scholarly journals Resistance is futile: lack of predator switching and a preference for native prey predict the success of an invasive prey species

2018 ◽  
Vol 5 (8) ◽  
pp. 180339 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ross N. Cuthbert ◽  
James W. E. Dickey ◽  
Clare McMorrow ◽  
Ciaran Laverty ◽  
Jaimie T. A. Dick
Keyword(s):  
Invasive Species ◽  
Native Species ◽  
Prey Species ◽  
Biotic Resistance ◽  
Functional Responses ◽  
Prey Switching ◽  
Ecological Concepts ◽  
Invasive Prey ◽  
Predator Switching ◽  
Invasive Amphipod

Invasive species continue to severely impact biodiversity, yet predicting the success or failure of introduced species has remained elusive. In particular, the relationship between community invasibility and native species diversity remains obscure. Here, we apply two traditional ecological concepts that inform prey population stability and hence invasibility. We first show that the native predatory crustacean Gammarus duebeni celticus exhibited similar type II (destabilizing) functional responses (FRs) towards native mayfly prey and invasive amphipod prey, when these prey species were presented separately. However, when the two prey species were presented simultaneously, the predator did not exhibit prey switching, instead consuming disproportionately more native prey than expected from the relative abundance of native and invasive species. These consumptive propensities foster reductions of native prey, while simultaneously limiting biotic resistance against the invasive species by the native predator. Since our theoretical considerations and laboratory results match known field invasion patterns, we advocate the increased consideration of FR and prey switching studies to understand and predict the success of invasive species.

scholarly journals A novel metric reveals biotic resistance potential and informs predictions of invasion success

2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ross N. Cuthbert ◽  
Amanda Callaghan ◽  
Jaimie T. A. Dick
Keyword(s):  
Biotic Resistance ◽  
Global Scale ◽  
Invasion Success ◽  
Feeding Rates ◽  
Functional Responses ◽  
Predictive Capacity ◽  
Prey Switching ◽  
Prey Preferences ◽  
Ecological Concepts ◽  
Frequency Independent

Abstract Invasive species continue to proliferate and detrimentally impact ecosystems on a global scale. Whilst impacts are well-documented for many invaders, we lack tools to predict biotic resistance and invasion success. Biotic resistance from communities may be a particularly important determinant of the success of invaders. The present study develops traditional ecological concepts to better understand and quantify biotic resistance. We quantified predation towards the highly invasive Asian tiger mosquito Aedes albopictus and a representative native mosquito Culex pipiens by three native and widespread cyclopoid copepods, using functional response and prey switching experiments. All copepods demonstrated higher magnitude type II functional responses towards the invasive prey over the analogous native prey, aligned with higher attack and maximum feeding rates. All predators exhibited significant, frequency-independent prey preferences for the invader. With these results, we developed a novel metric for biotic resistance which integrates predator numerical response proxies, revealing differential biotic resistance potential among predators. Our results are consistent with field patterns of biotic resistance and invasion success, illustrating the predictive capacity of our methods. We thus propose the further development of traditional ecological concepts, such as functional responses, numerical responses and prey switching, in the evaluation of biotic resistance and invasion success.

The breeding season diet of wedge-tailed eagles (Aquila audax) in western New South Wales and the influence of Rabbit Calicivirus Disease

2002 ◽  
Vol 29 (2) ◽  
pp. 175 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Sharp ◽  
L. Gibson ◽  
M. Norton ◽  
B. Ryan ◽  
A. Marks ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Arid Regions ◽  
Prey Species ◽  
New South ◽  
Time Since Death ◽  
Functional Responses ◽  
Prey Switching ◽  
South Wales ◽  
Breeding Seasons ◽  
Prey Items ◽  
Individual Prey

A total of 2071 individual prey items were identified from 34 active and 55 inactive wedge-tailed eagle nests following the 1995, 1996 and 1997 breeding seasons. Overall, the eagle's diet was comparable to that reported in other studies within semi-arid regions, with rabbits, reptiles and macropods accounting for 47.8, 22.6 and 13.7% of prey items, respectively. In spring 1996 rabbit calicivirus moved into the study area, resulting in a 44-78% reduction in rabbit abundance (Sharp et al. 2001). An index was developed to enable the time since death for individual prey items to be approximated and a historical perspective of the eagle's diet to be constructed. Rabbits constituted 56-69% of dietary items collected during the pre-rabbit calicivirus disease (RCD) samples, but declined to 31% and 16% in the two post-RCD samples. A reciprocal trend was observed for the proportion of reptiles in the diet, which increased from 8-21% of pre-RCD dietary items to 49-54% after the advent of RCD. Similarly, the proportion of avian prey items was observed to increase in the post-RCD samples. These data suggested that prey switching may have occurred following the RCD epizootic. However, a lack of data on the relative abundances of reptiles and birds prevented an understanding of the eagle's functional responses to be developed and definitive conclusions to be drawn. Nevertheless, the eagles were observed to modify their diet to the change in rabbit densities by consuming larger quantities of native prey species.

scholarly journals The Native Ant Lasius niger Can Limit the Access to Resources of the Invasive Argentine Ant

Animals ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (12) ◽  
pp. 2451
Author(s):  
Marion Cordonnier ◽  
Olivier Blight ◽  
Elena Angulo ◽  
Franck Courchamp
Keyword(s):  
Invasive Species ◽  
Native Species ◽  
Dominant Species ◽  
Biotic Resistance ◽  
Interference Competition ◽  
Argentine Ant ◽  
Lasius Niger ◽  
Resource Exploitation ◽  
Ant Communities ◽  
Lasius Neglectus

Within ant communities, the biotic resistance of native species against invasive ones is expected to be rare, because invasive species are often highly dominant competitors. The invasive Argentine ant (Linepithema humile (Mayr)) often demonstrated numerical dominance against its opponents, increased aggressiveness, and ability to quickly recruit to food. The present study aimed to assess the behavioral mechanisms involved in the interspecific competition between L. humile, facing either an invasive species (Lasius neglectus Van Loon, Boomsma and Andrásfalvy) or a native dominant species (Lasius niger (Linnaeus)). The resource exploitation by the Argentine ant was investigated during one-hour competitive interactions using 10 dead Drosophila flies as prey. When facing La. niger, L. humile exploratory behavior was strongly inhibited, it brought very few prey resources, and killed few opponents. Conversely, La. neglectus had a low impact on L. humile. Contrarily to expectations, the invasive La. neglectus lacked the ability to hinder L. humile resource exploitation, whereas the native La. niger did. These results suggest that La. niger could impact invasive populations of L. humile by interference competition, perhaps better so than some invasive species. While L. humile has become invasive in Southern Europe, the invasion process could be slowed down in the northern latitudes by such native dominant species.

scholarly journals The enemy of my enemy is my friend: intraguild predation between invaders and natives facilitates coexistence with shared invasive prey

2014 ◽  
Vol 10 (8) ◽  
pp. 20140398 ◽  
Author(s):  
Calum MacNeil ◽  
Jaimie T. A. Dick
Keyword(s):  
Invasive Species ◽  
Intraguild Predation ◽  
Ecosystem Functioning ◽  
Native Species ◽  
Field Data ◽  
The Other ◽  
Intraspecific Interactions ◽  
Crangonyx Pseudogracilis ◽  
Invasive Prey ◽  
Antagonistic Interactions

Understanding and predicting the outcomes of biological invasions is challenging where multiple invader and native species interact. We hypothesize that antagonistic interactions between invaders and natives could divert their impact on subsequent invasive species, thus facilitating coexistence. From field data, we found that, when existing together in freshwater sites, the native amphipod Gammarus duebeni celticus and a previous invader G. pulex appear to facilitate the establishment of a second invader, their shared prey Crangonyx pseudogracilis. Indeed, the latter species was rarely found at sites where each Gammarus species was present on its own. Experiments indicated that this may be the result of G. d. celticus and G. pulex engaging in more intraguild predation (IGP) than cannibalism; when the ‘enemy’ of either Gammarus species was present, that is, the other Gammarus species, C. pseudogracilis significantly more often escaped predation. Thus, the presence of mutual enemies and the stronger inter- than intraspecific interactions they engage in can facilitate other invaders. With some invasive species such as C. pseudogracilis having no known detrimental effects on native species, and indeed having some positive ecological effects, we also conclude that some invasions could promote biodiversity and ecosystem functioning.

scholarly journals Pushing the switch: functional responses and prey switching by invasive lionfish may mediate their ecological impact

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Monica McCard ◽  
Josie South ◽  
Ross N. Cuthbert ◽  
James W. E. Dickey ◽  
Nathan McCard ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Functional Response ◽  
Prey Species ◽  
Effective Means ◽  
Ecological Impact ◽  
Artemia Salina ◽  
Ecological Impacts ◽  
Feeding Rates ◽  
Functional Responses ◽  
Prey Switching ◽  
Frequency Dependent

AbstractBiodiversity is declining on a global scale and the spread of invasive alien species (IAS) is a major driver, particularly through predatory impacts. Thus, effective means of assessing and predicting the consequences of IAS predation on native prey population stability remains a vital goal for conservation. Here, we applied two classic ecological concepts, consumer functional response (FR) and prey switching, to predict and understand the ecological impacts of juveniles of the lionfish (Pterois volitans), a notorious and widespread marine invader. Functional responses and prey switching propensities were quantified towards three representative prey species: Artemia salina, Palaemonetes varians, and Gammarus oceanicus. Lionfish exhibited potentially destabilising Type II FRs towards individual prey species, owing to high consumption rates at low prey densities, whilst FR magnitudes differed among prey species. Functional response attack rates (a) were highest, and handling times (h) lowest, towards A. salina, followed by P. varians and then G. oceanicus. Maximum feeding rates (1/h) and functional response ratios (FRR; a/h) also followed this impact gradient for the three prey species. Lionfish, however, displayed a potentially population stabilising prey switching propensity (i.e. frequency-dependent predation) when multiple prey species were presented simultaneously, where disproportionately less of rare prey, and more of abundant prey, were consumed. Whilst FR and FRR magnitudes indicate marked per capita lionfish predatory impacts towards prey species, a strong prey switching propensity may reduce in-field impacts by offering low density prey refuge in biodiverse communities. Our results thus corroborate field patterns documenting variable impacts of lionfish, with prey extirpations less likely in diverse communities owing to frequency-dependent predation.

scholarly journals Native snails choose an invasive macrophyte over a native macrophyte as a food resource

2019 ◽  
Vol 97 (4) ◽  
pp. 362-367
Author(s):  
Marcelo V.C. Oliveira ◽  
Mario S. Dainez-Filho ◽  
Ana P.S. Bertoncin ◽  
Carolina M. Muniz ◽  
Thamis Meurer ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Invasive Species ◽  
Native Species ◽  
Biotic Resistance ◽  
Energy Content ◽  
Food Resource ◽  
Hydrilla Verticillata ◽  
Feeding Preference ◽  
Pomacea Canaliculata ◽  
Macrophyte Species ◽  
Egeria Najas

Invasive species cause ecological and economic impacts on invaded ecosystems, although the presence of native species hampers the propagation of invasive species due to biotic resistance. We tested the effects of grazing by the native channeled applesnail (Pomacea canaliculata (Lamarck, 1828)) over the invasive macrophyte Hydrilla verticillata (L. f.) Royle (water thyme) and the native macrophyte Egeria najas Planch to evaluate the potential of herbivory as a mechanism to resist invasion. Both macrophyte species were offered, individually and combined, as food resources to the snail to evaluate its feeding preference. The macrophyte energy content and stiffness were also measured. The results indicate a higher H. verticillata biomass consumption by P. canaliculata when this macrophyte was available both individually and combined with E. najas, suggesting that H. verticillata is more palatable to the snail, despite this macrophyte being stiffer than the native one. Therefore, P. canaliculata may offer resistance to H. verticillata invasion. The feeding preference and high rates of herbivory by this snail on H. verticillata likely are associated with the higher energy content of the invasive, compared with the native, macrophyte. Experiments combining different food availabilities and snail densities are necessary to evaluate the biological control capacity of P. canaliculata under different scenarios.

High predatory efficiency and abundance drive expected ecological impacts of a marine invasive fish

2020 ◽  
Vol 637 ◽  
pp. 195-208 ◽  
Author(s):  
EM DeRoy ◽  
R Scott ◽  
NE Hussey ◽  
HJ MacIsaac
Keyword(s):  
Invasive Species ◽  
Native Species ◽  
Ecological Impact ◽  
Marine Species ◽  
Ecological Impacts ◽  
Negative Effects ◽  
Marine Predator ◽  
Eastern Gulf Of Mexico ◽  
Red Grouper ◽  
Per Capita

The ecological impacts of invasive species are highly variable and mediated by many factors, including both habitat and population abundance. Lionfish Pterois volitans are an invasive marine species which have high reported detrimental effects on prey populations, but whose effects relative to native predators are currently unknown for the recently colonized eastern Gulf of Mexico. We used functional response (FR) methodology to assess the ecological impact of lionfish relative to 2 functionally similar native species (red grouper Epinephelus morio and graysby grouper Cephalopholis cruentata) foraging in a heterogeneous environment. We then combined the per capita impact of each species with their field abundance to obtain a Relative Impact Potential (RIP). RIP assesses the broader ecological impact of invasive relative to native predators, the magnitude of which predicts community-level negative effects of invasive species. Lionfish FR and overall consumption rate was intermediate to that of red grouper (higher) and graysby grouper (lower). However, lionfish had the highest capture efficiency of all species, which was invariant of habitat. Much higher field abundance of lionfish resulted in high RIPs relative to both grouper species, demonstrating that the ecological impact of lionfish in this region will be driven mainly by high abundance and high predator efficiency rather than per capita effect. Our comparative study is the first empirical assessment of lionfish per capita impact and RIP in this region and is one of few such studies to quantify the FR of a marine predator.

scholarly journals Long Term Interactions of Native and Invasive Species in a Marine Protected Area Suggest Complex Cascading Effects Challenging Conservation Outcomes

Diversity ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 71
Author(s):  
Charalampos Dimitriadis ◽  
Ivoni Fournari-Konstantinidou ◽  
Laurent Sourbès ◽  
Drosos Koutsoubas ◽  
Stelios Katsanevakis
Keyword(s):  
Invasive Species ◽  
Native Species ◽  
High Performance ◽  
Marine Protected Area ◽  
Habitat Degradation ◽  
Population Increase ◽  
Rocky Reef ◽  
Cascading Effects ◽  
High Level

Understanding the interactions among invasive species, native species and marine protected areas (MPAs), and the long-term regime shifts in MPAs is receiving increased attention, since biological invasions can alter the structure and functioning of the protected ecosystems and challenge conservation efforts. Here we found evidence of marked modifications in the rocky reef associated biota in a Mediterranean MPA from 2009 to 2019 through visual census surveys, due to the presence of invasive species altering the structure of the ecosystem and triggering complex cascading effects on the long term. Low levels of the populations of native high-level predators were accompanied by the population increase and high performance of both native and invasive fish herbivores. Subsequently the overgrazing and habitat degradation resulted in cascading effects towards the diminishing of the native and invasive invertebrate grazers and omnivorous benthic species. Our study represents a good showcase of how invasive species can coexist or exclude native biota and at the same time regulate or out-compete other established invaders and native species.

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