communities, sediments, and heavy metals in the sub-Arctic coastal ecosystems around Sept-Îles (Québec, Canada)—a major port area in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. Physical sediment properties varied in the studied area, with a general sandy-silty profile except for specific locations in Baie des Sept Îles where higher organic matter and heavy metal concentrations were detected. Macrofaunal assemblages were evaluated for two taxa size classes (organisms > 0.5 mm and > 1 mm) and linked to habitat parameters using regression models. Communities of smaller organisms showed signs of perturbation for one assemblage close to industrial activities at Baie des Sept Îles, with an increased number of tolerant and opportunistic species, contrasting to neighboring regions whose compositions were similar to other ecosystems in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. This study enhances the understanding of sub-Arctic benthic communities and will contribute to monitoring programs for industrial harbor ecosystems.
Collapse
|
7
|
Stratmann T, van Oevelen D, Martínez Arbizu P, Wei CL, Liao JX, Cusson M, Scrosati RA, Archambault P, Snelgrove PVR, Ramey-Balci PA, Burd BJ, Kenchington E, Gilkinson K, Belley R, Soetaert K. The BenBioDen database, a global database for meio-, macro- and megabenthic biomass and densities. Sci Data 2020; 7:206. [PMID: 32601290 PMCID: PMC7324384 DOI: 10.1038/s41597-020-0551-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2020] [Accepted: 06/05/2020] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Benthic fauna refers to all fauna that live in or on the seafloor, which researchers typically divide into size classes meiobenthos (32/64 µm-0.5/1 mm), macrobenthos (250 µm-1 cm), and megabenthos (>1 cm). Benthic fauna play important roles in bioturbation activity, mineralization of organic matter, and in marine food webs. Evaluating their role in these ecosystem functions requires knowledge of their global distribution and biomass. We therefore established the BenBioDen database, the largest open-access database for marine benthic biomass and density data compiled so far. In total, it includes 11,792 georeferenced benthic biomass and 51,559 benthic density records from 384 and 600 studies, respectively. We selected all references following the procedure for systematic reviews and meta-analyses, and report biomass records as grams of wet mass, dry mass, or ash-free dry mass, or carbon per m2 and as abundance records as individuals per m2. This database provides a point of reference for future studies on the distribution and biomass of benthic fauna.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tanja Stratmann
- NIOZ Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, Department of Estuarine and Delta Systems, and Utrecht University, P.O. Box 140, 4400 AC, Yerseke, The Netherlands.
- Utrecht University, Department of Earth Sciences, Vening Meineszgebouw A, Princetonlaan 8a, 3584 CB, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
- HGF MPG Joint Research Group for Deep-Sea Ecology and Technology, Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology, Celsiusstr. 1, 28359, Bremen, Germany.
| | - Dick van Oevelen
- NIOZ Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, Department of Estuarine and Delta Systems, and Utrecht University, P.O. Box 140, 4400 AC, Yerseke, The Netherlands
| | - Pedro Martínez Arbizu
- German Centre for Marine Biodiversity, Senckenberg am Meer, Südstrand 44, 26382, Wilhelmshaven, Germany
| | - Chih-Lin Wei
- Institute of Oceanography, National Taiwan University, No. 1, Sec. 4, Roosevelt Road, Taipei, 105, Taiwan
| | - Jian-Xiang Liao
- Institute of Oceanography, National Taiwan University, No. 1, Sec. 4, Roosevelt Road, Taipei, 105, Taiwan
| | - Mathieu Cusson
- Département des sciences fondamentales et Québec-Océan, Université du Québec à Chicoutimi, Boulevard de l'Université, Chicoutimi, QC, G7H 2B1, Canada
| | - Ricardo A Scrosati
- Department of Biology, St. Francis Xavier University, 2320 Notre Dame Ave., Antigonish, NS, B2G 2W5, Canada
| | - Philippe Archambault
- ArcticNet & Québec-Océan/Takuvik, Université Laval, pavillon Alexandre-Vachon 1045, av. de la Médecine, Québec, QC, G1V 0A6, Canada
| | - Paul V R Snelgrove
- Department of Ocean Sciences and Biology, Memorial University of Newfoundland, Marine Lab Rd., St. John's, NL, A1C 5S7, Canada
| | | | - Brenda J Burd
- Institute of Ocean Sciences, Fisheries and Ocean Canada, P.O. Box 6000, Sidney, BC, V8L 5T5, Canada
| | - Ellen Kenchington
- Bedford Institute of Oceanography, Fisheries and Ocean Canada, P.O. Box 1006, 1 Challenger Dr., Dartmouth, NS, B2Y 4A2, Canada
| | - Kent Gilkinson
- Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Centre, Fisheries and Ocean Canada, 80 East White Hills, St. John's, NL, A1C 5 × 1, Canada
| | - Rénald Belley
- Maurice Lamontagne Institute, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, 850 Route de la Mer, Mont-Joli, QC, G5H 3Z4, Canada
| | - Karline Soetaert
- NIOZ Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, Department of Estuarine and Delta Systems, and Utrecht University, P.O. Box 140, 4400 AC, Yerseke, The Netherlands
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Spatial distribution of flow currents and habitats in artificial buffer zones for ecosystem-based coastal engineering. Glob Ecol Conserv 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.gecco.2019.e00764] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
|
9
|
Massé Jodoin J, Guichard F. Non‐resource effects of foundation species on meta‐ecosystem stability and function. OIKOS 2019. [DOI: 10.1111/oik.06506] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Julien Massé Jodoin
- Dept of Biology, McGill Univ., 1205 Avenue du Docteur Penfield Montreal QC H3A 1B1 Canada
| | - Frédéric Guichard
- Dept of Biology, McGill Univ., 1205 Avenue du Docteur Penfield Montreal QC H3A 1B1 Canada
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Phillips JS, McCormick AR, Einarsson Á, Grover SN, Ives AR. Spatiotemporal variation in the sign and magnitude of ecosystem engineer effects on lake ecosystem production. Ecosphere 2019. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.2760] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Joseph S. Phillips
- Department of Integrative Biology University of Wisconsin‐Madison Madison Wisconsin 53706 USA
| | - Amanda R. McCormick
- Department of Integrative Biology University of Wisconsin‐Madison Madison Wisconsin 53706 USA
| | - Árni Einarsson
- Mývatn Research Station Skútustaðir IS‐660 Iceland
- Faculty of Life and Environmental Sciences University of Iceland Reykjavik IS‐101 Iceland
| | - Shannon N. Grover
- Department of Integrative Biology University of Wisconsin‐Madison Madison Wisconsin 53706 USA
| | - Anthony R. Ives
- Department of Integrative Biology University of Wisconsin‐Madison Madison Wisconsin 53706 USA
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Lago M, Boteler B, Rouillard J, Abhold K, Jähnig SC, Iglesias-Campos A, Delacámara G, Piet GJ, Hein T, Nogueira AJA, Lillebø AI, Strosser P, Robinson LA, De Wever A, O'Higgins T, Schlüter M, Török L, Reichert P, van Ham C, Villa F, McDonald H. Introducing the H2020 AQUACROSS project: Knowledge, Assessment, and Management for AQUAtic Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services aCROSS EU policies. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2019; 652:320-329. [PMID: 30366333 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.10.076] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2018] [Revised: 10/05/2018] [Accepted: 10/06/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
The AQUACROSS project was an unprecedented effort to unify policy concepts, knowledge, and management of freshwater, coastal, and marine ecosystems to support the cost-effective achievement of the targets set by the EU Biodiversity Strategy to 2020. AQUACROSS aimed to support EU efforts to enhance the resilience and stop the loss of biodiversity of aquatic ecosystems as well as to ensure the ongoing and future provision of aquatic ecosystem services. The project focused on advancing the knowledge base and application of Ecosystem-Based Management. Through elaboration of eight diverse case studies in freshwater and marine and estuarine aquatic ecosystem across Europe covering a range of environmental management problems including, eutrophication, sustainable fisheries as well as invasive alien species AQUACROSS demonstrated the application of a common framework to establish cost-effective measures and integrated Ecosystem-Based Management practices. AQUACROSS analysed the EU policy framework (i.e. goals, concepts, time frames) for aquatic ecosystems and built on knowledge stemming from different sources (i.e. WISE, BISE, Member State reporting within different policy processes, modelling) to develop innovative management tools, concepts, and business models (i.e. indicators, maps, ecosystem assessments, participatory approaches, mechanisms for promoting the delivery of ecosystem services) for aquatic ecosystems at various scales of space and time and relevant to different ecosystem types.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- M Lago
- Ecologic Institute, Berlin, Germany.
| | | | | | - K Abhold
- Ecologic Institute, Berlin, Germany
| | - S C Jähnig
- Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries, Berlin, Germany
| | | | | | - G J Piet
- Wageningen Marine Research, the Netherlands
| | - T Hein
- University of Natural Resources & Life Sciences, Vienna, Austria; WasserCluster Lunz, Austria
| | - A J A Nogueira
- Department of Biology, University of Aveiro, Portugal; Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies (CESAM), University of Aveiro, Portugal
| | - A I Lillebø
- Department of Biology, University of Aveiro, Portugal; Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies (CESAM), University of Aveiro, Portugal
| | - P Strosser
- ACTeon - Innovation, Policy, Environment, Colmar, France
| | | | - A De Wever
- Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences, Brussels, Belgium
| | - T O'Higgins
- University College Cork, National University of Ireland, Ireland
| | - M Schlüter
- Stockholm Resilience Centre, Stockholm University, Sweden
| | - L Török
- Danube Delta National Institute for Research & Development, Romania
| | - P Reichert
- Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology (eawag), Switzerland
| | - C van Ham
- International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), Brussels, Belgium
| | - F Villa
- BC3 Basque Centre for Climate Change, Bilbao, Spain
| | | |
Collapse
|
12
|
El‐Hacen EM, Bouma TJ, Oomen P, Piersma T, Olff H. Large‐scale ecosystem engineering by flamingos and fiddler crabs on West‐African intertidal flats promote joint food availability. OIKOS 2019. [DOI: 10.1111/oik.05261] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- El‐Hacen M. El‐Hacen
- Groningen Inst. for Evolutionary Life Sciences, Univ. of Groningen PO Box 11103 NL‐9700 CC Groningen the Netherlands
- Parc National du Banc d'Arguin (PNBA), Chami, Wilaya de Dakhlet Nouadhibou R.I de Mauritanie
| | - Tjeerd J. Bouma
- Groningen Inst. for Evolutionary Life Sciences, Univ. of Groningen PO Box 11103 NL‐9700 CC Groningen the Netherlands
- Royal Netherlands Inst. of Sea Research (NIOZ), Dept of Estuarine and Delta Systems and Utrecht Univ Yerseke the Netherlands
| | - Puck Oomen
- Groningen Inst. for Evolutionary Life Sciences, Univ. of Groningen PO Box 11103 NL‐9700 CC Groningen the Netherlands
| | - Theunis Piersma
- Groningen Inst. for Evolutionary Life Sciences, Univ. of Groningen PO Box 11103 NL‐9700 CC Groningen the Netherlands
- Royal Netherlands Inst. for Sea Research (NIOZ), Dept of Coastal Systems and Utrecht Univ Den Burg Texel the Netherlands
| | - Han Olff
- Groningen Inst. for Evolutionary Life Sciences, Univ. of Groningen PO Box 11103 NL‐9700 CC Groningen the Netherlands
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Losi V, Sbrocca C, Gatti G, Semprucci F, Rocchi M, Bianchi CN, Balsamo M. Sessile macrobenthos (Ochrophyta) drives seasonal change of meiofaunal community structure on temperate rocky reefs. MARINE ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2018; 142:295-305. [PMID: 30409384 DOI: 10.1016/j.marenvres.2018.10.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2018] [Revised: 10/28/2018] [Accepted: 10/29/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Unlike the soft bottom meiofauna, meiofauna associated to hard substrata is poorly studied, despite its ecological relevance. Since communities of hard substrata are usually characterized by species with different life cycles and strategies from those of soft bottom assemblages, information on hard substrata meiofauna is still needed. In this study, sessile macrobenthos and the associated meiofaunal assemblages of two sites of Portofino (NW Mediterranean) were investigated in two seasons at three different depths on both sub-vertical and inclined reefs. The study aimed to assess the abundance, diversity and composition of the meiofauna and the factors structuring its assemblages. Moreover, as meiofauna is known to be dependent upon the substrate characteristics, the study investigated whether the meiofaunal patterns could be related to the sessile macrobenthos structure and composition, and to which extent. Macroalgae dominated the sessile macrobenthic assemblages, while Nematoda and Copepoda were the main meiofaunal groups. Meiofaunal higher-taxa richness and diversity resulted very high, due to the large number of different microhabitats offered by macroalgae. Macrobenthic assemblages were dominated by Rodophyta and Ochrophyta in summer, the latter dramatically collapsing in winter. The meiofaunal abundance and composition changed significantly with the season, consistently with the sessile macrobenthic assemblages, and resulted strongly correlated with Ochrophyta. Shaping the meiofaunal assemblages, macroalgae appeared to act as ecosystem engineer for the meiofauna.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- V Losi
- Department of Earth, Environment and Life Sciences (DISTAV), University of Genoa, 16132 Genoa, Italy
| | - C Sbrocca
- Department of Biomolecular Sciences (DiSB), University of Urbino, 61029 Urbino, Italy
| | - G Gatti
- Mediterranean Institute of Marine and Continental Biodiversity and Ecology (IMBE), CNRS, Station Marine D'Endoume, Chemin de la Batterie des Lions, 13007 Marseille, France
| | - F Semprucci
- Department of Biomolecular Sciences (DiSB), University of Urbino, 61029 Urbino, Italy.
| | - M Rocchi
- Department of Biomolecular Sciences (DiSB), University of Urbino, 61029 Urbino, Italy
| | - C N Bianchi
- Department of Earth, Environment and Life Sciences (DISTAV), University of Genoa, 16132 Genoa, Italy
| | - M Balsamo
- Department of Biomolecular Sciences (DiSB), University of Urbino, 61029 Urbino, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Yang H, Chen J. Integrating landscape system and meta-ecosystem frameworks to advance the understanding of ecosystem function in heterogeneous landscapes: An analysis on the carbon fluxes in the Northern Highlands Lake District (NHLD) of Wisconsin and Michigan. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0192569. [PMID: 29415066 PMCID: PMC5802935 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0192569] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2017] [Accepted: 01/25/2018] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
The successful integration of ecosystem ecology with landscape ecology would be conducive to understanding how landscapes function. There have been several attempts at this, with two main approaches: (1) an ecosystem-based approach, such as the meta-ecosystem framework and (2) a landscape-based approach, such as the landscape system framework. These two frameworks are currently disconnected. To integrate these two frameworks, we introduce a protocol, and then demonstrate application of the protocol using a case study. The protocol includes four steps: 1) delineating landscape systems; 2) classifying landscape systems; 3) adjusting landscape systems to meta-ecosystems and 4) integrating landscape system and meta-ecosystem frameworks through meta-ecosystems. The case study is the analyzing of the carbon fluxes in the Northern Highlands Lake District (NHLD) of Wisconsin and Michigan using this protocol. The application of this protocol revealed that one could follow this protocol to construct a meta-ecosystem and analyze it using the integrative framework of landscape system and meta-ecosystem frameworks. That is, one could (1) appropriately describe and analyze the spatial heterogeneity of the meta-ecosystem; (2) understand the emergent properties arising from spatial coupling of local ecosystems in the meta-ecosystem. In conclusion, this protocol is a useful approach for integrating the meta-ecosystem framework and the landscape system framework, which advances the describing and analyzing of the spatial heterogeneity and ecosystem function of interconnected ecosystems.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Haile Yang
- Institute of Biodiversity Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
| | - Jiakuan Chen
- Institute of Biodiversity Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
- Centre for Watershed Ecology, Institute of Life Science, Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi, People's Republic of China
- * E-mail:
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Harvey E, Gounand I, Ganesanandamoorthy P, Altermatt F. Spatially cascading effect of perturbations in experimental meta-ecosystems. Proc Biol Sci 2017; 283:rspb.2016.1496. [PMID: 27629038 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2016.1496] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2016] [Accepted: 08/24/2016] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Ecosystems are linked to neighbouring ecosystems not only by dispersal, but also by the movement of subsidy. Such subsidy couplings between ecosystems have important landscape-scale implications because perturbations in one ecosystem may affect community structure and functioning in neighbouring ecosystems via increased/decreased subsidies. Here, we combine a general theoretical approach based on harvesting theory and a two-patch protist meta-ecosystem experiment to test the effect of regional perturbations on local community dynamics. We first characterized the relationship between the perturbation regime and local population demography on detritus production using a mathematical model. We then experimentally simulated a perturbation gradient affecting connected ecosystems simultaneously, thus altering cross-ecosystem subsidy exchanges. We demonstrate that the perturbation regime can interact with local population dynamics to trigger unexpected temporal variations in subsidy pulses from one ecosystem to another. High perturbation intensity initially led to the highest level of subsidy flows; however, the level of perturbation interacted with population dynamics to generate a crash in subsidy exchange over time. Both theoretical and experimental results show that a perturbation regime interacting with local community dynamics can induce a collapse in population levels for recipient ecosystems. These results call for integrative management of human-altered landscapes that takes into account regional dynamics of both species and resource flows.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Eric Harvey
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057 Zürich, Switzerland Department of Aquatic Ecology, Eawag, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, Überlandstrasse 133, 8600 Dübendorf, Switzerland
| | - Isabelle Gounand
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057 Zürich, Switzerland Department of Aquatic Ecology, Eawag, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, Überlandstrasse 133, 8600 Dübendorf, Switzerland
| | - Pravin Ganesanandamoorthy
- Department of Aquatic Ecology, Eawag, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, Überlandstrasse 133, 8600 Dübendorf, Switzerland
| | - Florian Altermatt
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057 Zürich, Switzerland Department of Aquatic Ecology, Eawag, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, Überlandstrasse 133, 8600 Dübendorf, Switzerland
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Limberger R, Birtel J, Farias DDS, Matthews B. Ecosystem flux and biotic modification as drivers of metaecosystem dynamics. Ecology 2017; 98:1082-1092. [PMID: 28112404 DOI: 10.1002/ecy.1742] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2016] [Revised: 12/11/2016] [Accepted: 01/04/2017] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
The fluxes of energy, matter, and organisms are important structuring forces of metaecosystems. Such ecosystem fluxes likely interact with environmental heterogeneity and differentially affect the diversity of multiple communities. In an aquatic mesocosm experiment, we tested how ecosystem flux and patch heterogeneity affected the diversity of bacteria, phytoplankton, and zooplankton metacommunities, and the structure and functioning of metaecosystems. We built metaecosystems consisting of three mesocosms that were either connected by flux of living organisms, organic material, and nutrients (alive ecosystem flux) or only by flux of organic material and nutrients (dead ecosystem flux). The three patches of each metaecosystem were either homogeneous or heterogeneous in nutrient loading. We found that the three groups of organisms responded differently to our treatments: flux of living organisms increased bacterial diversity irrespective of nutrient heterogeneity, while flux effects on phytoplankton diversity depended on nutrient heterogeneity, potentially indicating source-sink effects. Although zooplankton diversity was largely unaffected by our manipulations, subtle changes of community composition in response to ecosystem flux had strong effects on lower trophic levels, highlighting the importance of indirect flux effects via alterations in trophic interactions. Furthermore, differential effects of communities on the mean and spatial variability of local abiotic environments influenced the development of metaecosystem heterogeneity through time. Despite identical nutrient loading at the scale of the metaecosystem, abiotic conditions diverged between homogeneous and heterogeneous metaecosystems. For example, concentrations in dissolved organic carbon (DOC) were higher in homogeneous than heterogeneous metaecosystems, possibly because of differential responses of the algal community to local environmental conditions. Similarly, we found that flux effects on organisms translated into effects on DOC concentrations at the patch level, suggesting that flux-mediated changes in abundances of species can alter abiotic conditions. Our study shows that the dynamics of biotic and abiotic compartments of spatially structured ecosystems are intricately linked, highlighting the importance of integrating metacommunity and metaecosystem perspectives.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Romana Limberger
- Department of Aquatic Ecology, Eawag, Kastanienbaum, 6047 Switzerland
| | - Julia Birtel
- Department of Aquatic Ecology, Eawag, Kastanienbaum, 6047 Switzerland
| | - Daniel D S Farias
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Biológicas (Biodiversidade Neotropical), Universidade Federal do Estado Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 22290-240 Brazil
| | - Blake Matthews
- Department of Aquatic Ecology, Eawag, Kastanienbaum, 6047 Switzerland
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Tejada-Martinez D, López DN, Bonta CC, Sepúlveda RD, Valdivia N. Positive and negative effects of mesograzers on early-colonizing species in an intertidal rocky-shore community. Ecol Evol 2016; 6:5761-70. [PMID: 27547352 PMCID: PMC4983589 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.2323] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2015] [Revised: 06/23/2016] [Accepted: 06/24/2016] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
The ecological consequences of human‐driven overexploitation and loss of keystone consumers are still unclear. In intertidal rocky shores over the world, the decrease of keystone macrograzers has resulted in an increase in the dominance of herbivores with smaller body (i.e., “mesograzers”), which could potentially alter community assembly and structure. Here, we experimentally tested whether mesograzers affect the structure of rocky intertidal communities during the period of early colonization after the occurrence of a disturbance. A manipulative field experiment was conducted to exclude mesograzers (i.e., juvenile chitons, small snails, amphipods, and juvenile limpets) from experimental areas in an ecosystem characterized by the overexploitation of keystone macrograzers and predators. The results of multivariate analyses suggest that mesograzers had significant effects on intertidal community structure through negative and positive effects on species abundances. Mesograzers had negative effects on filamentous algae, but positive effects on opportunistic foliose algae and barnacles. Probably, mesograzers indirectly favored the colonization of barnacles and foliose algae by removing preemptive competitors, as previously shown for other meso‐ and macrograzer species. These results strongly support the idea that small herbivores exert a firm controlling effect on the assembly process of natural communities. Therefore, changes in functional roles of top‐down controllers might have significant implications for the structure of intertidal communities.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Daniela Tejada-Martinez
- Doctorado en Ciencias, mención en Ecología y Evolución Facultad de Ciencias Universidad Austral de Chile Campus Isla Teja Valdivia Chile; Instituto de Ciencias Ambientales y Evolutivas Facultad de Ciencias Universidad Austral de Chile Campus Isla Teja Valdivia Chile
| | - Daniela N López
- Doctorado en Ciencias, mención en Ecología y Evolución Facultad de Ciencias Universidad Austral de Chile Campus Isla Teja Valdivia Chile; Instituto de Ciencias Ambientales y Evolutivas Facultad de Ciencias Universidad Austral de Chile Campus Isla Teja Valdivia Chile
| | - César C Bonta
- Instituto de Ciencias Marinas y Limnológicas Facultad de Ciencias Universidad Austral de Chile Campus Isla Teja Valdivia Chile
| | - Roger D Sepúlveda
- Instituto de Ciencias Ambientales y Evolutivas Facultad de Ciencias Universidad Austral de Chile Campus Isla Teja Valdivia Chile; South American Research Group on Coastal Ecosystems (SARCE) Universidad Simón Bolivar Caracas Venezuela
| | - Nelson Valdivia
- Instituto de Ciencias Marinas y Limnológicas Facultad de Ciencias Universidad Austral de Chile Campus Isla Teja Valdivia Chile; Centro FONDAP de Investigación en Dinámica de Ecosistemas Marinos de Altas Latitudes (IDEAL) Valdivia Chile
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Commito JA, Commito AE, Platt RV, Grupe BM, Piniak WED, Gownaris NJ, Reeves KA, Vissichelli AM. Recruitment facilitation and spatial pattern formation in soft-bottom mussel beds. Ecosphere 2014. [DOI: 10.1890/es14-00200.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
|
19
|
Lemieux J, Cusson M. Effects of habitat-forming species richness, evenness, identity, and abundance on benthic intertidal community establishment and productivity. PLoS One 2014; 9:e109261. [PMID: 25313459 PMCID: PMC4196772 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0109261] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2014] [Accepted: 09/05/2014] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
In a context of reduced global biodiversity, the potential impacts from the loss of habitat-forming species (HFS) on ecosystem structure and functioning must be established. These species are often the main community primary producers and have a major role in the establishment of organisms through facilitation processes. This study focuses on macroalgae and mussels as HFS within an intertidal zone along the St. Lawrence estuary (Quebec, Canada). Over a 16-week period, we manipulated the in situ diversity profile (richness, evenness, identity, and abundance) of the dominant HFS (Fucus distichus edentatus, F. vesiculosus, and Mytilus spp.) in order to define their role in both the establishment of associated species and community primary production. Contrary to expectation, no general change in HFS richness, evenness, abundance, or identity on associated species community establishment was observed. However, over the study period, the HFS diversity profile modified the structure within the trophic guilds, which may potentially affect further community functions. Also, our results showed that the low abundance of HFS had a negative impact on the primary productivity of the community. Our results suggest that HFS diversity profiles have a limited short-term role in our study habitat and may indicate that biological forcing in these intertidal communities is less important than environmental conditions. As such, there was an opportunistic establishment of species that ensured rapid colonization regardless of the absence, or the diversity profile, of facilitators such as HFS.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Julie Lemieux
- Département des sciences fondamentales, Université du Québec à Chicoutimi, Chicoutimi, Québec, Canada
| | - Mathieu Cusson
- Département des sciences fondamentales, Université du Québec à Chicoutimi, Chicoutimi, Québec, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Guichard F, Gouhier TC. Non-equilibrium spatial dynamics of ecosystems. Math Biosci 2014; 255:1-10. [PMID: 24984261 DOI: 10.1016/j.mbs.2014.06.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2012] [Revised: 06/16/2014] [Accepted: 06/19/2014] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Ecological systems show tremendous variability across temporal and spatial scales. It is this variability that ecologists try to predict and that managers attempt to harness in order to mitigate risk. However, the foundations of ecological science and its mainstream agenda focus on equilibrium dynamics to describe the balance of nature. Despite a rich body of literature on non-equilibrium ecological dynamics, we lack a well-developed set of predictions that can relate the spatiotemporal heterogeneity of natural systems to their underlying ecological processes. We argue that ecology needs to expand its current toolbox for the study of non-equilibrium ecosystems in order to both understand and manage their spatiotemporal variability. We review current approaches and outstanding questions related to the study of spatial dynamics and its application to natural ecosystems, including the design of reserves networks. We close by emphasizing the importance of ecosystem function as a key component of a non-equilibrium ecological theory, and of spatial synchrony as a central phenomenon for its inference in natural systems.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Frederic Guichard
- Department of Biology, McGill University, 1205 Docteur Penfield, Montreal, Quebec H3A 1B1, Canada.
| | - Tarik C Gouhier
- Marine Science Center, Northeastern University, 430 Nahant Road, Nahant, MA 01908, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
Piot A, Nozais C, Archambault P. Meiofauna affect the macrobenthic biodiversity-ecosystem functioning relationship. OIKOS 2013. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1600-0706.2013.00631.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
|