Early successional mechanisms in the rocky intertidal: the rôle of direct and indirect interactions

Tamelen, Peter G. van

doi:10.1016/s0022-0981(87)80013-8

Cited by 42 publications

(27 citation statements)

References 28 publications

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“…Previous studies have shown that grazers can directly inhibit recruitment of barnacles by ingesting or bulldozing young cyprids or recruits (Dayton 1971;Denley and Underwood 1979;Petraitis 1987;Farrell 1988;Miller and Carefoot 1989). In other cases, grazers have been shown to enhance barnacle recruitment indirectly by clearing away algae which would otherwise pre-empt available space or smother small barnacles (Sousa 1979;Underwood et al 1983;Jernakoff 1985b;Dungan 1987;Van Tamelen 1987). Another possibility is that grazers indirectly influence recruitment of barnacles by removing a biofilm of micro-organisms (Anderson 1995) which might otherwise enhance or inhibit settlement (e.g.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Effects of gastropod grazers on recruitment and succession of an estuarine assemblage: a multivariate and univariate approach

Anderson¹,

Underwood²

1997

Oecologia

106

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Grazers have been shown to affect assemblages of species in many habitats. Here we studied the effects of the gastropod grazers, Austrocochlea porcata and Bembicium auratum, on intertidal estuarine assemblages in a sheltered bay in New South Wales, Australia. We examined the effects of gastropods on individual species and on the assemblage as a whole. The multivariate response was compared with data on succession in these assemblages to estimate potential effects of grazers on succession. The experiment was repeated several times to determine the generality of grazer effects in the light of possible variation in the timing or intensity of recruitment. There were different responses of individual species to the presence of grazers. Grazers reduced the abundance of ephemeral algal species, bryozoans, copepods, insect larvae and Balanus spp. barnacles. They had a positive effect on oysters and spirorbids and no effect on the barnacles Elminius covertus and Hexaminius spp. These effects were consistent through time. Multivariate analyses confirmed that grazers caused significant changes to whole assemblages and that these effects were far-reaching and not only caused by changes to algal species. The removal of grazers appeared to neither speed up nor slow down succession, but rather caused a completely different assemblage to develop. Apparent important mechanisms affecting the composition of animal species when grazers were removed included accumulation of sediments and detritus and pre-emption of space by algae.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Grazers can directly affect other animals through competition for space or resources (Branch and Branch 1980;Dethier and Duggins 1984) or can indirectly enhance or inhibit recruitment or survival of other species (Underwood et al 1983;Menge et al 1986;Van Tamelen 1987;Andrew 1988;Petraitis 1990). …”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of gastropod grazers on recruitment and succession of an estuarine assemblage: a multivariate and univariate approach

Anderson¹,

Underwood²

1997

Oecologia

106

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“…As expected, the presence of snails increased the recruitment of Chthamalus dalli; a similar positive association between herbivores and Chthamalus spp. has been documented in southern California (Van Tamelen 1987). This association may be driven by grazer removal of algae which otherwise would have preemptively dominated the space available for settling barnacle cyprids.…”

Section: Effects Of Littorina Spp Grazingmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of physical ecosystem engineering and herbivory on intertidal community structure

Harley

2006

Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser.

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Physical ecosystem engineers play dominant roles in a wide variety of communities. While many of the direct, positive effects of ecosystem engineers are readily apparent, the roles of engineers are often mediated by indirect interactions stemming from the facilitation of one or a few key species. Although direct and indirect effects are both critical drivers of community dynamics, they are rarely considered together with regards to ecosystem engineering. In the present study barnacle and herbivorous gastropod densities are experimentally manipulated to investigate the direct positive effects of habitat provision by barnacles as well as indirect effects mediated by molluscan grazers. Molluscan grazers (Littorina spp.) and herbivorous arthropods were positively influenced by the presence of barnacles. Arthropod abundance and species richness were lower when Littorina spp. were present. This pattern was not influenced by barnacle cover, suggesting that competition among herbivore functional groups was strong but independent of biogenic habitat complexity. In addition, Littorina spp. had strong negative effects on the filamentous alga Urospora penicilliformis, but this effect was only seen in the absence of barnacles. Finally, Littorina spp. reduced the recruitment of the principal habitat-forming barnacle Balanus glandula, suggesting that Littorina spp. may mediate a negative feedback loop in B. glandula population dynamics. Given the ubiquity of ecosystem engineers, similar combinations of direct and indirect influences may have far-reaching consequences for community dynamics and species richness in a wide range of systems.

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“…In particular, distinguishing between direct and indirect interactions is critical in developing an understanding of community dynamics (Bradley 1983, Bender et al 1984. Indirect interactions are known to affect competitive and predator-prey relationships (Levine 1976, Lawlor 1979, Vandermeer 1980, but have only recently been invoked as mechanisms of succession (Lubchenco and Menge 1978, Sousa 1979a, Lubchenco 1983, van Tamelen 1987. Indirect interactions are known to affect competitive and predator-prey relationships (Levine 1976, Lawlor 1979, Vandermeer 1980, but have only recently been invoked as mechanisms of succession (Lubchenco and Menge 1978, Sousa 1979a, Lubchenco 1983, van Tamelen 1987.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Models and Mechanisms of Succession: An Example From a Rocky Intertidal Community

Farrell¹

1991

Ecological Monographs

231

205

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JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, and build upon a wide range of content in a trusted digital archive. We use information technology and tools to increase productivity and facilitate new forms of scholarship. For more information about JSTOR, please contact support@jstor.org. This content downloaded from 139.184.Abstract. An investigation of the processes that cause succession was performed in an intertidal community on the central Oregon coast. The community was dominated by barnacles and several species of macroalgae. The successional sequence was determined at three different sites by clearing sets of plots in a way that mimicked natural disturbance. Succession at each of these sites followed the same general sequence. A barnacle, Chthamalus da/li, first colonized the plots and was later replaced by a second barnacle, Balanus glandula. The macroalgae Pelvetiopsis limitata, Fucus distichus, and Endoc/adia muricata colonized the plots only after Balanus was established. While the order of species arrival and departure was consistent, the rate of succession varied greatly among sites. The sequence of community development that was observed at one site over a 36-mo period occurred in < 12 mo in a nearby area. Differences in the rate of succession appeared to result from variation in the timing of successful Balanus recruitment.The mechanisms of succession were investigated in a series of field experiments. An experiment with Balanus-removal, Chthamalus-removal, and control plots was used to assess the interactions between barnacles. A direct interaction, competition for space with Balanus, caused Chthamalus to decrease in abundance as succession proceeded. Chthamalus did not affect the establishment of Balanus. Successful Balanus recruitment depended on occasional periods of larval settlement followed by periods of favorable weather. At all three sites, algal colonization was dependent on the presence of barnacles. Balanus greatly facilitated algal colonization, while Chthamalus only weakly facilitated algal colonization. Facilitation of algal colonization by epoxy-filled barnacle tests indicated that facilitation resulted from barnacle tests altering the substrate, rather than the activities of the living animals. A factorial experiment involving manipulations of barnacle and consumer (limpet) abundances demonstrated that the facilitation of algae by barnacles is an indirect interaction that is mediated by limpets. Barnacles decreased limpet foraging activity and thereby increased algal abundance.Succession in this community is complicated by several processes that are not included in traditional views of succession. (1) Not all early successional species have the same effect on the establishment of later successional species. This results in spatial variation in the rate of succession.(2) The model of succession is different in each step in the successional sequence. The Chthamalus-Balanus interaction is an example of the tolerance model, while the ba...

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Early successional mechanisms in the rocky intertidal: the rôle of direct and indirect interactions

Cited by 42 publications

References 28 publications

Effects of gastropod grazers on recruitment and succession of an estuarine assemblage: a multivariate and univariate approach

Effects of gastropod grazers on recruitment and succession of an estuarine assemblage: a multivariate and univariate approach

Effects of physical ecosystem engineering and herbivory on intertidal community structure

Models and Mechanisms of Succession: An Example From a Rocky Intertidal Community

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