Dataset Information

Terrestrial invasive species alter marine vertebrate behaviour.

ABSTRACT: Human-induced environmental changes, such as the introduction of invasive species, are driving declines in the movement of nutrients across ecosystems with negative consequences for ecosystem function. Declines in nutrient inputs could thus have knock-on effects at higher trophic levels and broader ecological scales, yet these interconnections remain relatively unknown. Here we show that a terrestrial invasive species (black rats, Rattus rattus) disrupts a nutrient pathway provided by seabirds, ultimately altering the territorial behaviour of coral reef fish. In a replicated ecosystem-scale natural experiment, we found that reef fish territories were larger and the time invested in aggression lower on reefs adjacent to rat-infested islands compared with rat-free islands. This response reflected changes in the economic defendability of lower-quality resources, with reef fish obtaining less nutritional gain per unit foraging effort adjacent to rat-infested islands with low seabird populations. These results provide a novel insight into how the disruption of nutrient flows by invasive species can affect variation in territorial behaviour. Rat eradication as a conservation strategy therefore has the potential to restore species interactions via territoriality, which can scale up to influence populations and communities at higher ecological levels.

SUBMITTER: Gunn RL

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9834043 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

ACCESS DATA

Publications

Terrestrial invasive species alter marine vertebrate behaviour.

Gunn Rachel L RL Benkwitt Cassandra E CE Graham Nicholas A J NAJ Hartley Ian R IR Algar Adam C AC Keith Sally A SA

Nature ecology & evolution 20230105 1

Human-induced environmental changes, such as the introduction of invasive species, are driving declines in the movement of nutrients across ecosystems with negative consequences for ecosystem function. Declines in nutrient inputs could thus have knock-on effects at higher trophic levels and broader ecological scales, yet these interconnections remain relatively unknown. Here we show that a terrestrial invasive species (black rats, Rattus rattus) disrupts a nutrient pathway provided by seabirds, ...[more]

PMID: 36604551

Similar Datasets

Project description:Photobacterium (P.) is a genus widely studied in regards to its association with and ubiquitous presence in marine environments. However, certain species (P. phosphoreum, P. carnosum, P. iliopiscarium) have been recently described to colonize and spoil raw meats without a marine link. We have studied 27 strains from meat as well as 26 strains from marine environments in order to probe for intraspecies marine/terrestrial subpopulations and identify distinct genomic features acquired by environmental adaptation. We have conducted phylogenetic analysis (MLSA, ANI, fur, codon usage), search of plasmids (plasmidSPADES), phages (PHASTER), CRISPR-cas operons (CRISPR-finder) and secondary metabolites gene clusters (antiSMASH, BAGEL), in addition to a targeted gene search for specific pathways (e.g. TCA cycle, pentose phosphate, respiratory chain) and elements relevant for growth, adaptation and competition (substrate utilization, motility, bioluminescence, sodium and iron transport). P. carnosum appears as a conserved single clade, with one isolate from MAP fish clustering apart that doesn't, however, show distinct features that could indicate different adaptation. The species harbors genes for a wide carbon source utilization (glycogen/starch, maltose, pullulan, fucose) for colonization of diverse niches in its genome. P. phosphoreum is represented by two different clades on the phylogenetic analyses not correlating to their origin or distribution of other features analyzed that can be divided into two novel subspecies based on genome-wide values. A more diverse antimicrobial activity (sactipeptides, microcins), production of secondary metabolites (siderophores and arylpolyenes), stress response and adaptation (bioluminescence, sodium transporters, catalase, high affinity for oxygen cytochrome cbb3 oxidase, DMSO reductase and proton translocating NADH dehydrogenase) is predicted compared to the other species. P. iliopiscarium was divided into two clades based on source of isolation correlating with phylogeny and distribution of several traits. The species shows traits common to the other two species, similar carbon utilization/transport gene conservation as P. carnosum for the meat-isolated strains, and predicted utilization of marine-common DMSO and flagellar cluster for the sea-isolated strains. Results additionally suggest that photobacteria are highly prone to horizontal acquisition/loss of genetic material and genetic transduction, and that it might be a strategy for increasing the frequency of strain- or species-specific features that offers a growth/competition advantage.

Project description:BackgroundThe positive relationship between habitat area and species number is considered a fundamental rule in ecology. This relationship predicts that the link number of species interactions increases with habitat area, and structure is related to habitat area. Biological invasions can affect species interactions and area relationships. However, how these relationships change at different spatial scales has remained unexplored. We analysed understory plant-pollinator networks in seven temperate forest sites at 20 spatial scales (radius 120-2020 m) to clarify scale-associated relationships between forest area and plant-pollinator networks.ResultsThe pooled data described interactions between 18 plant (including an exotic) and 89 pollinator (including an exotic) species. The total number of species and the number of interaction links between plant and pollinator species were negatively correlated with forest area, with the highest correlation coefficient at radii of 1520 and 1620 m, respectively. These results are not concordant with the pattern predicted by species-area relationships. However, when associations with exotic species were excluded, the total number of species and the number of interaction links were positively correlated with forest area (the highest correlation coefficient at a radius of 820 m). The network structure, i.e., connectance and nestedness, was also related to forest area (the highest correlation coefficients at radii of 720-820 m), when associations with exotics were excluded. In the study area, the exotic plant species Alliaria petiolata, which has invaded relatively small forest patches surrounded by agricultural fields, may have supported more native pollinator species than initially expected. Therefore, this invasive plant may have altered the original relationships between forest area and plant-pollinator networks.ConclusionsOur results demonstrate scale-dependent effects of forest area on the size and structure of plant-pollinator networks. We also suggest that a single exotic plant species can impact plant-pollinator networks, even in temperate continental habitats.

Project description:Conservation actions such as habitat protection, restoration, and translocations are critical actions in preventing further extinctions of threatened species. We used the 152 threatened species on the International Union for the Conservation of Nature's Red List with conservation translocations as a recommended conservation action to access the habitat quality of these species' ranges. We determined where multi-species conservation translocation and forest restoration efforts can be concentrated. To determine the habitat quality of species' ranges, we assessed forest cover, forest restoration potential, protected area status, and invasive species concerns. Forty-four percent (67 species) of species with translocations recommended have part of their range in a protected area, existing forest cover, and currently no invasive species risk. However, the majority (85 species) currently need habitat management (63 species), invasive species control (71 species), or protection (34 species). We also identified key differences between species recommended for reintroductions (115 species) and benign introductions (37 species), such as the percentage of a species' range within a protected area, in which reintroductions (median = 7.4%) had more than benign introductions (median = 0.9%). Mauritius, central Africa, eastern Australia and Himalaya regions each have areas with range overlap of three or more species recommended for translocations and forest restoration potential. For those species with CT programs in place, mean forest cover was 32% and restoration potential was 16%, suggesting potential minimum habitat requirements for initial releases. Results provide a global perspective on reintroduction and translocation needs of threatened species with evidenced-based information on habitat quality, i.e. forest restoration potential, forest cover, protected areas, and invasive species control, to aid conservation translocation scientists and ultimately improve the success of such projects.

Dataset Information

Terrestrial invasive species alter marine vertebrate behaviour.

Publications

Terrestrial invasive species alter marine vertebrate behaviour.

Similar Datasets

OmicsDI is part of the ELIXIR infrastructure

Tweets