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Campbell JE, Kennedy Rhoades O, Munson CJ, Altieri AH, Douglass JG, Heck KL, Paul VJ, Armitage AR, Barry SC, Bethel E, Christ L, Christianen MJA, Dodillet G, Dutton K, Fourqurean JW, Frazer TK, Gaffey BM, Glazner R, Goeke JA, Grana-Valdes R, Jenkins VJ, Kramer OAA, Linhardt ST, Martin CW, Martinez Lopez IG, McDonald AM, Main VA, Manuel SA, Marco-Méndez C, O'Brien DA, O'Shea OR, Patrick CJ, Peabody C, Reynolds LK, Rodriguez A, Rodriguez Bravo LM, Sang A, Sawall Y, Smith K, Smulders FOH, Sun U, Thompson JE, van Tussenbroek B, Wied WL. Herbivore effects increase with latitude across the extent of a foundational seagrass. Nat Ecol Evol 2024; 8:663-675. [PMID: 38366132 DOI: 10.1038/s41559-024-02336-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2023] [Accepted: 01/15/2024] [Indexed: 02/18/2024]
Abstract
Climate change is altering the functioning of foundational ecosystems. While the direct effects of warming are expected to influence individual species, the indirect effects of warming on species interactions remain poorly understood. In marine systems, as tropical herbivores undergo poleward range expansion, they may change food web structure and alter the functioning of key habitats. While this process ('tropicalization') has been documented within declining kelp forests, we have a limited understanding of how this process might unfold across other systems. Here we use a network of sites spanning 23° of latitude to explore the effects of increased herbivory (simulated via leaf clipping) on the structure of a foundational marine plant (turtlegrass). By working across its geographic range, we also show how gradients in light, temperature and nutrients modified plant responses. We found that turtlegrass near its northern boundary was increasingly affected (reduced productivity) by herbivory and that this response was driven by latitudinal gradients in light (low insolation at high latitudes). By contrast, low-latitude meadows tolerated herbivory due to high insolation which enhanced plant carbohydrates. We show that as herbivores undergo range expansion, turtlegrass meadows at their northern limit display reduced resilience and may be under threat of ecological collapse.
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Affiliation(s)
- Justin E Campbell
- Institute of Environment, Coastlines and Oceans Division, and Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International University, Miami, FL, USA.
- Smithsonian Marine Station, Fort Pierce, FL, USA.
| | - O Kennedy Rhoades
- Institute of Environment, Coastlines and Oceans Division, and Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International University, Miami, FL, USA
- Smithsonian Marine Station, Fort Pierce, FL, USA
- Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Calvin J Munson
- Institute of Environment, Coastlines and Oceans Division, and Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International University, Miami, FL, USA
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA, USA
| | - Andrew H Altieri
- Department of Environmental Engineering Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Panama City, Republic of Panama
| | - James G Douglass
- The Water School, Florida Gulf Coast University, Fort Myers, FL, USA
| | - Kenneth L Heck
- Dauphin Island Sea Lab and University of South Alabama, Dauphin Island, AL, USA
| | | | - Anna R Armitage
- Department of Marine Biology, Texas A&M University at Galveston, Galveston, TX, USA
| | - Savanna C Barry
- UF|IFAS Nature Coast Biological Station, University of Florida, Cedar Key, FL, USA
| | - Enrique Bethel
- Smithsonian Marine Station, Fort Pierce, FL, USA
- The Centre for Ocean Research and Education (CORE), Gregory Town, Bahamas
| | - Lindsey Christ
- International Field Studies, Inc., Forfar Field Station, Blanket Sound, Bahamas
| | - Marjolijn J A Christianen
- Aquatic Ecology and Water Quality Management Group, Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Grace Dodillet
- Smithsonian Marine Station, Fort Pierce, FL, USA
- CSA Ocean Sciences Inc., Stuart, FL, USA
| | | | - James W Fourqurean
- Institute of Environment, Coastlines and Oceans Division, and Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International University, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Thomas K Frazer
- College of Marine Science, University of South Florida, St. Petersburg, FL, USA
| | - Bethany M Gaffey
- Smithsonian Marine Station, Fort Pierce, FL, USA
- Florida Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, School of Forest, Fisheries, and Geomatics Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Rachael Glazner
- Smithsonian Marine Station, Fort Pierce, FL, USA
- Department of Marine Biology, Texas A&M University at Galveston, Galveston, TX, USA
| | - Janelle A Goeke
- Institute of Environment, Coastlines and Oceans Division, and Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International University, Miami, FL, USA
- Smithsonian Marine Station, Fort Pierce, FL, USA
- Department of Marine Biology, Texas A&M University at Galveston, Galveston, TX, USA
| | - Rancel Grana-Valdes
- Institute of Environment, Coastlines and Oceans Division, and Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International University, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Victoria J Jenkins
- Smithsonian Marine Station, Fort Pierce, FL, USA
- Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi, Corpus Christi, TX, USA
| | | | - Samantha T Linhardt
- Dauphin Island Sea Lab and University of South Alabama, Dauphin Island, AL, USA
| | - Charles W Martin
- Dauphin Island Sea Lab and University of South Alabama, Dauphin Island, AL, USA
| | - Isis G Martinez Lopez
- Smithsonian Marine Station, Fort Pierce, FL, USA
- Instituto de Ciencias del Mar y Limnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Puerto Morelos, Mexico
| | - Ashley M McDonald
- UF|IFAS Nature Coast Biological Station, University of Florida, Cedar Key, FL, USA
- Soil and Water Sciences Department, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Vivienne A Main
- Smithsonian Marine Station, Fort Pierce, FL, USA
- Department of Plant and Soil Sciences, College of Agriculture, Food and Environment, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA
| | - Sarah A Manuel
- Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Government of Bermuda, 'Shorelands', Hamilton Parish, Bermuda
| | - Candela Marco-Méndez
- Dauphin Island Sea Lab and University of South Alabama, Dauphin Island, AL, USA
- CEAB (CSIC), Girona, Spain
| | - Duncan A O'Brien
- Smithsonian Marine Station, Fort Pierce, FL, USA
- The Centre for Ocean Research and Education (CORE), Gregory Town, Bahamas
| | - Owen R O'Shea
- The Centre for Ocean Research and Education (CORE), Gregory Town, Bahamas
| | - Christopher J Patrick
- Coastal and Ocean Processes Section, Virginia Institute of Marine Sciences, William & Mary, Gloucester Point, VA, USA
| | - Clare Peabody
- Institute of Environment, Coastlines and Oceans Division, and Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International University, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Laura K Reynolds
- Soil and Water Sciences Department, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Alex Rodriguez
- Dauphin Island Sea Lab and University of South Alabama, Dauphin Island, AL, USA
| | | | - Amanda Sang
- Smithsonian Marine Station, Fort Pierce, FL, USA
- The Water School, Florida Gulf Coast University, Fort Myers, FL, USA
| | - Yvonne Sawall
- Bermuda Institute of Ocean Sciences (BIOS), St. George's, Bermuda
| | - Khalil Smith
- Smithsonian Marine Station, Fort Pierce, FL, USA
- Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Government of Bermuda, 'Shorelands', Hamilton Parish, Bermuda
| | - Fee O H Smulders
- Aquatic Ecology and Water Quality Management Group, Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Uriah Sun
- Smithsonian Marine Station, Fort Pierce, FL, USA
| | - Jamie E Thompson
- Smithsonian Marine Station, Fort Pierce, FL, USA
- Department of Marine Biology, Texas A&M University at Galveston, Galveston, TX, USA
| | - Brigitta van Tussenbroek
- Instituto de Ciencias del Mar y Limnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Puerto Morelos, Mexico
| | - William L Wied
- Institute of Environment, Coastlines and Oceans Division, and Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International University, Miami, FL, USA
- Smithsonian Marine Station, Fort Pierce, FL, USA
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