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Wesselmann M, Hendriks IE, Johnson M, Jordà G, Mineur F, Marbà N. Increasing spread rates of tropical non-native macrophytes in the Mediterranean Sea. Glob Chang Biol 2024; 30:e17249. [PMID: 38572713 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.17249] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2023] [Revised: 02/09/2024] [Accepted: 02/25/2024] [Indexed: 04/05/2024]
Abstract
Warming as well as species introductions have increased over the past centuries, however a link between cause and effect of these two phenomena is still unclear. Here we use distribution records (1813-2023) to reconstruct the invasion histories of marine non-native macrophytes, macroalgae and seagrasses, in the Mediterranean Sea. We defined expansion as the maximum linear rate of spread (km year-1) and the accumulation of occupied grid cells (50 km2) over time and analyzed the relation between expansion rates and the species' thermal conditions at its native distribution range. Our database revealed a marked increase in the introductions and spread rates of non-native macrophytes in the Mediterranean Sea since the 1960s, notably intensifying after the 1990s. During the beginning of this century species velocity of invasion has increased to 26 ± 9 km2 year-1, with an acceleration in the velocity of invasion of tropical/subtropical species, exceeding those of temperate and cosmopolitan macrophytes. The highest spread rates since then were observed in macrophytes coming from native regions with minimum SSTs two to three degrees warmer than in the Mediterranean Sea. In addition, most non-native macrophytes in the Mediterranean (>80%) do not exceed the maximum temperature of their range of origin, whereas approximately half of the species are exposed to lower minimum SST in the Mediterranean than in their native range. This indicates that tropical/subtropical macrophytes might be able to expand as they are not limited by the colder Mediterranean SST due to the plasticity of their lower thermal limit. These results suggest that future warming will increase the thermal habitat available for thermophilic species in the Mediterranean Sea and continue to favor their expansion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marlene Wesselmann
- Global Change Research Group, IMEDEA (CSIC-UIB), Institut Mediterrani d'Estudis Avançats, Esporles, Spain
| | - Iris E Hendriks
- Global Change Research Group, IMEDEA (CSIC-UIB), Institut Mediterrani d'Estudis Avançats, Esporles, Spain
| | - Mark Johnson
- School of Natural Sciences and Ryan Institute, University of Galway, Ireland
| | - Gabriel Jordà
- Instituto Espanol de Oceanografía, Centre Oceanografic de Balears, Palma, Spain
| | - Frederic Mineur
- School of Natural Sciences and Ryan Institute, University of Galway, Ireland
| | - Núria Marbà
- Global Change Research Group, IMEDEA (CSIC-UIB), Institut Mediterrani d'Estudis Avançats, Esporles, Spain
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Marco-Méndez C, Marbà N, Amores Á, Romero J, Minguito-Frutos M, García M, Pagès JF, Prado P, Boada J, Sánchez-Lizaso JL, Ruiz JM, Muñoz-Ramos G, Sanmartí N, Mayol E, Buñuel X, Bernardeau-Esteller J, Navarro-Martinez PC, Marín-Guirao L, Morell C, Wesselmann M, Font R, Hendriks IE, Seglar X, Camps-Castella J, Bonfill E, Requena-Gutiérrez A, Blanco-Murillo F, Aguilar-Escribano J, Jimenez-Gutierrez S, Martínez-Vidal J, Guillén JE, Cefalì ME, Pérez M, Marcos M, Alcoverro T. Evaluating the extent and impact of the extreme Storm Gloria on Posidonia oceanica seagrass meadows. Sci Total Environ 2024; 908:168404. [PMID: 37939948 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.168404] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2023] [Revised: 10/30/2023] [Accepted: 11/05/2023] [Indexed: 11/10/2023]
Abstract
Extreme storms can trigger abrupt and often lasting changes in ecosystems by affecting foundational (habitat-forming) species. While the frequency and intensity of extreme events are projected to increase under climate change, its impacts on seagrass ecosystems remain poorly documented. In January 2020, the Spanish Mediterranean coast was hit by Storm Gloria, one of the most devastating recent climate events in terms of intensity and duration. We conducted rapid surveys of 42 Posidonia oceanica meadows across the region to evaluate the extent and type of impact (burial, unburial and uprooting). We investigated the significance of oceanographic (wave impact model), geomorphological (latitude, depth, exposure), and structural (patchiness) factors in predicting impact extent and intensity. The predominant impact of Storm Gloria was shoot unburial. More than half of the surveyed sites revealed recent unburial, with up to 40 cm of sediment removed, affecting over 50 % of the meadow. Burial, although less extensive, was still significant, with 10-80 % of meadow cover being buried under 7 cm of sediment, which is considered a survival threshold for P. oceanica. In addition, we observed evident signs of recently dead matte in some meadows and large amounts of detached drifting shoots on the sea bottom or accumulated as debris on the beaches. Crucially, exposed and patchy meadows were much more vulnerable to the overall impact than sheltered or continuous meadows. Given how slow P. oceanica is able to recover after disturbances, we state that it could take from decades to centuries for it to recoup its losses. Seagrass ecosystems play a vital role as coastal ecological infrastructure. Protecting vulnerable meadows from anthropogenic fragmentation is crucial for ensuring the resilience of these ecosystems in the face of the climate crisis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Candela Marco-Méndez
- Center for Advanced Studies of Blanes (CEAB, CSIC), Carrer Accés Cala Sant Francesc, 14, 17300 Blanes, Girona, Spain.
| | - Núria Marbà
- Marine technologies, operational and coastal oceanography Group, IMEDEA (CSIC-UIB) Institut Mediterrani d'Estudis Avançats, Miquel Marqués 21, 07190 Esporles, Spain
| | - Ángel Amores
- Marine technologies, operational and coastal oceanography Group, IMEDEA (CSIC-UIB) Institut Mediterrani d'Estudis Avançats, Miquel Marqués 21, 07190 Esporles, Spain; Department of Physics, University of the Balearic Islands, Cra. de Valldemossa km 7.5, 07122 Palma, Spain
| | - Javier Romero
- Departament de Biologia Evolutiva, Ecologia i Ciències Ambientals Secció d'Ecologia, Av. Diagonal, 643, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Mario Minguito-Frutos
- Center for Advanced Studies of Blanes (CEAB, CSIC), Carrer Accés Cala Sant Francesc, 14, 17300 Blanes, Girona, Spain
| | - María García
- Center for Advanced Studies of Blanes (CEAB, CSIC), Carrer Accés Cala Sant Francesc, 14, 17300 Blanes, Girona, Spain
| | - Jordi F Pagès
- Center for Advanced Studies of Blanes (CEAB, CSIC), Carrer Accés Cala Sant Francesc, 14, 17300 Blanes, Girona, Spain
| | - Patricia Prado
- IRTA, Aquatic ecosystems, Sant Carles de la Ràpita, Ctra. Poble Nou km 5.5, 43540 Sant Carles de la Ràpita, Tarragona, Spain; Institute of Environment and Marine Science Research (IMEDMAR-UCV), Universidad Católica de Valencia SVM, C/Explanada del Puerto S/n, 03710 Calpe, Alicante, Spain
| | - Jordi Boada
- Center for Advanced Studies of Blanes (CEAB, CSIC), Carrer Accés Cala Sant Francesc, 14, 17300 Blanes, Girona, Spain
| | - José Luis Sánchez-Lizaso
- Department of Marine Science and Applied Biology, University of Alicante, Carretera San Vicente del Raspeig s/n, 03690 Alicante, Spain
| | - Juan Manuel Ruiz
- Centro Oceanográfico de Murcia, Instituto Español de Oceanografía, C/Varadero s/n, 30740 San Pedro del Pinatar, Murcia, Spain
| | | | - Neus Sanmartí
- Departament de Biologia Evolutiva, Ecologia i Ciències Ambientals Secció d'Ecologia, Av. Diagonal, 643, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Elvira Mayol
- Global Change Research Group, IMEDEA (CSIC-UIB) Institut Mediterrani d'Estudis Avançats, Miquel Marqués 21, c7190 Esporles, Spain
| | - Xavier Buñuel
- Center for Advanced Studies of Blanes (CEAB, CSIC), Carrer Accés Cala Sant Francesc, 14, 17300 Blanes, Girona, Spain
| | - Jaime Bernardeau-Esteller
- Centro Oceanográfico de Murcia, Instituto Español de Oceanografía, C/Varadero s/n, 30740 San Pedro del Pinatar, Murcia, Spain
| | - Pedro Clemente Navarro-Martinez
- Centro Oceanográfico de Murcia, Instituto Español de Oceanografía, C/Varadero s/n, 30740 San Pedro del Pinatar, Murcia, Spain
| | - Lázaro Marín-Guirao
- Centro Oceanográfico de Murcia, Instituto Español de Oceanografía, C/Varadero s/n, 30740 San Pedro del Pinatar, Murcia, Spain
| | - Carlos Morell
- Global Change Research Group, IMEDEA (CSIC-UIB) Institut Mediterrani d'Estudis Avançats, Miquel Marqués 21, c7190 Esporles, Spain
| | - Marlene Wesselmann
- Global Change Research Group, IMEDEA (CSIC-UIB) Institut Mediterrani d'Estudis Avançats, Miquel Marqués 21, c7190 Esporles, Spain
| | - Rita Font
- Global Change Research Group, IMEDEA (CSIC-UIB) Institut Mediterrani d'Estudis Avançats, Miquel Marqués 21, c7190 Esporles, Spain
| | - Iris E Hendriks
- Global Change Research Group, IMEDEA (CSIC-UIB) Institut Mediterrani d'Estudis Avançats, Miquel Marqués 21, c7190 Esporles, Spain
| | | | - Judith Camps-Castella
- IRTA, Aquatic ecosystems, Sant Carles de la Ràpita, Ctra. Poble Nou km 5.5, 43540 Sant Carles de la Ràpita, Tarragona, Spain
| | - Eli Bonfill
- Plàncton, Divulgació y Serveis Marins, Calle Número Vint-i-tres, 284, local 2 (Urb. Les 3 Cales), L'Ametlla de Mar, Spain
| | - Aurora Requena-Gutiérrez
- Plàncton, Divulgació y Serveis Marins, Calle Número Vint-i-tres, 284, local 2 (Urb. Les 3 Cales), L'Ametlla de Mar, Spain
| | - Fabio Blanco-Murillo
- Department of Marine Science and Applied Biology, University of Alicante, Carretera San Vicente del Raspeig s/n, 03690 Alicante, Spain
| | - Javier Aguilar-Escribano
- Department of Marine Science and Applied Biology, University of Alicante, Carretera San Vicente del Raspeig s/n, 03690 Alicante, Spain
| | | | - Joaquín Martínez-Vidal
- Institut de Ecología Litoral, Carrer de Sta. Teresa, 50, 03560 El Campello, Alicante, Spain
| | - Juan Eduardo Guillén
- Institut de Ecología Litoral, Carrer de Sta. Teresa, 50, 03560 El Campello, Alicante, Spain
| | - Maria Elena Cefalì
- Estació d'Investigació Jaume Ferrer, Instituto Español de Oceanografía (IEO), Mahón, Spain
| | - Marta Pérez
- Departament de Biologia Evolutiva, Ecologia i Ciències Ambientals Secció d'Ecologia, Av. Diagonal, 643, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Marta Marcos
- Marine technologies, operational and coastal oceanography Group, IMEDEA (CSIC-UIB) Institut Mediterrani d'Estudis Avançats, Miquel Marqués 21, 07190 Esporles, Spain; Department of Physics, University of the Balearic Islands, Cra. de Valldemossa km 7.5, 07122 Palma, Spain
| | - Teresa Alcoverro
- Center for Advanced Studies of Blanes (CEAB, CSIC), Carrer Accés Cala Sant Francesc, 14, 17300 Blanes, Girona, Spain
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Wesselmann M, Geraldi NR, Duarte CM, Garcia-Orellana J, Díaz-Rúa R, Arias-Ortiz A, Hendriks IE, Apostolaki ET, Marbà N. Seagrass (Halophila stipulacea) invasion enhances carbon sequestration in the Mediterranean Sea. Glob Chang Biol 2021; 27:2592-2607. [PMID: 33843114 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.15589] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2020] [Accepted: 02/04/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
The introduction and establishment of exotic species often result in significant changes in recipient communities and their associated ecosystem services. However, usually the magnitude and direction of the changes are difficult to quantify because there is no pre-introduction data. Specifically, little is known about the effect of marine exotic macrophytes on organic carbon sequestration and storage. Here, we combine dating sediment cores (210 Pb) with sediment eDNA fingerprinting to reconstruct the chronology of pre- and post-arrival of the Red Sea seagrass Halophila stipulacea spreading into the Eastern Mediterranean native seagrass meadows. We then compare sediment organic carbon storage and burial rates before and after the arrival of H. stipulacea and between exotic (H. stipulacea) and native (C. nodosa and P. oceanica) meadows since the time of arrival following a Before-After-Control-Impact (BACI) approach. This analysis revealed that H. stipulacea arrived at the areas of study in Limassol (Cyprus) and West Crete (Greece) in the 1930s and 1970s, respectively. Average sediment organic carbon after the arrival of H. stipulacea to the sites increased in the exotic meadows twofold, from 8.4 ± 2.5 g Corg m-2 year-1 to 14.7 ± 3.6 g Corg m-2 year-1 , and, since then, burial rates in the exotic seagrass meadows were higher than in native ones of Cymodocea nodosa and Posidonia oceanica. Carbon isotopic data indicated a 50% increase of the seagrass contribution to the total sediment Corg pool since the arrival of H. stipulacea. Our results demonstrate that the invasion of H. stipulacea may play an important role in maintaining the blue carbon sink capacity in the future warmer Mediterranean Sea, by developing new carbon sinks in bare sediments and colonizing areas previously occupied by the colder thermal affinity P. oceanica.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marlene Wesselmann
- Global Change Research Group, IMEDEA (CSIC-UIB), Institut Mediterrani d'Estudis Avançats, Esporles, Spain
| | - Nathan R Geraldi
- Red Sea Research Centre (RSRC) and Computational Bioscience Research Center (CBRC), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
| | - Carlos M Duarte
- Red Sea Research Centre (RSRC) and Computational Bioscience Research Center (CBRC), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
| | - Jordi Garcia-Orellana
- Institut de Ciència i Tecnologia Ambientals (ICTA), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Spain
- Departament de Física, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Spain
| | - Rubén Díaz-Rúa
- Red Sea Research Centre (RSRC) and Computational Bioscience Research Center (CBRC), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
| | - Ariane Arias-Ortiz
- Ecosystem Science Division, Department of Environmental Science, Policy and Management, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
- Institute of Marine Science, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA, USA
| | - Iris E Hendriks
- Global Change Research Group, IMEDEA (CSIC-UIB), Institut Mediterrani d'Estudis Avançats, Esporles, Spain
| | - Eugenia T Apostolaki
- Institute of Oceanography, Hellenic Centre for Marine Research, Heraklion, Greece
| | - Núria Marbà
- Global Change Research Group, IMEDEA (CSIC-UIB), Institut Mediterrani d'Estudis Avançats, Esporles, Spain
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Ortega A, Geraldi NR, Díaz-Rúa R, Ørberg SB, Wesselmann M, Krause-Jensen D, Duarte CM. A DNA mini-barcode for marine macrophytes. Mol Ecol Resour 2020; 20:920-935. [PMID: 32279439 DOI: 10.1111/1755-0998.13164] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2019] [Revised: 03/13/2020] [Accepted: 03/27/2020] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Studies focusing on marine macrophyte metabarcoding from environmental samples are scarce, due to the lack of a universal barcode for these taxa, and to their poor representation in DNA databases. Here, we searched for a short barcode able to identify marine macrophytes from tissue samples; then, we created a DNA reference library which was used to identify macrophytes in eDNA from coastal sediments. Barcoding of seagrasses, mangroves and marine macroalgae (Chlorophyta, Rhodophyta and Phaeophyceae) was tested using 18 primer pairs from six barcoding genes: the plant barcodes rbcL, matK and trnL, plus the genes ITS2, COI and 18S. The 18S gene showed the highest universality among marine macrophytes, amplifying 95%-100% of samples; amplification performance of the other barcodes was limited. Taxonomy was assigned using a phylogeny-based approach to create an 18S DNA reference library. Macrophyte tissue sequences were accurately identified within their phyla (88%), order (76%), genus (71%) and species (23%). Nevertheless, out of 86 macrophytes tested, only 48% and 15% had a reference sequence at genus and at species level, respectively. Identification at these levels can be improved by more inclusive reference libraries. Using the 18S mini-barcode and the reference library, we recovered eDNA from 21 marine macrophytes in sediments, demonstrating the barcode's ability to trace primary producers that contribute to blue carbon. We expect this barcode to also be useful for other ecological questions, such as tracing macro primary producers in marine food webs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alejandra Ortega
- Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering Division (BESE), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
| | - Nathan R Geraldi
- Red Sea Research Center (RSRC), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
| | - Rubén Díaz-Rúa
- Red Sea Research Center (RSRC), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
| | - Sarah B Ørberg
- Department of Bioscience, and Arctic Research Centre, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Marlene Wesselmann
- Global Change Research Group, Institut Mediterrani d'Estudis Avançats IMEDEA (CSIC-UIB), Esporles, Spain
| | - Dorte Krause-Jensen
- Department of Bioscience, and Arctic Research Centre, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Carlos M Duarte
- Red Sea Research Center (RSRC), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
- Computational Bioscience Research Center (CBRC), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
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5
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Wesselmann M, Anton A, Duarte CM, Hendriks IE, Agustí S, Savva I, Apostolaki ET, Marbà N. Tropical seagrass Halophila stipulacea shifts thermal tolerance during Mediterranean invasion. Proc Biol Sci 2020; 287:20193001. [PMID: 32156215 PMCID: PMC7126082 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2019.3001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2019] [Accepted: 02/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Exotic species often face new environmental conditions that are different from those that they are adapted to. The tropical seagrass Halophila stipulacea is a Lessepsian migrant that colonized the Mediterranean Sea around 100 years ago, where at present the minimum seawater temperature is cooler than in its native range in the Red Sea. Here, we tested if the temperature range in which H. stipulacea can exist is conserved within the species or if the exotic populations have shifted their thermal breadth and optimum due to the cooler conditions in the Mediterranean. We did so by comparing the thermal niche (e.g. optimal temperatures, and upper and lower thermal limits) of native (Saudi Arabia in the Red Sea) and exotic (Greece and Cyprus in the Mediterranean Sea) populations of H. stipulacea. We exposed plants to 12 temperature treatments ranging from 8 to 40°C for 7 days. At the end of the incubation period, we measured survival, rhizome elongation, shoot recruitment, net population growth and metabolic rates. Upper and lower lethal thermal thresholds (indicated by 50% plant mortality) were conserved across populations, but minimum and optimal temperatures for growth and oxygen production were lower for Mediterranean populations than for the Red Sea one. The displacement of the thermal niche of exotic populations towards the colder Mediterranean Sea regime could have occurred within 175 clonal generations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marlene Wesselmann
- Global Change Research Group, IMEDEA (CSIC-UIB), Institut Mediterrani d'Estudis Avançats, Miquel Marquès 21, 07190, Esporles, Illes Balears, Spain
| | - Andrea Anton
- Red Sea Research Centre (RSRC) and Computational Bioscience Research Center (CBRC), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
| | - Carlos M. Duarte
- Red Sea Research Centre (RSRC) and Computational Bioscience Research Center (CBRC), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
| | - Iris E. Hendriks
- Global Change Research Group, IMEDEA (CSIC-UIB), Institut Mediterrani d'Estudis Avançats, Miquel Marquès 21, 07190, Esporles, Illes Balears, Spain
| | - Susana Agustí
- Red Sea Research Centre (RSRC), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
| | - Ioannis Savva
- Marine and Environmental Research (MER) Lab, Limassol 4533, Cyprus
| | - Eugenia T. Apostolaki
- Institute of Oceanography, Hellenic Centre for Marine Research, PO Box 2214, 71003 Heraklion, Crete, Greece
| | - Núria Marbà
- Global Change Research Group, IMEDEA (CSIC-UIB), Institut Mediterrani d'Estudis Avançats, Miquel Marquès 21, 07190, Esporles, Illes Balears, Spain
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