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Betancourtt C, Catalán AM, Morales-Torres DF, Lopez DN, Escares-Aguilera V, Salas-Yanquin LP, Büchner-Miranda JA, Chaparro OR, Nimptsch J, Broitman BR, Valdivia N. Transient species driving ecosystem multifunctionality: Insights from competitive interactions between rocky intertidal mussels. MARINE ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2024; 196:106422. [PMID: 38437777 DOI: 10.1016/j.marenvres.2024.106422] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2023] [Revised: 02/20/2024] [Accepted: 02/21/2024] [Indexed: 03/06/2024]
Abstract
Anthropogenic biodiversity loss poses a significant threat to ecosystem functioning worldwide. Numerically dominant and locally rare (i.e., transient) species are key components of biodiversity, but their contribution to multiple ecosystem functions (i.e., multifunctionality) has been seldomly assessed in marine ecosystems. To fill this gap, here we analyze the effects of a dominant and a transient species on ecosystem multifunctionality. In an observational study conducted along ca. 200 km of the southeastern Pacific coast, the purple mussel Perumytilus purpuratus numerically dominated the mid-intertidal and the dwarf mussel Semimytilus patagonicus exhibited low abundances but higher recruitment rates. In laboratory experiments, the relative abundances of both species were manipulated to simulate the replacement of P. purpuratus by S. patagonicus and five proxies for ecosystem functions-rates of clearance, oxygen consumption, total biodeposit, organic biodeposit, and excretion-were analyzed. This replacement had a positive, linear, and significant effect on the combined ecosystem functions, particularly oxygen consumption and excretion rates. Accordingly, S. patagonicus could well drive ecosystem functioning given favorable environmental conditions for its recovery from rarity. Our study highlights therefore the key role of transient species for ecosystem performance. Improving our understanding of these dynamics is crucial for effective ecosystem conservation, especially in the current scenario of biological extinctions and invasions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia Betancourtt
- Instituto de Ciencias Marinas y Limnológicas, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Austral de Chile, Campus Isla Teja, Valdivia, Chile; Programa de Doctorado en Biología Marina, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile.
| | - Alexis M Catalán
- Centro de Investigación en Ecosistemas de la Patagonia, CIEP, Coyhaique, Chile
| | - Diego F Morales-Torres
- Instituto de Ciencias Marinas y Limnológicas, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Austral de Chile, Campus Isla Teja, Valdivia, Chile
| | - Daniela N Lopez
- Instituto de Ciencias Ambientales y Evolutivas, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile; Center of Applied Ecology and Sustainability (CAPES), Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Valentina Escares-Aguilera
- Instituto de Ciencias Marinas y Limnológicas, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Austral de Chile, Campus Isla Teja, Valdivia, Chile
| | - Luis P Salas-Yanquin
- Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Facultad de Ciencias, Unidad Multidisciplinaria de Docencia e Investigación, Sisal, Mexico
| | - Joseline A Büchner-Miranda
- Instituto de Ciencias Marinas y Limnológicas, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Austral de Chile, Campus Isla Teja, Valdivia, Chile
| | - Oscar R Chaparro
- Instituto de Ciencias Marinas y Limnológicas, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Austral de Chile, Campus Isla Teja, Valdivia, Chile
| | - Jorge Nimptsch
- Instituto de Ciencias Marinas y Limnológicas, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Austral de Chile, Campus Isla Teja, Valdivia, Chile
| | - Bernardo R Broitman
- Instituto Milenio en Socio-Ecología Costera (SECOS), Chile; Núcleo Milenio UPWELL, Chile; Facultad de Artes Liberales, Universidad Adolfo Ibañez, Viña Del Mar, Chile
| | - Nelson Valdivia
- Instituto de Ciencias Marinas y Limnológicas, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Austral de Chile, Campus Isla Teja, Valdivia, Chile; Centro FONDAP de Investigación de Dinámicas de Ecosistemas Marinos de Altas Latitudes (IDEAL), Chile
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Hacker SD, Menge BA, Nielsen KJ, Chan F, Gouhier TC. Regional processes are stronger determinants of rocky intertidal community dynamics than local biotic interactions. Ecology 2019; 100:e02763. [PMID: 31127616 DOI: 10.1002/ecy.2763] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2018] [Revised: 04/18/2019] [Accepted: 04/26/2019] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
Understanding the relative roles of species interactions and environmental factors in structuring communities has historically focused on local scales where manipulative experiments are possible. However, recent interest in predicting the effects of climate change and species invasions has spurred increasing attention to processes occurring at larger spatial and temporal scales. The "meta-ecosystem" approach is an ideal framework for integrating processes operating at multiple scales as it explicitly considers the influence of local biotic interactions and regional flows of energy, materials, and organisms on community structure. Using a comparative-experimental design, we asked (1) what is the relative importance of local biotic interactions and oceanic processes in determining rocky intertidal community structure in the low zone within the Northern California Current System, and (2) what factors are most important in regulating this structure and why? We focused on functional group interactions between macrophytes and sessile invertebrates and their consumers (grazers, predators), how these varied across spatial scales, and with ocean-driven conditions (upwelling, temperature) and ecological subsidies (nutrients, phytoplankton, sessile invertebrate recruits). Experiments were conducted at 13 sites divided across four capes in Oregon and northern California. Results showed that biotic interactions were variable in space and time but overall, sessile invertebrates had no effect on macrophytes while macrophytes had weakly negative effects on sessile invertebrates. Consumers, particularly predators, also had weakly negative effects on both functional groups. Overall, we found that 40-49% of the variance in community structure at the local scale was explained by external factors (e.g., spatial scale, time, upwelling, temperature, ecological subsidies) vs. 19-39% explained by functional group interactions. When individual functional group interaction strengths were used, only 2-3% of the variation was explained by any one functional group while 28-54% of the variation was explained by external factors. We conclude that community structure in the low intertidal zone is driven primarily by external factors at the regional scale with local biotic interactions playing a secondary role.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sally D Hacker
- Department of Integrative Biology, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon, 97331-2914, USA
| | - Bruce A Menge
- Department of Integrative Biology, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon, 97331-2914, USA
| | - Karina J Nielsen
- Estuary and Ocean Science Center, San Francisco State University, Tiburon, California, 94920, USA
| | - Francis Chan
- Department of Integrative Biology, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon, 97331-2914, USA
| | - Tarik C Gouhier
- Marine Science Institute, Northeastern University, Nahant, Massachusetts, 01908, USA
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Salois SL, Gouhier TC, Menge BA. The multifactorial effects of dispersal on biodiversity in environmentally forced metacommunities. Ecosphere 2018. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.2357] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Sarah L. Salois
- Marine Science Center; Northeastern University; 430 Nahant Road Nahant Massachusetts 01908 USA
| | - Tarik C. Gouhier
- Marine Science Center; Northeastern University; 430 Nahant Road Nahant Massachusetts 01908 USA
| | - Bruce A. Menge
- Department of Integrative Biology; Oregon State University; 3029 Cordley Hall Corvallis Oregon 97331 USA
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Nabe-Nielsen J, Normand S, Hui FKC, Stewart L, Bay C, Nabe-Nielsen LI, Schmidt NM. Plant community composition and species richness in the High Arctic tundra: From the present to the future. Ecol Evol 2017; 7:10233-10242. [PMID: 29238550 PMCID: PMC5723606 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.3496] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2017] [Revised: 08/25/2017] [Accepted: 09/02/2017] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Arctic plant communities are altered by climate changes. The magnitude of these alterations depends on whether species distributions are determined by macroclimatic conditions, by factors related to local topography, or by biotic interactions. Our current understanding of the relative importance of these conditions is limited due to the scarcity of studies, especially in the High Arctic. We investigated variations in vascular plant community composition and species richness based on 288 plots distributed on three sites along a coast‐inland gradient in Northeast Greenland using a stratified random design. We used an information theoretic approach to determine whether variations in species richness were best explained by macroclimate, by factors related to local topography (including soil water) or by plant‐plant interactions. Latent variable models were used to explain patterns in plant community composition. Species richness was mainly determined by variations in soil water content, which explained 35% of the variation, and to a minor degree by other variables related to topography. Species richness was not directly related to macroclimate. Latent variable models showed that 23.0% of the variation in community composition was explained by variables related to topography, while distance to the inland ice explained an additional 6.4 %. This indicates that some species are associated with environmental conditions found in only some parts of the coast–inland gradient. Inclusion of macroclimatic variation increased the model's explanatory power by 4.2%. Our results suggest that the main impact of climate changes in the High Arctic will be mediated by their influence on local soil water conditions. Increasing temperatures are likely to cause higher evaporation rates and alter the distribution of late‐melting snow patches. This will have little impact on landscape‐scale diversity if plants are able to redistribute locally to remain in areas with sufficient soil water.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacob Nabe-Nielsen
- Department of Bioscience Aarhus University Roskilde Denmark.,Arctic Research Centre (ARC) Aarhus University Aarhus C Denmark
| | - Signe Normand
- Department of Bioscience Aarhus University Aarhus C Denmark
| | - Francis K C Hui
- Mathematical Sciences Institute The Australian National University Acton ACT Australia
| | - Lærke Stewart
- Department of Bioscience Aarhus University Roskilde Denmark.,Arctic Research Centre (ARC) Aarhus University Aarhus C Denmark
| | - Christian Bay
- Department of Bioscience Aarhus University Roskilde Denmark.,Arctic Research Centre (ARC) Aarhus University Aarhus C Denmark
| | | | - Niels Martin Schmidt
- Department of Bioscience Aarhus University Roskilde Denmark.,Arctic Research Centre (ARC) Aarhus University Aarhus C Denmark
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Lany NK, Zarnetske PL, Gouhier TC, Menge BA. Incorporating Context Dependency of Species Interactions in Species Distribution Models. Integr Comp Biol 2017; 57:159-167. [PMID: 28881933 DOI: 10.1093/icb/icx057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
SYNOPSIS Species distribution models typically use correlative approaches that characterize the species-environment relationship using occurrence or abundance data for a single species. However, species distributions are determined by both abiotic conditions and biotic interactions with other species in the community. Therefore, climate change is expected to impact species through direct effects on their physiology and indirect effects propagated through their resources, predators, competitors, or mutualists. Furthermore, the sign and strength of species interactions can change according to abiotic conditions, resulting in context-dependent species interactions that may change across space or with climate change. Here, we incorporated the context dependency of species interactions into a dynamic species distribution model. We developed a multi-species model that uses a time-series of observational survey data to evaluate how abiotic conditions and species interactions affect the dynamics of three rocky intertidal species. The model further distinguishes between the direct effects of abiotic conditions on abundance and the indirect effects propagated through interactions with other species. We apply the model to keystone predation by the sea star Pisaster ochraceus on the mussel Mytilus californianus and the barnacle Balanus glandula in the rocky intertidal zone of the Pacific coast, USA. Our method indicated that biotic interactions between P. ochraceus and B. glandula affected B. glandula dynamics across >1000 km of coastline. Consistent with patterns from keystone predation, the growth rate of B. glandula varied according to the abundance of P. ochraceus in the previous year. The data and the model did not indicate that the strength of keystone predation by P. ochraceus varied with a mean annual upwelling index. Balanus glandula cover increased following years with high phytoplankton abundance measured as mean annual chlorophyll-a. M. californianus exhibited the same pattern to a lesser degree, although this pattern was not significant. This work bridges the disciplines of biogeography and community ecology to develop tools to better understand the direct and indirect effects of abiotic conditions on ecological communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nina K Lany
- Department of Forestry, and Ecology, Evolutionary Biology, and Behavior Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
| | - Phoebe L Zarnetske
- Department of Forestry, and Ecology, Evolutionary Biology, and Behavior Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
| | - Tarik C Gouhier
- Marine Science Center, Northeastern University, Nahant, MA 01908, USA
| | - Bruce A Menge
- Department of Integrative Biology, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97331, USA
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Hewitt JE, Thrush SF, Ellingsen KE. The role of time and species identities in spatial patterns of species richness and conservation. CONSERVATION BIOLOGY : THE JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR CONSERVATION BIOLOGY 2016; 30:1080-1088. [PMID: 26991595 DOI: 10.1111/cobi.12716] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2015] [Revised: 02/27/2016] [Accepted: 03/08/2016] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
Many conservation actions are justified on the basis of managing biodiversity. Biodiversity, in terms of species richness, is largely the product of rare species. This is problematic because the intensity of sampling needed to characterize communities and patterns of rarity or to justify the use of surrogates has biased sampling in favor of space over time. However, environmental fluctuations interacting with community dynamics lead to temporal variations in where and when species occur, potentially affecting conservation planning by generating uncertainty about results of species distribution modeling (including range determinations), selection of surrogates for biodiversity, and the proportion of biodiversity composed of rare species. To have confidence in the evidence base for conservation actions, one must consider whether temporal replication is necessary to produce broad inferences. Using approximately 20 years of macrofaunal data from tidal flats in 2 harbors, we explored variation in the identity of rare, common, restricted range, and widespread species over time and space. Over time, rare taxa were more likely to increase in abundance or occurrence than to remain rare or disappear and to exhibit temporal patterns in their occurrence. Space-time congruency in ranges (i.e., spatially widespread taxa were also temporally widespread) was observed only where samples were collected across an environmental gradient. Fifteen percent of the taxa in both harbors changed over time from having spatially restricted ranges to having widespread ranges. Our findings suggest that rare species can provide stability against environmental change, because the majority of species were not random transients, but that selection of biodiversity surrogates requires temporal validation. Rarity needs to be considered both spatially and temporally, as species that occur randomly over time are likely to play a different role in ecosystem functioning than those exhibiting temporal structure (e.g., seasonality). Moreover, temporal structure offers the opportunity to place management and conservation activities within windows of maximum opportunity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Judi E Hewitt
- National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research, P.O. Box 11115, Hamilton, 3251, New Zealand.
| | - Simon F Thrush
- Institute of Marine Sciences, University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, Auckland, 1142, New Zealand
| | - Kari E Ellingsen
- Norwegian Institute for Nature Research (NINA), Fram Centre, 9296, Tromsø, Norway
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Moberg EA, Kellner JB, Neubert MG. Bioeconomics and biodiversity in harvested metacommunities: a patch-occupancy approach. Ecosphere 2015. [DOI: 10.1890/es14-00503.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
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8
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Menge BA, Menge DNL. Dynamics of coastal meta-ecosystems: the intermittent upwelling hypothesis and a test in rocky intertidal regions. ECOL MONOGR 2013. [DOI: 10.1890/12-1706.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 98] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
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