Invasive décor: an association between a native decorator worm and a non-native seaweed can be mutualistic

Kollars, Nicole M.; Byers, James E.; Sotka, Erik E.

doi:10.3354/meps11602

Cited by 29 publications

(30 citation statements)

References 49 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Dashes indicate no analysis due to species absence. tube (Byers et al 2012, Kollars et al 2016. D. cuprea densities are dependent on abiotic conditions, such as salinity, sediment type, and inundation (Berke 2012, Kollars et al 2016, and thus restrict G. vermiculophylla distributions to the lower estuary even though G. vermiculophylla can tolerate the lower salinities of the upper estuaries (Weinberger et al 2008, Sotka et al 2018.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…This system was largely devoid of macroalgae due to high turbidity and lack of hard substrate for algal attachment. The alga is anchored on mudflats due to an association with native tube-building polychaete worms, Diopatra cuprea, that attach the alga to their tubes (Thomsen and McGlathery 2005, Berke 2012, Byers et al 2012, Kollars et al 2016. Increased habitat structure and more amenable abiotic conditions (reduced surface temperatures and desiccation stress during low tide) created by G. vermiculophylla have increased abundance of epifaunal invertebrates and shifted many of their distributions from bare mudflats to those colonized by the invasive seaweed (Byers et al 2012, Wright et al 2014, Bishop and Byers 2015.…”

Section: Research System and Questionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…, Kollars et al. ). Increased habitat structure and more amenable abiotic conditions (reduced surface temperatures and desiccation stress during low tide) created by G. vermiculophylla have increased abundance of epifaunal invertebrates and shifted many of their distributions from bare mudflats to those colonized by the invasive seaweed (Byers et al.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 98%

See 2 more Smart Citations

Mixed effects of an introduced ecosystem engineer on the foraging behavior and habitat selection of predators

Haram

Kinney

Sotka

et al. 2018

Ecology

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Invasive ecosystem engineers both positively and negatively affect their recipient ecosystems by generating novel habitats. Many studies have focused on alterations to ecosystem properties and to native species diversity and abundance caused by invasive engineers. However, relatively few studies have documented the extent to which behaviors of native species are affected. The red seaweed Gracilaria vermiculophylla (Rhodophyta) invaded estuaries of the southeastern United States within the last few decades and now provides abundant aboveground vegetative cover on intertidal mudflats that were historically devoid of seaweeds. We hypothesized that G. vermiculophylla would affect the foraging behavior of native shorebirds positively for birds that target seaweed‐associated invertebrates or negatively for birds that target prey on or within the sediment now covered with seaweed. Visual surveys of mudflats >1 ha in size revealed that more shorebirds occurred on mudflats with G. vermiculophylla relative to mudflats without G. vermiculophylla. This increased density was consistent across 7 of 8 species, with the one exception being the semipalmated plover Charadrius semipalmatus. A regression‐based analysis indicated that while algal presence predicted shorebird density, densities of some bird species depended on sediment composition and infaunal invertebrate densities. At smaller spatial scales (200 m2 and <1 m2), experimental removals and additions of G. vermiculophylla and focal observations showed strong variation in behavioral response to G. vermiculophylla among bird species. Birds preferentially foraged in bare mud (e.g., C. semipalmatus), in G. vermiculophylla (e.g., Arenaria interpres), or displayed no preference for either habitat (e.g., Tringa semipalmata). Thus, while the presence of the invasive ecosystem engineer on a mudflat appeared to attract greater numbers of these predators, shorebird species differed in their behavioral responses at the smaller spatial scales that affect their foraging. Our research illuminates the need to account for species identity, individual behavior, and scale when predicting the impacts of invasive species on native communities.

show abstract

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Research System and Questionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 98%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Mixed effects of an introduced ecosystem engineer on the foraging behavior and habitat selection of predators

Haram

Kinney

Sotka

et al. 2018

Ecology

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…This is also relevant because the majority of these free‐floating thalli are incorporated into polychaete mucus tubes on this mudflat (see also Thomsen , Thomsen and McGlathery , Kollars et al. ). As G. vermiculophylla tetrasporophytic branchlets were more firmly attached to the main axis, tetrasporophytes might maintain thallus integrity while drifting in the intertidal zone, or once glued to mucus tubes.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…), with both positive (e.g., Thomsen and McGlathery , Thomsen , Kollars et al. ) and negative ecological impacts (e.g., Freshwater et al. ).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Nonnative Gracilaria vermiculophylla tetrasporophytes are more difficult to debranch and are less nutritious than gametophytes

Lees

Krueger‐Hadfield

Clark

et al. 2018

Journal of Phycology

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Theory predicts that the maintenance of haplodiplontic life cycles requires ecological differences between the haploid gametophytes and diploid sporophytes, yet evidence of such differences remain scarce. The haplodiplontic red seaweed Gracilaria vermiculophylla has invaded the temperate estuaries of the Northern Hemisphere, where it commonly modifies detrital and trophic pathways. In native populations, abundant hard substratum enables spore settlement, and gametophyte:tetrasporophyte ratios are ~40:60. In contrast, many non-native populations persist in soft-sediment habitats without abundant hard substratum, and can be 90%-100% tetrasporophytic. To test for ecologically relevant phenotypic differences, we measured thallus morphology, protein content, organic content, "debranching resistance" (i.e., tensile force required to remove a branch from its main axis node), and material properties between male gametophytes, female gametophytes, and tetrasporophytes from a single, nonnative site in Charleston Harbor, South Carolina, USA in 2015 and 2016. Thallus length and surface area to volume ratio differed between years, but were not significantly different between ploidies. Tetrasporophytes had lower protein content than gametophytes, suggesting the latter may be more attractive to consumers. More force was required to pull a branch from the main axis of tetrasporophytes relative to gametophytes. A difference in debranching resistance may help to maintain tetrasporophyte thallus durability relative to gametophytes, providing a potential advantage in free-floating populations. These data may shed light on the invasion ecology of an important ecosystem engineer, and may advance our understanding of life cycle evolution and the maintenance of life cycle diversity.

show abstract

Ecological and environmental context shape the differential effects of a facilitator in its native and invaded ranges

Hesketh

Schwindt

Harley

2021

Ecology

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Non-indigenous species often exhibit disproportionately strong negative effects in their introduced range compared to their native range, and much research has been devoted to understanding the role of shared evolutionary history, or lack thereof, in driving these differences. Less studied is whether non-indigenous species, particularly those that are important as facilitators in their native range, have persistent positive effects in their invaded range despite a lack of a shared evolutionary history with the invaded community. Here, we manipulated the density of a habitat-forming facilitator, the high intertidal acorn barnacle Balanus glandula, factorially with herbivore density in its native range (Bluestone Point,

show abstract

Invasive décor: an association between a native decorator worm and a non-native seaweed can be mutualistic

Cited by 29 publications

References 49 publications

Mixed effects of an introduced ecosystem engineer on the foraging behavior and habitat selection of predators

Mixed effects of an introduced ecosystem engineer on the foraging behavior and habitat selection of predators

Nonnative Gracilaria vermiculophylla tetrasporophytes are more difficult to debranch and are less nutritious than gametophytes

Ecological and environmental context shape the differential effects of a facilitator in its native and invaded ranges

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About