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Clausing RJ, Falace A, De Le Fuente G, Della Torre C, Chiantore M, Asnaghi V. Ex-situ restoration of the Mediterranean forest-forming macroalga Ericaria amentacea: Optimizing growth in culture may not be the key to growth in the field. MARINE ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2024; 202:106718. [PMID: 39232470 DOI: 10.1016/j.marenvres.2024.106718] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2024] [Revised: 08/11/2024] [Accepted: 08/29/2024] [Indexed: 09/06/2024]
Abstract
Evidence of local and regional declines in the canopy-forming alga Ericaria amentacea, a foundation species of diverse marine forest communities on exposed Mediterranean coasts, have spurred restoration efforts focused on sustainable ex-situ techniques. The need to balance the costs of culture maintenance and the susceptibility of early life stages to stressors in the native habitat, including rapid, often extreme shifts in temperature, hydrodynamics and nutrient availability, have driven current efforts to create a culture environment that primes seedlings for outplant, increasing their resilience rather than maximizing growth. We tested the effects of 1) higher culture temperature (25 °C) combined with wave simulation and 2) reduced nutrient loads (10% of standard protocol) with wave simulation on post-culture and post-outplant outcomes relative to optimal growth conditions in established protocols (20 °C, no waves, high-nutrient culture medium). While increased temperature and water motion negatively affected seedling growth in culture, and higher nutrients caused oxidative stress likely associated with enhanced epiphyte overgrowth, these effects were not clearly translated into patterns of long-term growth in the field. Instead, survival in the initial days post-outplant appeared to be the bottleneck for restoration potential, where substrates with persisting seedlings at one month were generally found with flourishing juveniles at four months. Larger clumps of seedlings, in turn, were strongly associated with both initial survival and future growth. These results underscore the importance of the zygote settlement phase to establish high seedling densities, which may be optimized by phenological monitoring of the donor population. They also suggest that less-controlled, more environmentally-realistic culture conditions involving the introduction of mild stress may enhance the survival of early life stages of E. amentacea during the transition to the native environment, providing a means to simultaneously reduce human resource costs in culture and move toward scaling up.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel J Clausing
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Department of Earth, Environment and Life Sciences, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy.
| | - Annalisa Falace
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy
| | - Gina De Le Fuente
- Department of Earth, Environment and Life Sciences, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
| | | | - Mariachiara Chiantore
- Department of Earth, Environment and Life Sciences, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy; National Biodiversity Future Center, Palermo, Italy
| | - Valentina Asnaghi
- Department of Earth, Environment and Life Sciences, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy; National Biodiversity Future Center, Palermo, Italy
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Liu L, Lin B, Fang Q, Jiang X. Effectiveness assessment of China's coastal wetland ecological restoration: A meta-analysis. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 934:173336. [PMID: 38763186 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.173336] [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: 12/26/2023] [Revised: 05/01/2024] [Accepted: 05/16/2024] [Indexed: 05/21/2024]
Abstract
Due to the coastal wetland degradation caused by human activities and environmental changes, many coastal wetland restoration studies have been carried out in China to restore the degraded ecosystems, but it still lacks a comprehensive assessment of restoration effectiveness at national scale. In this study, a meta-analysis of 78 field studies was conducted to quantitatively assess the restoration effectiveness of biodiversity and ecosystem services in China's coastal wetlands. At the same time, we evaluated the impact factors such as ecosystem types, restoration methods and measures, and restoration time on restoration effectiveness. The results show that coastal wetland ecological restoration has improved the biodiversity and ecosystem services by 36.8 % and 38.2 % respectively within the time range reported in the research literature, but neither has returned to the level of natural ecosystems. Biodiversity recovery is significantly positively correlated with the recovery of ecosystem services, indicating the simultaneous recovery outcome. Compared with degraded wetlands, the effectiveness of passive restoration is better than that of active restoration. In the mangrove ecosystem, invasive species removal is the most effective among the restoration measures, and the restoration effectiveness of polyculture plantations is better than that of monoculture plantations. When time ranges from 0 to 20 years, the recovery level of coastal wetlands tends to increase with the extension of restoration time. However, when the restoration time is >20 years, the recovery level decreases, which may be related to the lack of maintenance and management measures in the later stage. Our study showcases the scientific evidence for future coastal wetland ecological restoration in China.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lerong Liu
- Key Laboratory of Ministry of Education for Coastal Wetland Ecosystems, College of the Environment and Ecology, Xiamen University, Fujian 361102, China
| | - Boding Lin
- Key Laboratory of Ministry of Education for Coastal Wetland Ecosystems, College of the Environment and Ecology, Xiamen University, Fujian 361102, China
| | - Qinhua Fang
- Key Laboratory of Ministry of Education for Coastal Wetland Ecosystems, College of the Environment and Ecology, Xiamen University, Fujian 361102, China; Xiamen Key Laboratory of Urban Sea Ecological Conservation and Restoration (USER), Xiamen University, 361102, China; Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory for Coastal Ecology and Environmental Studies, Xiamen University, 361102, China; Coastal and Ocean Management Institute, Xiamen University, 361102, China.
| | - Xiaoyan Jiang
- Key Laboratory of Ministry of Education for Coastal Wetland Ecosystems, College of the Environment and Ecology, Xiamen University, Fujian 361102, China; Coastal and Ocean Management Institute, Xiamen University, 361102, China
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Ray K, Basak SK, Giri CK, Kotal HN, Mandal A, Chatterjee K, Saha S, Biswas B, Mondal S, Das I, Ghosh A, Bhadury P, Joshi R. Ecological restoration at pilot-scale employing site-specific rationales for small-patch degraded mangroves in Indian Sundarbans. Sci Rep 2024; 14:12952. [PMID: 38839775 PMCID: PMC11153218 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-63281-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2023] [Accepted: 05/27/2024] [Indexed: 06/07/2024] Open
Abstract
To date, degraded mangrove ecosystem restoration accomplished worldwide primarily aligns towards rehabilitation with monotypic plantations, while ecological restoration principles are rarely followed in these interventions. However, researchers admit that most of these initiatives' success rate is not appreciable often. An integrative framework of ecological restoration for degraded mangroves where site-specific observations could be scientifically rationalized, with co-located reference pristine mangroves as the target ecosystem to achieve is currently distinctively lacking. Through this experimental scale study, we studied the suitability of site-specific strategies to ecologically restore degraded mangrove patches vis-à-vis the conventional mono-species plantations in a highly vulnerable mangrove ecosystem in Indian Sundarbans. This comprehensive restoration framework was trialed in small discrete degraded mangrove patches spanning ~ 65 ha. Site-specific key restoration components applied are statistically validated through RDA analyses and Bayesian t-tests. 25 quantifiable metrics evaluate the restoration success of a ~ 3 ha degraded mangrove patch with Ridgeline distribution, Kolmogorov-Smirnov (K-S) tests, and Mahalanobis Distance (D2) measure to prove the site's near-equivalence to pristine reference in multiple ecosystem attributes. This restoration intervention irrevocably establishes the greater potential of this framework in the recovery of ecosystem functions and self-sustenance compared to that of predominant monoculture practices for vulnerable mangroves.
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Affiliation(s)
- Krishna Ray
- Environmental Biotechnology Group, Department of Botany, West Bengal State University, Berunanpukuria, Malikapur, Barasat, Kolkata, 700126, India.
| | - Sandip Kumar Basak
- Sarat Centenary College, Dhaniakhali, Hooghly, West Bengal, 712302, India.
| | - Chayan Kumar Giri
- Environmental Biotechnology Group, Department of Botany, West Bengal State University, Berunanpukuria, Malikapur, Barasat, Kolkata, 700126, India
| | - Hemendra Nath Kotal
- Environmental Biotechnology Group, Department of Botany, West Bengal State University, Berunanpukuria, Malikapur, Barasat, Kolkata, 700126, India
| | - Anup Mandal
- Environmental Biotechnology Group, Department of Botany, West Bengal State University, Berunanpukuria, Malikapur, Barasat, Kolkata, 700126, India
| | - Kiranmoy Chatterjee
- Department of Statistics, Bidhannagar College, Salt Lake City, Sector 1, Block EB, Kolkata, 700064, India
| | - Subhajit Saha
- Environmental Biotechnology Group, Department of Botany, West Bengal State University, Berunanpukuria, Malikapur, Barasat, Kolkata, 700126, India
| | - Biswajit Biswas
- Environmental Biotechnology Group, Department of Botany, West Bengal State University, Berunanpukuria, Malikapur, Barasat, Kolkata, 700126, India
| | - Sumana Mondal
- Environmental Biotechnology Group, Department of Botany, West Bengal State University, Berunanpukuria, Malikapur, Barasat, Kolkata, 700126, India
| | - Ipsita Das
- Environmental Biotechnology Group, Department of Botany, West Bengal State University, Berunanpukuria, Malikapur, Barasat, Kolkata, 700126, India
| | - Anwesha Ghosh
- Centre for Climate and Environmental Studies, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Kolkata, Mohanpur, Nadia, West Bengal, 741246, India
| | - Punyasloke Bhadury
- Integrative Taxonomy and Microbial Ecology Research Group, Department of Biological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Kolkata, Mohanpur, Nadia, West Bengal, 741246, India
| | - Rahul Joshi
- Zoological Survey of India (ZSI), Prani Vigyan Bhawan, Block M, New Alipore, Kolkata, 700053, India
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Chen G, Gu X, Mo Y, Cui B. Monospecific mangrove reforestation changes relationship between benthic mollusc diversity and biomass: Implication for coastal wetland management. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2024; 353:120140. [PMID: 38290263 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2024.120140] [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: 09/17/2023] [Revised: 11/24/2023] [Accepted: 01/18/2024] [Indexed: 02/01/2024]
Abstract
Anthropogenic causes are overtaking natural factors to reshape patterns of biodiversity and ecosystem functioning. Mangrove reforestation aimed at reversing losses of mangroves has been conducted worldwide for several decades. However, how reforestation influences the link between ecological processes that shape community diversity and the consequent effects on ecosystem functions such as biomass production is less well known. Here we used data collected before and after mangrove planting to examine the effects of reforestation on molluscan species richness and biomass production by testing the changes in species richness, compositional similarities, distance-decay effects (community similarity decreases with increasing geographical distance) in metacommunity across a regional scale of 480 km (23-27 °N) in southeast Chinese coasts. Additionally, we further detected the impact of landscape configuration caused by different intensities of reforestation on the mollusc community. After the mangrove reforestation, mollusc species richness and biomass increased significantly. The increases in species richness and biomass of mollusc community were mediated by reducing distance-decay effect, indicating an increase in relationship strength between species richness and biomass might be associated with a decrease in distance-decay effect with rising mangrove habitat. We highlight the importance of considering the effects of anthropogenic changes on the relationship between biodiversity and ecosystem functioning. Quantifying the distance-decay effect of these influences enables management decisions about coastal restoration to be based upon ecological mechanisms rather than wishful thinking or superficial appearance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guogui Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Water Environmental Simulation, School of Environment, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China; Research and Development Center for Watershed Environmental Eco-Engineering, Advanced Institute of Natural Sciences, Beijing Normal University, Zhuhai, China
| | - Xuan Gu
- Key Laboratory of the Coastal and Wetland Ecosystems (Xiamen University) Ministry of Education, College of the Environment & Ecology, Xiamen University, CN-361102, Xiamen, Fujian, China
| | - Yuanyuan Mo
- Aquatic EcoHealth Group, Key Laboratory of Urban Environment and Health, Fujian Key Laboratory of Watershed Ecology, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen, 361021, China; Key Laboratory of Urban Environment and Health, Ningbo Urban Environment Observation and Research Station, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen, 361021, China; Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Urban Environmental Processes and Pollution Control, CAS Haixi Industrial Technology Innovation Center in Beilun, Ningbo, 315830, China.
| | - Baoshan Cui
- State Key Laboratory of Water Environmental Simulation, School of Environment, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China; Research and Development Center for Watershed Environmental Eco-Engineering, Advanced Institute of Natural Sciences, Beijing Normal University, Zhuhai, China.
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Hughes BB, Beheshti KM, Tinker MT, Angelini C, Endris C, Murai L, Anderson SC, Espinosa S, Staedler M, Tomoleoni JA, Sanchez M, Silliman BR. Top-predator recovery abates geomorphic decline of a coastal ecosystem. Nature 2024; 626:111-118. [PMID: 38297171 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-023-06959-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2022] [Accepted: 12/09/2023] [Indexed: 02/02/2024]
Abstract
The recovery of top predators is thought to have cascading effects on vegetated ecosystems and their geomorphology1,2, but the evidence for this remains correlational and intensely debated3,4. Here we combine observational and experimental data to reveal that recolonization of sea otters in a US estuary generates a trophic cascade that facilitates coastal wetland plant biomass and suppresses the erosion of marsh edges-a process that otherwise leads to the severe loss of habitats and ecosystem services5,6. Monitoring of the Elkhorn Slough estuary over several decades suggested top-down control in the system, because the erosion of salt marsh edges has generally slowed with increasing sea otter abundance, despite the consistently increasing physical stress in the system (that is, nutrient loading, sea-level rise and tidal scour7-9). Predator-exclusion experiments in five marsh creeks revealed that sea otters suppress the abundance of burrowing crabs, a top-down effect that cascades to both increase marsh edge strength and reduce marsh erosion. Multi-creek surveys comparing marsh creeks pre- and post-sea otter colonization confirmed the presence of an interaction between the keystone sea otter, burrowing crabs and marsh creeks, demonstrating the spatial generality of predator control of ecosystem edge processes: densities of burrowing crabs and edge erosion have declined markedly in creeks that have high levels of sea otter recolonization. These results show that trophic downgrading could be a strong but underappreciated contributor to the loss of coastal wetlands, and suggest that restoring top predators can help to re-establish geomorphic stability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brent B Hughes
- Department of Biology, Sonoma State University, Rohnert Park, CA, USA.
- Division of Marine Science and Conservation, Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, Beaufort, NC, USA.
| | - Kathryn M Beheshti
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA, USA
- Marine Science Institute, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, USA
| | - M Tim Tinker
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA, USA
- Nhydra Ecological Research, Head of St Margarets Bay, Nova Scotia, Canada
| | - Christine Angelini
- Department of Environmental Engineering Sciences, Engineering School for Sustainable Infrastructure and Environment, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Charlie Endris
- Moss Landing Marine Laboratories, Geological Oceanography Lab, Moss Landing, CA, USA
| | - Lee Murai
- Division of Regional Assistance, California Department of Water Resources, West Sacramento, CA, USA
| | - Sean C Anderson
- Pacific Biological Station, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Nanaimo, British Columbia, Canada
- Department of Mathematics, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Sarah Espinosa
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA, USA
| | | | - Joseph A Tomoleoni
- Western Ecological Research Center, U.S. Geological Survey, Santa Cruz, CA, USA
| | - Madeline Sanchez
- Department of Biology, Sonoma State University, Rohnert Park, CA, USA
| | - Brian R Silliman
- Division of Marine Science and Conservation, Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, Beaufort, NC, USA
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6
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Reis A, Rovai AS, Lana PDC, Barros F. Mangrove interaction with saltmarsh varies at different life stages. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 905:167410. [PMID: 37769724 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.167410] [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: 02/04/2023] [Revised: 09/23/2023] [Accepted: 09/25/2023] [Indexed: 10/03/2023]
Abstract
Mangroves and saltmarshes are two of the most relevant coastal habitats for humans. These ecosystems offer several services like coastal protection, climate mitigation, and nursery habitats for many artisanal and commercially exploited fish, crabs, and shellfish. They mostly dominate different latitudinal ranges but in several places around the world they co-occur and interact. Here, we summarize the current scientific knowledge on mangrove-saltmarsh ecological interactions and propose a conceptual model. We screened 1410 articles from 1945 to 2022 and selected 29 experiments that assessed mangrove-saltmarsh ecological interactions. Both positive and negative interactions are observed but there is variation along different mangrove life stages. Higher retention and establishment of mangrove propagules are found inside saltmarshes than on bare flats, i.e. facilitation, and these effects are higher at grass than at succulent saltmarsh species. Mangrove seedlings, saplings, or trees mostly compete with saltmarshes, negatively affecting mangrove growth. We propose a model with different outcomes considering the interaction between different mangrove's life stages and saltmarsh forms and discussed these interactions in the light of anthropogenic threats and climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alice Reis
- Laboratório de Ecologia Bentônica, IBIO & CIEnAM & INCT IN-TREE, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Rua Barão de Geremoabo, s/n, Campus de Ondina, Salvador, Bahia 40170-000, Brazil.
| | - André Scarlate Rovai
- Department of Oceanography and Coastal Sciences, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70803, USA; U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center, Vicksburg, MS 39180, USA
| | - Paulo da Cunha Lana
- Laboratório de Bentos, Centro de Estudos do Mar, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Av. Beira-mar, s/n, Pontal do Paraná, PR 83255-976, Brazil
| | - Francisco Barros
- Laboratório de Ecologia Bentônica, IBIO & CIEnAM & INCT IN-TREE, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Rua Barão de Geremoabo, s/n, Campus de Ondina, Salvador, Bahia 40170-000, Brazil
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Temmink RJM, Angelini C, Verkuijl M, van der Heide T. Restoration ecology meets design-engineering: Mimicking emergent traits to restore feedback-driven ecosystems. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 902:166460. [PMID: 37611724 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.166460] [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: 04/20/2023] [Revised: 08/18/2023] [Accepted: 08/18/2023] [Indexed: 08/25/2023]
Abstract
Ecosystems shaped by habitat-modifying organisms such as reefs, vegetated coastal systems and peatlands, provide valuable ecosystem services, such as carbon storage and coastal protection. However, they are declining worldwide. Ecosystem restoration is a key tool for mitigating these losses but has proven failure-prone, because ecosystem stability often hinges on self-facilitation generated by emergent traits from habitat modifiers. Emergent traits are not expressed by the single individual, but emerge at the level of an aggregation: a minimum patch-size or density-threshold must be exceeded to generate self-facilitation. Self-facilitation has been successfully harnessed for restoration by clumping transplanted organisms, but requires large amounts of often-limiting and costly donor material. Recent advancements highlight that kickstarting self-facilitation by mimicking emergent traits can similarly increase restoration success. Here, we provide a framework for combining expertise from ecologists, engineers and industrial product designers to transition from trial-and-error to emergent trait design-based, cost-efficient approaches to support large-scale restoration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ralph J M Temmink
- Environmental Sciences, Copernicus Institute of Sustainable Development, Utrecht University, Princetonlaan 8a, 3584 CB Utrecht, the Netherlands.
| | - Christine Angelini
- Department of Environmental Engineering Sciences, Engineering School for Sustainable Infrastructure and Environment, University of Florida, PO Box 116580, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
| | - Martijn Verkuijl
- Department of Industrial Design Engineering, Windesheim University of Applied Sciences, Koestraat 3, 8011NG Zwolle, the Netherlands
| | - Tjisse van der Heide
- Department of Coastal Systems, Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, 1790 AB Den Burg, the Netherlands; Conservation Ecology Group, Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, 9700 CC Groningen, the Netherlands
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Jiang Z, He J, Fang Y, Lin J, Liu S, Wu Y, Huang X. Effects of herbivore on seagrass, epiphyte and sediment carbon sequestration in tropical seagrass bed. MARINE ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2023; 190:106122. [PMID: 37549560 DOI: 10.1016/j.marenvres.2023.106122] [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: 02/01/2023] [Revised: 07/10/2023] [Accepted: 07/31/2023] [Indexed: 08/09/2023]
Abstract
Herbivores strongly affect the ecological structure and functioning in seagrass bed ecosystems, but may exhibit density-dependent effects on primary producers and carbon sequestration. This study examined the effects of herbivorous snail (Cerithidea rhizophorarum) density on snail intraspecific competition and diet, dominant seagrass (Thalassia hemprichii) and epiphyte growth metrics, and sediment organic carbon (SOC). The growth rates of the herbivorous snail under low density (421 ind m-2) and mid density (842 ind m-2) were almost two times of those at extremely high density (1684 ind m-2), indicating strong intraspecific competition at high density. Herbivorous snails markedly reduced the epiphyte biomass on seagrass leaves. Additionally, the seagrass contribution to herbivorous snail as food source under high density was about 1.5 times of that under low density, while the epiphyte contribution under low density was 3 times of that under high density. A moderate density of herbivorous snails enhanced leaf length, carbon, nitrogen, total phenol and flavonoid contents of seagrasses, as well as surface SOC content and activities of polyphenol oxidase and β-glucosidase. However, high density of herbivorous snails decreased leaf glucose, fructose, detritus carbon, and total phenols contents of seagrasses, as well as surface SOC content and activities of polyphenol oxidase and β-glucosidase. Therefore, the effects of herbivorous snail on seagrass, epiphyte and SOC were density-dependent, and moderate density of herbivorous snail could be beneficial for seagrasses to increase productivity. This provided theoretical guidance for enhancing carbon sink in seagrass bed and its better conservation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhijian Jiang
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510301, PR China; Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory, Guangzhou, 511458, PR China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, PR China; Sanya National Marine Ecosystem Research Station, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sanya, 572000, China; Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Biotechnology of Hainan Province, Sanya Institute of Oceanology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Sanya, 572100, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Marine Biology Applications, Guangzhou, 510301, China
| | - Jialu He
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510301, PR China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, PR China; Guangdong Center for Marine Development Research, Guangzhou, 510220, China
| | - Yang Fang
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510301, PR China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, PR China
| | - Jizhen Lin
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510301, PR China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, PR China
| | - Songlin Liu
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510301, PR China; Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory, Guangzhou, 511458, PR China; Sanya National Marine Ecosystem Research Station, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sanya, 572000, China; Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Biotechnology of Hainan Province, Sanya Institute of Oceanology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Sanya, 572100, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Marine Biology Applications, Guangzhou, 510301, China
| | - Yunchao Wu
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510301, PR China; Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory, Guangzhou, 511458, PR China; Sanya National Marine Ecosystem Research Station, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sanya, 572000, China; Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Biotechnology of Hainan Province, Sanya Institute of Oceanology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Sanya, 572100, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Marine Biology Applications, Guangzhou, 510301, China
| | - Xiaoping Huang
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510301, PR China; Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory, Guangzhou, 511458, PR China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, PR China; Sanya National Marine Ecosystem Research Station, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sanya, 572000, China; Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Biotechnology of Hainan Province, Sanya Institute of Oceanology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Sanya, 572100, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Marine Biology Applications, Guangzhou, 510301, China.
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Current Distribution and Conservation Issues of Aquatic Plant Species Protected under Habitats Directive in Lithuania. DIVERSITY 2023. [DOI: 10.3390/d15020185] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
The European Habitats Directive was adopted to halt the rapid loss of biodiversity and has become an important instrument for protecting biodiversity in the European Union. Three aquatic plant species protected under the European Habitats Directive have so far been found in Lithuania: Aldrovanda vesiculosa, Caldesia parnassifolia, and Najas flexilis. Our aim in this study was to evaluate the former and current distribution and the status of conservation of the target species. Screening for the above-mentioned protected aquatic plant species was performed in 73 natural lakes throughout Lithuania in 2019–2021. We confirmed extant populations of Aldrovanda vesiculosa in four lakes, Caldesia parnassifolia in two lakes, and Najas flexilis in four lakes in the northeastern part of the country. We studied Aldrovanda vesiculosa populations three times (2015, 2019, and 2022) in Lake Rūžas and once each in Lake Apvardai and Lake Dysnai (2020). The population density of Aldrovanda vesiculosa ranged from 193.4 ± 159.7 to 224.0 ± 211.0 individuals/m2, the mean length of plants ranged from 12.5 ± 2.1 to 14.3 ± 2.7 cm, and the mean number of apices ranged from 2.0 ± 0.7 to 2.2 ± 0.9 per individual. The habitat of Aldrovanda vesiculosa in Lake Rūžas covered an area of about 3 ha. The number of generative individuals of Caldesia parnassifolia widely varied between years in Lake Rūžas. All populations of Najas flexilis were small, although the potential habitats in the studied lakes cover relatively large areas. We propose designating all lakes with populations of Aldrovanda vesiculosa, Caldesia parnassifolia, and Najas flexilis as special areas of conservation, as well as developing and implementing action plans for the conservation of these species and their habitats.
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Shantz AA, Ladd MC, Ezzat L, Schmitt RJ, Holbrook SJ, Schmeltzer E, Vega Thurber R, Burkepile DE. Positive interactions between corals and damselfish increase coral resistance to temperature stress. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2023; 29:417-431. [PMID: 36315059 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.16480] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2022] [Revised: 08/12/2022] [Accepted: 09/25/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
By the century's end, many tropical seas will reach temperatures exceeding most coral species' thermal tolerance on an annual basis. The persistence of corals in these regions will, therefore, depend on their abilities to tolerate recurrent thermal stress. Although ecologists have long recognized that positive interspecific interactions can ameliorate environmental stress to expand the realized niche of plants and animals, coral bleaching studies have largely overlooked how interactions with community members outside of the coral holobiont shape the bleaching response. Here, we subjected a common coral, Pocillopora grandis, to 10 days of thermal stress in aquaria with and without the damselfish Dascyllus flavicaudus (yellowtail dascyllus), which commonly shelter within these corals, to examine how interactions with damselfish impacted coral thermal tolerance. Corals often benefit from nutrients excreted by animals they interact with and prior to thermal stress, corals grown with damselfish showed improved photophysiology (Fv /Fm ) and developed larger endosymbiont populations. When exposed to thermal stress, corals with fish performed as well as control corals maintained at ambient temperatures without fish. In contrast, corals exposed to thermal stress without fish experienced photophysiological impairment, a more than 50% decline in endosymbiont density, and a 36% decrease in tissue protein content. At the end of the experiment, thermal stress caused average calcification rates to decrease by over 80% when damselfish were absent but increase nearly 25% when damselfish were present. Our study indicates that damselfish-derived nutrients can increase coral thermal tolerance and are consistent with the Stress Gradient Hypothesis, which predicts that positive interactions become increasingly important for structuring communities as environmental stress increases. Because warming of just a few degrees can exceed corals' temperature tolerance to trigger bleaching and mortality, positive interactions could play a critical role in maintaining some coral species in warming regions until climate change is aggressively addressed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew A Shantz
- Florida State University Coastal and Marine Laboratory, St. Teresa, Florida, USA
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Marine Biology, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, California, USA
| | - Mark C Ladd
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Marine Biology, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, California, USA
- NOAA-National Marine Fisheries Service, Southeast Fisheries Science Center, Key Biscayne, Florida, USA
| | - Leila Ezzat
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Marine Biology, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, California, USA
- School of Architecture, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Russell J Schmitt
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Marine Biology, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, California, USA
- Marine Science Institute, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, California, USA
| | - Sally J Holbrook
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Marine Biology, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, California, USA
- Marine Science Institute, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, California, USA
| | - Emily Schmeltzer
- Department of Microbiology, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon, USA
| | | | - Deron E Burkepile
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Marine Biology, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, California, USA
- Marine Science Institute, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, California, USA
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11
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Farfán-Beltrán ME, Chávez-Pesqueira M, Hernández-Cumplido J, Cano-Santana Z. A quick evaluation of ecological restoration based on arthropod communities and trophic guilds in an urban ecological preserve in Mexico City. REVISTA CHILENA DE HISTORIA NATURAL 2022. [DOI: 10.1186/s40693-022-00108-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Background
Restoration practices usually emphasize on the structural part of the biodiversity; also, most studies have focused on plants and very few have been conducted on arthropods and its function after restoration. The Pedregal de San Angel Ecological Reserve (PSAER) is a protected area immersed in Mexico City and it has been drastically affected by different anthropogenic disturbances. The aim of this study was to compare the relative diversity, richness, and abundance of species level identification, but also the composition through an analysis of ordination of taxonomic (species, family, and order level) and functional (trophic guild) traits of arthropods in three sites subjected to ecological restoration within the PSAER. Restored sites were also compared to conserved and disturbed sites, to evaluate whether restoration efforts are effective at the reserve.
Methods
Arthropods were sampled using pan traps during September 2013 in 11 sites (three restored, four conserved and four disturbed) inside the PSAER. All sampled species were taxonomically identified at species of morphospecies (inside a family) and assigned to a trophic guild. Differences in diversity, richness and abundance were evaluated through effective number of species, comparisons of Chao’s1 estimated richness and a non-parametric Kruskal–Wallis test, respectively. Both taxonomic and trophic guild composition were evaluated using a multivariate analysis and a post hoc test.
Results
We found some differences in richness, abundance, and diversity between sites, but not a clear pattern of differentiation between restored to disturbed sites. The NMDS showed differences at species and order level, and with trophic guilds, among site types. Families were not useful to differentiate types of sites. Regarding guilds, predators were more abundant in conserved sites, while phytophagous insects were more abundant in disturbed sites.
Conclusions
Species and order level were useful to identify differences in communities of arthropods in sites with different management. The trophic guild approach provides information about the functional state of the restored sites. Nevertheless, our quick evaluation shows that restoration efforts at PSAER have not been successful in differentiate restored to disturbed sites yet.
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12
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Sievers M, Brown CJ, Buelow CA, Hale R, Ostrowski A, Saunders MI, Silliman BR, Swearer SE, Turschwell MP, Valdez SR, Connolly RM. Greater Consideration of Animals Will Enhance Coastal Restoration Outcomes. Bioscience 2022; 72:1088-1098. [PMID: 36325106 PMCID: PMC9618274 DOI: 10.1093/biosci/biac088] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/11/2023] Open
Abstract
As efforts to restore coastal habitats accelerate, it is critical that investments are targeted to most effectively mitigate and reverse habitat loss and its impacts on biodiversity. One likely but largely overlooked impediment to effective restoration of habitat-forming organisms is failing to explicitly consider non-habitat-forming animals in restoration planning, implementation, and monitoring. These animals can greatly enhance or degrade ecosystem function, persistence, and resilience. Bivalves, for instance, can reduce sulfide stress in seagrass habitats and increase drought tolerance of saltmarsh vegetation, whereas megaherbivores can detrimentally overgraze seagrass or improve seagrass seed germination, depending on the context. Therefore, understanding when, why, and how to directly manipulate or support animals can enhance coastal restoration outcomes. In support of this expanded restoration approach, we provide a conceptual framework, incorporating lessons from structured decision-making, and describe potential actions that could lead to better restoration outcomes using case studies to illustrate practical approaches.
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13
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To a charismatic rescue: Designing a blueprint to steer Fishing Cat conservation for safeguarding Indian wetlands. J Nat Conserv 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jnc.2022.126225] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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14
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Blake RE, Olin JA. Responses to simultaneous anthropogenic and biological stressors were mixed in an experimental saltmarsh ecosystem. MARINE ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2022; 179:105644. [PMID: 35696877 DOI: 10.1016/j.marenvres.2022.105644] [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: 12/14/2021] [Revised: 05/07/2022] [Accepted: 05/08/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Coastal ecosystems are essential for absorbing and bouncing back from the impacts of climate change, yet accelerating climate change is causing anthropogenically-derived stressors in these ecosystems to grow. The effects of stressors are more difficult to foresee when they act simultaneously, however, predicting these effects is critical for understanding ecological change. Spartina alterniflora (Spartina), a foundational saltmarsh plant key to coastal resilience, is subject to biological stress such as herbivory, as well as anthropogenic stress such as chemical pollution. Using saltmarsh mesocosms as a model system in a fully factorial experiment, we tested whether the effects of herbivory and two chemicals (oil and dispersant) were mediated or magnified in combination. Spartina responded to stressors asynchronously; ecophysiology responded negatively to oil and herbivores in the first 2-3 weeks of the experiment, whereas biomass responded negatively to oil and herbivores cumulatively throughout the experiment. We generally found mixed multi-stressor effects, with slightly more antagonistic effects compared to either synergistic or additive effects, despite significant reductions in Spartina biomass and growth from both chemical and herbivore treatments. We also observed an indirect positive effect of oil on Spartina, via a direct negative effect on insect herbivores. Our findings suggest that multi-stressor effects in our model system, 1) are mixed but can be antagonistic more often than expected, a finding contrary to previous assumptions of primarily synergistic effects, 2) can vary in duration, 3) can be difficult to discern a priori, and 4) can lead to ecological surprises through indirect effects with implications for coastal resilience. This leads us to conclude that understanding the simultaneous effects of multiple stressors is critical for predicting foundation-species persistence, discerning ecosystem resilience, and managing and mitigating impacts on ecosystem services.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachael E Blake
- Department of Oceanography & Coastal Sciences, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA, USA; DataKind, 419 McDonald Ave Unit 180184, Brooklyn, NY, USA.
| | - Jill A Olin
- Department of Oceanography & Coastal Sciences, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA, USA; Department of Biological Sciences, Michigan Technological University, Houghton, MI, USA
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15
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Shao P, Han H, Yang H, Li T, Zhang D, Ma J, Duan D, Sun J. Responses of Above- and Belowground Carbon Stocks to Degraded and Recovering Wetlands in the Yellow River Delta. Front Ecol Evol 2022. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2022.856479] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Wetlands reserve a large amount of organic carbon (C), playing a key role in contributing global C stocks. It is still uncertain to evaluate wetland C stocks due to wetland disturbance or degradation. In this study, we performed the degraded and recovering wetlands to estimate aboveground C stocks and soil organic C (SOC) stocks at the depth of 1 m in the Yellow River Delta. Our results showed that the recovering wetland sequestered 1.67 Mg C ha–1 aboveground, approximately three times higher than those (0.56 Mg C ha–1) of degraded wetland, and recovering wetland stored more SOC of 51.86 Mg C ha–1 in the top 1 m soils, approximately two times higher than those (26.94 Mg C ha–1) of degraded wetland. These findings indicate that the transformation between degraded and recovering wetlands is associated with the conversion of wetland C sources and sinks. The shifts in aboveground C stocks and SOC stocks were mainly attributed to changed biotic (i.e., aboveground biomass and photosynthetic C) and abiotic (i.e., soil water, salinity, SOC and N contents, and SOC compounds) factors. The improved soil water, salinity, and nutrient enhance C reservoir, sequestering more C in aboveground vegetation and storing more SOC via photosynthetic C input of plant litter and root exudates in recovering wetland than in degraded wetland with poor soil conditions. The relationships among wetland C stocks, plant, and soil properties indicate plant-soil interaction driving wetland ecosystem C stocks in degraded and recovering wetlands. Our research suggests that wetland restoration highlights a positive response to “carbon neutrality” by efficiently sequestering C above- and belowground.
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16
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Thomsen MS, Altieri AH, Angelini C, Bishop MJ, Bulleri F, Farhan R, Frühling VMM, Gribben PE, Harrison SB, He Q, Klinghardt M, Langeneck J, Lanham BS, Mondardini L, Mulders Y, Oleksyn S, Ramus AP, Schiel DR, Schneider T, Siciliano A, Silliman BR, Smale DA, South PM, Wernberg T, Zhang S, Zotz G. Heterogeneity within and among co-occurring foundation species increases biodiversity. Nat Commun 2022; 13:581. [PMID: 35102155 PMCID: PMC8803935 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-28194-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2021] [Accepted: 01/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Habitat heterogeneity is considered a primary causal driver underpinning patterns of diversity, yet the universal role of heterogeneity in structuring biodiversity is unclear due to a lack of coordinated experiments testing its effects across geographic scales and habitat types. Furthermore, key species interactions that can enhance heterogeneity, such as facilitation cascades of foundation species, have been largely overlooked in general biodiversity models. Here, we performed 22 geographically distributed experiments in different ecosystems and biogeographical regions to assess the extent to which variation in biodiversity is explained by three axes of habitat heterogeneity: the amount of habitat, its morphological complexity, and capacity to provide ecological resources (e.g. food) within and between co-occurring foundation species. We show that positive and additive effects across the three axes of heterogeneity are common, providing a compelling mechanistic insight into the universal importance of habitat heterogeneity in promoting biodiversity via cascades of facilitative interactions. Because many aspects of habitat heterogeneity can be controlled through restoration and management interventions, our findings are directly relevant to biodiversity conservation. Species interactions that can enhance habitat heterogeneity such as facilitation cascades of foundation species have been overlooked in biodiversity models. This study conducted 22 geographically distributed experiments in different ecosystems and biogeographical regions to assess the extent to which biodiversity is explained by three axes of habitat heterogeneity in facilitation cascades.
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17
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Donaher SE, Baillie CJ, Smith CS, Zhang YS, Albright A, Trackenberg SN, Wellman EH, Woodard N, Gittman RK. Bivalve facilitation mediates seagrass recovery from physical disturbance in a temperate estuary. Ecosphere 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.3804] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Sarah E. Donaher
- Institute of Marine Sciences University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Morehead City North Carolina 28557 USA
- Department of Environmental Engineering and Earth Sciences Clemson University Anderson South Carolina 29625 USA
| | | | - Carter S. Smith
- Duke University Marine Laboratory Beaufort North Carolina 28516 USA
| | - Y. Stacy Zhang
- Institute of Marine Sciences University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Morehead City North Carolina 28557 USA
| | - Anna Albright
- Department of Biology East Carolina University Greenville North Carolina 27858 USA
| | - Stacy N. Trackenberg
- Department of Biology East Carolina University Greenville North Carolina 27858 USA
| | - Emory H. Wellman
- Department of Biology East Carolina University Greenville North Carolina 27858 USA
| | - Nina Woodard
- Department of Biology East Carolina University Greenville North Carolina 27858 USA
| | - Rachel K. Gittman
- Institute of Marine Sciences University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Morehead City North Carolina 28557 USA
- Department of Biology East Carolina University Greenville North Carolina 27858 USA
- Coastal Studies Institute East Carolina University Wanchese North Carolina 27891 USA
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18
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Balestri E, Menicagli V, Lardicci C. Managing biotic interactions during early seagrass life stages to improve seed‐based restoration. J Appl Ecol 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2664.13980] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Virginia Menicagli
- Department of Biology University of Pisa Pisa Italy
- Center for Instrument Sharing University of Pisa (CISUP) University of Pisa Pisa Italy
| | - Claudio Lardicci
- Center for Instrument Sharing University of Pisa (CISUP) University of Pisa Pisa Italy
- Department of Earth Sciences University of Pisa Pisa Italy
- Center for Climate Change Impact University of Pisa Pisa Italy
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19
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Huang H, Xu C, Liu Q. ‘Social distancing’ between plants may amplify coastal restoration at early stage. J Appl Ecol 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2664.14044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Hao Huang
- School of Ecological and Environmental Sciences East China Normal University Shanghai P.R. China
| | - Chi Xu
- School of Life Sciences Nanjing University Nanjing P.R. China
| | - Quan‐Xing Liu
- School of Ecological and Environmental Sciences East China Normal University Shanghai P.R. China
- State Key Laboratory of Estuarine and Coastal Research and Center for Global Change and Ecological Forecasting East China Normal University Shanghai P.R. China
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20
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Temmink RJM, Angelini C, Fivash GS, Swart L, Nouta R, Teunis M, Lengkeek W, Didderen K, Lamers LPM, Bouma TJ, Heide T. Life cycle informed restoration: Engineering settlement substrate material characteristics and structural complexity for reef formation. J Appl Ecol 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2664.13968] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Ralph J. M. Temmink
- Aquatic Ecology and Environmental Biology Institute for Water and Wetland Research Radboud University Nijmegen The Netherlands
- Department Coastal Systems Royal Netherlands Institute of Sea Research and Utrecht University Den Burg The Netherlands
| | - Christine Angelini
- Department of Environmental Engineering Sciences Engineering School for Sustainable Infrastructure and Environment University of Florida Gainesville FL USA
| | - Gregory S. Fivash
- Department of Estuarine and Delta Systems Royal Netherlands Institute of Sea Research and Utrecht University Utrecht The Netherlands
| | - Laura Swart
- Aquatic Ecology and Environmental Biology Institute for Water and Wetland Research Radboud University Nijmegen The Netherlands
| | - Reinder Nouta
- Aquatic Ecology and Environmental Biology Institute for Water and Wetland Research Radboud University Nijmegen The Netherlands
| | | | - Wouter Lengkeek
- Aquatic Ecology and Environmental Biology Institute for Water and Wetland Research Radboud University Nijmegen The Netherlands
- Bureau Waardenburg Culemborg The Netherlands
| | | | - Leon P. M. Lamers
- Aquatic Ecology and Environmental Biology Institute for Water and Wetland Research Radboud University Nijmegen The Netherlands
- B‐WARE Research Centre Nijmegen The Netherlands
| | - Tjeerd J. Bouma
- Department of Estuarine and Delta Systems Royal Netherlands Institute of Sea Research and Utrecht University Utrecht The Netherlands
- Building with Nature Group HZ University of Applied Sciences Vlissingen The Netherlands
- Department of Physical Geography Faculty of Geosciences Utrecht University Utrecht The Netherlands
- Conservation Ecology Group Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences University of Groningen Groningen The Netherlands
| | - Tjisse Heide
- Aquatic Ecology and Environmental Biology Institute for Water and Wetland Research Radboud University Nijmegen The Netherlands
- Department Coastal Systems Royal Netherlands Institute of Sea Research and Utrecht University Den Burg The Netherlands
- Department of Physical Geography Faculty of Geosciences Utrecht University Utrecht The Netherlands
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21
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Moore AC, Schmitz OJ. Do predators have a role to play in wetland ecosystem functioning? An experimental study in New England salt marshes. Ecol Evol 2021; 11:10956-10967. [PMID: 34429894 PMCID: PMC8366883 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.7880] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2021] [Revised: 06/18/2021] [Accepted: 06/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
The historical ecological paradigm of wetland ecosystems emphasized the role of physical or "bottom-up" factors in maintaining functions and services. However, recent studies have shown that the loss of predators in coastal salt marshes can lead to a significant reduction in wetland extent due to overgrazing of vegetation by herbivores. Such studies indicate that consumers or "top-down" factors may play a much larger role in the maintenance of wetland ecosystems than was previously thought. The objective of this study was to evaluate whether altering top-down control by manipulating the presence of predators can lead to measurable changes in salt marsh ecosystem properties. Between May and August of 2015 and 2016, we established exclosure and enclosure cages within three New England coastal wetland areas and manipulated the presence of green crab predators to assess how they and their fiddler and purple marsh crab prey affect changes in ecosystem properties. Predator presence was associated with changes in soil nitrogen and aboveground biomass at two of the three field sites, though the magnitude and direction of these effects varied from site to site. Further, path analysis results indicate that across field sites, a combination of bottom-up and top-down factors influenced changes in measured variables. These results challenge the growing consensus that consumers have strong effects, indicating instead that predator impacts may be highly context-dependent.
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22
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Ndayambaje P, Wei L, Zhang T, Li Y, Liu L, Huang X, Liu C. Niche separation and weak interactions in the high tidal zone of saltmarsh-mangrove mixing communities. Ecol Evol 2021; 11:3871-3883. [PMID: 33976781 PMCID: PMC8093676 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.7263] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2020] [Revised: 12/29/2020] [Accepted: 01/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Saltmarsh-mangrove ecotones occur at the boundary of the natural geographic distribution of mangroves and salt marshes. Climate warming and species invasion can also drive the formation of saltmarsh-mangrove mixing communities. How these coastal species live together in a "new" mixed community is important in predicting the dynamic of saltmarsh-mangrove ecosystems as affected by ongoing climate change or human activities. To date, the understanding of species interactions has been rare on adult species in these ecotones.Two typical coastal wetlands were selected as cases to understand how mangrove and saltmarsh species living together in the ecotones. The leaves of seven species were sampled from these coastal wetlands based on their distribution patterns (living alone or coexisting) in the high tidal zone, and seven commonly used functional traits of these species were analyzed.We found niche separation between saltmarsh and mangrove species, which is probably due to the different adaptive strategies they adopted to deal with intertidal environments.Weak interactions between coexisting species were dominated in the high tidal zone of the two saltmarsh-mangrove communities, which could be driven by both niche differentiation and neutral theory.Synthesis. Our field study implies a potential opportunity to establish a multispecies community in the high tidal zone of saltmarsh-mangrove ecotones, where the sediment was characterized by low salinity and high nitrogen.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick Ndayambaje
- Key Laboratory of Urban Pollutant ConversionInstitute of Urban EnvironmentChinese Academy of SciencesXiamenChina
- University of Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
| | - Lili Wei
- Key Laboratory of Urban Pollutant ConversionInstitute of Urban EnvironmentChinese Academy of SciencesXiamenChina
| | - Tingfeng Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Urban Pollutant ConversionInstitute of Urban EnvironmentChinese Academy of SciencesXiamenChina
- University of Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
| | | | - Lin Liu
- Key Laboratory of Urban Pollutant ConversionInstitute of Urban EnvironmentChinese Academy of SciencesXiamenChina
| | - Xu Huang
- Key Laboratory of Urban Pollutant ConversionInstitute of Urban EnvironmentChinese Academy of SciencesXiamenChina
| | - Chaoxiang Liu
- Key Laboratory of Urban Pollutant ConversionInstitute of Urban EnvironmentChinese Academy of SciencesXiamenChina
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Knowlton N. Ocean Optimism: Moving Beyond the Obituaries in Marine Conservation. ANNUAL REVIEW OF MARINE SCIENCE 2021; 13:479-499. [PMID: 32503374 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-marine-040220-101608] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
While the ocean has suffered many losses, there is increasing evidence that important progress is being made in marine conservation. Examples include striking recoveries of once-threatened species, increasing rates of protection of marine habitats, more sustainably managed fisheries and aquaculture, reductions in some forms of pollution, accelerating restoration of degraded habitats, and use of the ocean and its habitats to sequester carbon and provide clean energy. Many of these achievements have multiple benefits, including improved human well-being. Moreover, better understanding of how to implement conservation strategies effectively, new technologies and databases, increased integration of the natural and social sciences, and use of indigenous knowledge promise continued progress. Enormous challenges remain, and there is no single solution; successful efforts typically are neither quick nor cheap and require trust and collaboration. Nevertheless, a greater focus on solutions and successes will help them to become the norm rather than the exception.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nancy Knowlton
- National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC 20560, USA;
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24
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Albertson LK, MacDonald MJ, Tumolo BB, Briggs MA, Maguire Z, Quinn S, Sanchez-Ruiz JA, Veneros J, Burkle LA. Uncovering patterns of freshwater positive interactions using meta-analysis: Identifying the roles of common participants, invasive species and environmental context. Ecol Lett 2020; 24:594-607. [PMID: 33368953 DOI: 10.1111/ele.13664] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2020] [Revised: 11/20/2020] [Accepted: 11/28/2020] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
Positive interactions are sensitive to human activities, necessitating synthetic approaches to elucidate broad patterns and predict future changes if these interactions are altered or lost. General understanding of freshwater positive interactions has been far outpaced by knowledge of these important relationships in terrestrial and marine ecosystems. We conducted a global meta-analysis to evaluate the magnitude of positive interactions across freshwater habitats. In 340 studies, we found substantial positive effects, with facilitators increasing beneficiaries by, on average, 81% across all taxa and response variables. Mollusks in particular were commonly studied as both facilitators and beneficiaries. Amphibians were one group benefiting the most from positive interactions, yet few studies investigated amphibians. Invasive facilitators had stronger positive effects on beneficiaries than non-invasive facilitators. We compared positive effects between high- and low-stress conditions and found no difference in the magnitude of benefit in the subset of studies that manipulated stressors. Future areas of research include understudied facilitators and beneficiaries, the stress gradient hypothesis, patterns across space or time and the influence of declining taxa whose elimination would jeopardise fragile positive interaction networks. Freshwater positive interactions occur among a wide range of taxa, influence populations, communities and ecosystem processes and deserve further exploration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lindsey K Albertson
- Department of Ecology, Montana State University, P.O. Box 173460, Bozeman, MT, 59717, USA
| | - Michael J MacDonald
- Department of Ecology, Montana State University, P.O. Box 173460, Bozeman, MT, 59717, USA
| | - Benjamin B Tumolo
- Department of Ecology, Montana State University, P.O. Box 173460, Bozeman, MT, 59717, USA
| | - Michelle A Briggs
- Department of Ecology, Montana State University, P.O. Box 173460, Bozeman, MT, 59717, USA
| | - Zachary Maguire
- Department of Ecology, Montana State University, P.O. Box 173460, Bozeman, MT, 59717, USA
| | - Sierra Quinn
- Department of Ecology, Montana State University, P.O. Box 173460, Bozeman, MT, 59717, USA
| | - Jose A Sanchez-Ruiz
- Department of Ecology, Montana State University, P.O. Box 173460, Bozeman, MT, 59717, USA
| | - Jaris Veneros
- Department of Ecology, Montana State University, P.O. Box 173460, Bozeman, MT, 59717, USA
| | - Laura A Burkle
- Department of Ecology, Montana State University, P.O. Box 173460, Bozeman, MT, 59717, USA
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26
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Lee NLY, Huang D, Quek ZBR, Lee JN, Wainwright BJ. Distinct fungal communities associated with different organs of the mangrove Sonneratia alba in the Malay Peninsula. IMA Fungus 2020; 11:17. [PMID: 32974121 PMCID: PMC7493156 DOI: 10.1186/s43008-020-00042-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2020] [Accepted: 08/31/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Mangrove forests are key tropical marine ecosystems that are rich in fungi, but our understanding of fungal communities associated with mangrove trees and their various organs remains limited because much of the diversity lies within the microbiome. In this study, we investigated the fungal communities associated with the mangrove tree Sonneratia alba throughout Peninsular Malaysia and Singapore. At each sampling location, we collected leaves, fruits, pneumatophores and sediment samples and performed amplicon sequencing of the ribosomal internal transcribed spacer 1 to characterise the associated communities. Results show distinct fungal communities at each sampled location with further differentiation according to the plant part. We find a significant distance decay of similarity, particularly for sediment samples due to the greater variability of sediment environments relative to the more stable fungal habitats provided by living plant organs. We are able to assign taxonomy to the majority of sequences from leaves and fruits, but a much larger portion of the sequences recovered from pneumatophores and sediment samples could not be identified. This pattern underscores the limited mycological research performed in marine environments and demonstrates the need for a concerted research effort on multiple species to fully characterise the coastal microbiome and its role in the functioning of marine ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole Li Ying Lee
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, 16 Science Drive 4, Singapore, 117558 Singapore
| | - Danwei Huang
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, 16 Science Drive 4, Singapore, 117558 Singapore.,Tropical Marine Science Institute, National University of Singapore, 18 Kent Ridge Road, Singapore, 119227 Singapore
| | - Zheng Bin Randolph Quek
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, 16 Science Drive 4, Singapore, 117558 Singapore
| | - Jen Nie Lee
- Faculty of Science and Marine Environment, Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, 21030 Kuala Nerus, Malaysia
| | - Benjamin J Wainwright
- Yale-NUS College, National University of Singapore, 16 College Avenue West, Singapore, 138527 Singapore
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27
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McAfee D, Larkin C, Connell SD. Multi‐species restoration accelerates recovery of extinguished oyster reefs. J Appl Ecol 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2664.13719] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Dominic McAfee
- School of Biological Sciences The University of Adelaide Adelaide SA Australia
- Environment Institute The University of Adelaide Adelaide SA Australia
| | - Catherine Larkin
- School of Biological Sciences The University of Adelaide Adelaide SA Australia
| | - Sean D. Connell
- School of Biological Sciences The University of Adelaide Adelaide SA Australia
- Environment Institute The University of Adelaide Adelaide SA Australia
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28
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Schotanus J, Walles B, Capelle JJ, Belzen J, Koppel J, Bouma TJ. Promoting self‐facilitating feedback processes in coastal ecosystem engineers to increase restoration success: Testing engineering measures. J Appl Ecol 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2664.13709] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Jim Belzen
- Wageningen Marine Research Yerseke The Netherlands
| | - Johan Koppel
- Department of Estuarine and Delta Systems NIOZ Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea ResearchUtrecht University Yerseke The Netherlands
| | - Tjeerd J. Bouma
- HZ University of Applied Sciences Vlissingen The Netherlands
- Department of Estuarine and Delta Systems NIOZ Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea ResearchUtrecht University Yerseke The Netherlands
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29
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Temmink RJM, Christianen MJA, Fivash GS, Angelini C, Boström C, Didderen K, Engel SM, Esteban N, Gaeckle JL, Gagnon K, Govers LL, Infantes E, van Katwijk MM, Kipson S, Lamers LPM, Lengkeek W, Silliman BR, van Tussenbroek BI, Unsworth RKF, Yaakub SM, Bouma TJ, van der Heide T. Mimicry of emergent traits amplifies coastal restoration success. Nat Commun 2020; 11:3668. [PMID: 32699271 PMCID: PMC7376209 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-17438-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2019] [Accepted: 06/29/2020] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Restoration is becoming a vital tool to counteract coastal ecosystem degradation. Modifying transplant designs of habitat-forming organisms from dispersed to clumped can amplify coastal restoration yields as it generates self-facilitation from emergent traits, i.e. traits not expressed by individuals or small clones, but that emerge in clumped individuals or large clones. Here, we advance restoration science by mimicking key emergent traits that locally suppress physical stress using biodegradable establishment structures. Experiments across (sub)tropical and temperate seagrass and salt marsh systems demonstrate greatly enhanced yields when individuals are transplanted within structures mimicking emergent traits that suppress waves or sediment mobility. Specifically, belowground mimics of dense root mats most facilitate seagrasses via sediment stabilization, while mimics of aboveground plant structures most facilitate marsh grasses by reducing stem movement. Mimicking key emergent traits may allow upscaling of restoration in many ecosystems that depend on self-facilitation for persistence, by constraining biological material requirements and implementation costs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ralph J M Temmink
- Aquatic Ecology and Environmental Biology, Institute for Water and Wetland Research, Radboud University, Heyendaalseweg 135, 6525 AJ, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
| | - Marjolijn J A Christianen
- Aquatic Ecology and Environmental Biology, Institute for Water and Wetland Research, Radboud University, Heyendaalseweg 135, 6525 AJ, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
- Wageningen University & Research, Aquatic Ecology and Water Quality Management Group, P.O. Box 47, 6700 AA, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Gregory S Fivash
- Department of Estuarine and Delta Systems, Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research and Utrecht University, 4401 NT, Yerseke, The Netherlands
| | - Christine Angelini
- Department of Environmental Engineering Sciences, Engineering School for Sustainable Infrastructure and Environment, University of Florida, PO Box 116580, Gainesville, FL, 32611, USA
| | - Christoffer Boström
- Environmental and Marine Biology, Åbo Akademi University, Tykistökatu 6, 20520, Turku, Finland
| | - Karin Didderen
- Bureau Waardenburg, Varkensmarkt 9, 4101 CK, 4100 AJ, Culemborg, The Netherlands
| | | | - Nicole Esteban
- Bioscience Department, Swansea University, Singleton Park, Swansea, Wales, SA2 8PP, UK
| | - Jeffrey L Gaeckle
- Washington State Department of Natural Resources, Olympia, WA, 98504, USA
| | - Karine Gagnon
- Environmental and Marine Biology, Åbo Akademi University, Tykistökatu 6, 20520, Turku, Finland
| | - Laura L Govers
- Aquatic Ecology and Environmental Biology, Institute for Water and Wetland Research, Radboud University, Heyendaalseweg 135, 6525 AJ, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
- Conservation Ecology Group, Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, 9700 CC, Groningen, The Netherlands
- Department Coastal Systems, Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research and Utrecht University, 1790 AB, Den Burg, The Netherlands
| | - Eduardo Infantes
- Department of Marine Sciences, University of Gothenburg, Kristineberg Marine Research Station, Kristineberg 566, 45178, Fiskebäckskil, Sweden
| | - Marieke M van Katwijk
- Department of Environmental Science, Institute for Water and Wetland Research, Radboud University, Heyendaalseweg 135, 6525 AJ, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Silvija Kipson
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Zagreb, Rooseveltov trg 6, 10000, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Leon P M Lamers
- Aquatic Ecology and Environmental Biology, Institute for Water and Wetland Research, Radboud University, Heyendaalseweg 135, 6525 AJ, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
- B-WARE Research Centre, Toernooiveld 1, 6525 ED, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Wouter Lengkeek
- Aquatic Ecology and Environmental Biology, Institute for Water and Wetland Research, Radboud University, Heyendaalseweg 135, 6525 AJ, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
- Bureau Waardenburg, Varkensmarkt 9, 4101 CK, 4100 AJ, Culemborg, The Netherlands
| | - Brian R Silliman
- Division of Marine Science and Conservation, Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, 135 Duke Marine Lab Road, Beaufort, NC, USA
| | - Brigitta I van Tussenbroek
- Reef Systems Unit, Instituto de Ciencias del Mar y Limnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, 77580, Puerto Morelos, Quintana Roo, Mexico
| | - Richard K F Unsworth
- Project Seagrass, 33 Park Place, Cardiff, CF10 3BA, UK
- Seagrass Ecosystem Research Group, College of Science, Swansea University, Swansea, SA2 8PP, UK
| | - Siti Maryam Yaakub
- Department Ecological Habitats and Processes, DHI Water & Environment, 2 Venture Drive, 18-18 Vision Exchange, Singapore, 608526, Singapore
| | - Tjeerd J Bouma
- Department of Estuarine and Delta Systems, Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research and Utrecht University, 4401 NT, Yerseke, The Netherlands
- Conservation Ecology Group, Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, 9700 CC, Groningen, The Netherlands
- Building with Nature group, HZ University of Applied Sciences, Postbus 364, 4380 AJ, Vlissingen, The Netherlands
- Faculty of Geosciences, Department of Physical Geography, Utrecht University, 3508 TC, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Tjisse van der Heide
- Aquatic Ecology and Environmental Biology, Institute for Water and Wetland Research, Radboud University, Heyendaalseweg 135, 6525 AJ, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
- Conservation Ecology Group, Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, 9700 CC, Groningen, The Netherlands.
- Department Coastal Systems, Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research and Utrecht University, 1790 AB, Den Burg, The Netherlands.
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30
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Crotty SM, Angelini C. Geomorphology and Species Interactions Control Facilitation Cascades in a Salt Marsh Ecosystem. Curr Biol 2020; 30:1562-1571.e4. [PMID: 32197087 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2020.02.031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2019] [Revised: 12/20/2019] [Accepted: 02/12/2020] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Facilitation cascades are chains of positive interactions that occur as frequently as trophic cascades and are equally important drivers of ecosystem function, where they involve the overlap of primary and secondary, or dependent, habitat-forming foundation species [1]. Although it is well recognized that the size and configuration of secondary foundation species' patches are critical features modulating the ecological effects of facilitation cascades [2], the mechanisms governing their spatial distribution are often challenging to discern given that they operate across multiple spatial and temporal scales [1, 3]. We therefore combined regional surveys of southeastern US salt marsh geomorphology and invertebrate communities with a predator exclusion experiment to elucidate the drivers, both geomorphic and biotic, controlling the establishment, persistence, and ecosystem functioning impacts of a regionally abundant facilitation cascade involving habitat-forming marsh cordgrass and aggregations of ribbed mussels. We discovered a hierarchy of physical and biological factors predictably controlling the strength and self-organization of this facilitation cascade across creekshed, landscape, and patch scales. These results significantly enhance our capacity to spatially predict coastal ecosystem function across scales based on easily identifiable metrics of geomorphology that are mechanistically linked to ecological processes. Replication of this approach across vegetated coastal ecosystems has the potential to support management efforts by elucidating the multi-scale linkages between geomorphology and ecology that, in turn, define spatially explicit patterns in community assembly and ecosystem functioning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sinéad M Crotty
- Environmental Engineering Sciences, Engineering School for Sustainable Infrastructure and Environment, University of Florida, PO Box 116580, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA; Carbon Containment Lab, Yale School of the Environment, Yale University, Prospect Street, New Haven, CT 06520, USA.
| | - Christine Angelini
- Environmental Engineering Sciences, Engineering School for Sustainable Infrastructure and Environment, University of Florida, PO Box 116580, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
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31
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Gagnon K, Rinde E, Bengil EGT, Carugati L, Christianen MJA, Danovaro R, Gambi C, Govers LL, Kipson S, Meysick L, Pajusalu L, Tüney Kızılkaya İ, Koppel J, Heide T, Katwijk MM, Boström C. Facilitating foundation species: The potential for plant–bivalve interactions to improve habitat restoration success. J Appl Ecol 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2664.13605] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Karine Gagnon
- Environmental and Marine Biology Åbo Akademi University Turku Finland
| | - Eli Rinde
- Norwegian Institute for Water Research Oslo Norway
| | - Elizabeth G. T. Bengil
- Mediterranean Conservation Society Izmir Turkey
- Girne American UniversityMarine School Girne TRNC via Turkey
| | - Laura Carugati
- Department of Life and Environmental Sciences Polytechnic University of Marche Ancona Italy
| | - Marjolijn J. A. Christianen
- Aquatic Ecology and Water Quality Management Group Wageningen University Wageningen The Netherlands
- Department of Environmental Science Institute for Wetland and Water Research Radboud University Nijmegen Nijmegen The Netherlands
| | - Roberto Danovaro
- Department of Life and Environmental Sciences Polytechnic University of Marche Ancona Italy
- Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn Naples Italy
| | - Cristina Gambi
- Department of Life and Environmental Sciences Polytechnic University of Marche Ancona Italy
| | - Laura L. Govers
- Department of Environmental Science Institute for Wetland and Water Research Radboud University Nijmegen Nijmegen The Netherlands
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences University of Groningen Groningen The Netherlands
| | - Silvija Kipson
- Faculty of Science Department of Biology University of Zagreb Zagreb Croatia
| | - Lukas Meysick
- Environmental and Marine Biology Åbo Akademi University Turku Finland
| | - Liina Pajusalu
- Estonian Marine Institute University of Tartu Tallinn Estonia
| | - İnci Tüney Kızılkaya
- Mediterranean Conservation Society Izmir Turkey
- Faculty of Science Ege University Izmir Turkey
| | - Johan Koppel
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences University of Groningen Groningen The Netherlands
- Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research and Utrecht University Yerseke The Netherlands
| | - Tjisse Heide
- Department of Environmental Science Institute for Wetland and Water Research Radboud University Nijmegen Nijmegen The Netherlands
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences University of Groningen Groningen The Netherlands
- Department of Coastal Systems Royal Netherlands Institute of Sea Research and Utrecht University Den Burg The Netherlands
| | - Marieke M. Katwijk
- Department of Environmental Science Institute for Wetland and Water Research Radboud University Nijmegen Nijmegen The Netherlands
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32
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Duggan‐Edwards MF, Pagès JF, Jenkins SR, Bouma TJ, Skov MW. External conditions drive optimal planting configurations for salt marsh restoration. J Appl Ecol 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2664.13550] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Jordi F. Pagès
- School of Ocean Sciences Bangor University Bangor UK
- Departament de Biologia Evolutiva, Ecologia i Ciències Ambientals Facultat de Biologia Universitat de Barcelona Barcelona Spain
- Centre d'Estudis Avançats de Blanes (CEAB‐CSIC) Blanes Spain
| | | | - Tjeerd J. Bouma
- Department of Estuarine and Delta Systems NIOZ Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research Yerseke The Netherlands
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33
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Fischman HS, Crotty SM, Angelini C. Optimizing coastal restoration with the stress gradient hypothesis. Proc Biol Sci 2019; 286:20191978. [PMID: 31847771 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2019.1978] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Restoration efforts have been escalating worldwide in response to widespread habitat degradation. However, coastal restoration attempts notoriously vary in their ability to establish resilient, high-functioning ecosystems. Conventional restoration attempts disperse transplants in competition-minimizing arrays, yet recent studies suggest that clumping transplants to maximize facilitative interactions may improve restoration success. Here, we modify the stress gradient hypothesis to generate predictions about where each restoration design will perform best across environmental stress gradients. We then test this conceptual model with field experiments manipulating transplant density and configuration across dune elevations and latitudes. In hurricane-damaged Georgia (USA) dunes, grass transplanted in competition-minimizing (low-density, dispersed) arrays exhibited the highest growth, resilience to disturbance and dune formation in low-stress conditions. In contrast, transplants survived best in facilitation-maximizing (high-density, clumped) arrays in high-stress conditions, but these benefits did not translate to higher transplant growth or resilience. In a parallel experiment in Massachusetts where dune grasses experience frequent saltwater inundation, fewer transplants survived, suggesting that there are thresholds above which intraspecific facilitation cannot overcome local stressors. These results suggest that ecological theory can be used to guide restoration strategies based on local stress regimes, maximizing potential restoration success and return-on-investment of future efforts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hallie S Fischman
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, USA
| | - Sinead M Crotty
- Department of Environmental Engineering Sciences, Engineering School for Sustainable Infrastructure and the Environment, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
| | - Christine Angelini
- Department of Environmental Engineering Sciences, Engineering School for Sustainable Infrastructure and the Environment, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
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34
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Lee NLY, Huang D, Quek ZBR, Lee JN, Wainwright BJ. Mangrove-Associated Fungal Communities Are Differentiated by Geographic Location and Host Structure. Front Microbiol 2019; 10:2456. [PMID: 31736902 PMCID: PMC6831645 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2019.02456] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2019] [Accepted: 10/14/2019] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Marine fungi on the whole remain understudied, especially in the highly diverse Southeast Asian region. We investigated the fungal communities associated with the mangrove tree Avicennia alba throughout Singapore and Peninsular Malaysia. At each sampling location, we examined ten individual trees, collecting leaves, fruits, pneumatophores, and an adjacent sediment sample from each plant. Amplicon sequencing of the fungal internal transcribed spacer 1 and subsequent analyses reveal significant differences in fungal communities collected from different locations and host structures. Mantel tests and multiple regression on distance matrices show a significant pattern of distance decay with samples collected close to one another having more similar fungal communities than those farther away. Submergence appears to drive part of the variation as host structures that are never submerged (leaves and fruits) have more similar fungal communities relative to those that are covered by water during high tide (pneumatophores and sediment). We suggest that fungi of terrestrial origins dominate structures that are not inundated by tidal regimes, while marine fungi dominate mangrove parts and sediments that are submerged by the incoming tide. Given the critical functions fungi play in all plants, and the important role they can have in determining the success of restoration schemes, we advocate that fungal community composition should be a key consideration in any mangrove restoration or rehabilitation project.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole Li Ying Lee
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Danwei Huang
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore.,Tropical Marine Science Institute, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | | | - Jen Nie Lee
- School of Marine and Environmental Sciences, Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, Kuala Nerus, Malaysia
| | - Benjamin J Wainwright
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
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