Journal Article

Divergent ecological strategies determine different impacts on community production by two successful non-native seaweeds

Pavia, Henrik, Sagerman, Josefin, Wikström, Sofia A., Enge, Swantje

2014

Overview

The consequences of plant introductions into ecosystems are frequently reported from terrestrial environments, but little is known about the effects on ecosystem functioning caused by non-native primary producers in marine systems. In this study we explored the effects of the invasion by the two filamentous red algae Heterosiphonia japonica and Bonnemaisonia hamifera on the primary production of seaweed communities by using single and mixed cultures of non-native and native red algae. The experiments were conducted both in the presence and absence of herbivores. Biomass production of the invaded community increased more than four times in mixed cultures with H. japonica, while introduction by B. hamifera had no significant effect. The different impact on community production could be explained by differences in life history strategies between the invaders; H. japonica grew considerably faster than the native seaweeds which directly increased the community production, while B. hamifera showed a relatively slow growth rate and therefore had no effect. From previous studies it is known that B. hamifera produces a highly deterrent, but also costly, chemical defence. The assessment of survival and growth of a native generalist herbivore further corroborated that the biomass produced by B. hamifera constitutes a very low-quality food, whereas the performance of herbivores on a diet of H. japonica was comparable to that on native algal diets. In summary, this study demonstrates that successful invaders belonging to the same functional group (filamentous red algae) may have distinctly different impacts on productivity in the recipient community, depending on their specific life history traits.

• Publisher: Springer-Verlag,Springer,Springer Berlin Heidelberg,Springer Nature B.V
• Subject: Algae / Animal and plant ecology / Animal, plant and microbial ecology / Animals / Biologi / Biological and medical sciences / Biological Sciences / Biomass / Biomass production / Biomedical and Life Sciences / Bonnemaisonia / Bonnemaisonia hamifera / classification / COMMUNITY ECOLOGY / Community ecology - Original research / diet / Ecological function / Ecology / Ecosystem function / ecosystems / Ekologi / Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology / General aspects / Herbivores / Herbivory / Heterosiphonia / Heterosiphonia japonica / Hydrology/Water Resources / introduced plants / Introduced Species / Life history / Life Sciences / macroalgae / marin ekotoxikologi / Marine ecosystems / Marine Ecotoxicology / Marine systems / mixed culture / Native species / physiology / Plant invasion / Plant invasion · Primary production · e cosystem function · Heterosiphonia japonica · Bonnemaisonia hamifera / Plant Sciences / Plants / Polyculture / Primary production / Primary productivity / Red algae / Rhodophyta / Rhodophyta - classification / Rhodophyta - physiology / Seaweed / Seaweed - classification / Seaweed - physiology / Seaweeds / Species Specificity / Terrestrial environments