Demographic analysis of invasible habitat fraction identifies context‐dependent roles of resource availability and biotic resistance in determining invasion success

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.

Download Full-text

Re-examining the relationship between invasive lionfish and native grouper in the Caribbean

10.7287/peerj.preprints.262 ◽

2014 ◽

Author(s):

Abel Valdivia ◽

John F Bruno ◽

Courtney Cox ◽

Serena Hackerott ◽

Stephanie Green

Keyword(s):

Native Species ◽

Biotic Resistance ◽

Spatial Scales ◽

Structural Complexity ◽

Invasion Success ◽

Site Characteristics ◽

Invasive Lionfish ◽

Caribbean Coral Reefs ◽

Biogeographic Regions ◽

The Relationship

Biotic resistance is the idea that native species negatively affect the invasion success of introduced species, but whether this can occur at large spatial scales is poorly understood. Here we re-evaluated the hypothesis that native large-bodied grouper and other predators are controlling the abundance of exotic lionfish (Pterois volitans/miles) on Caribbean coral reefs. We assessed the relationship between the biomass of lionfish and native predators at 71 reefs in three biogeographic regions while taking into consideration several cofactors that may affect fish abundance, including among others, proxies for fishing pressure and habitat structural complexity. Our results indicate that the abundance of lionfish, large-bodied grouper and other predators were not negatively related. Lionfish abundance was instead controlled by several physical site characteristics, and possibly by culling. Taken together, our results suggest that managers cannot rely on current native grouper populations to control the lionfish invasion.

Download Full-text

Long-Term Coexistence of Two Invasive Vespid Wasps in NW Patagonia (Argentina)

10.21203/rs.3.rs-1020520/v1 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Ana Julia Pereira ◽

Maité Masciocchi ◽

Juan Carlos Corley

Keyword(s):

Species Coexistence ◽

Biotic Resistance ◽

Negative Impact ◽

Niche Overlap ◽

Invasion Success ◽

Nest Density ◽

Native Community ◽

Wasp Species ◽

Vespula Germanica

Abstract In Patagonia (Argentina) two non-native vespid wasps became established in the last decades. Vespula germanica was first detected in 1980 while V. vulgaris arrived some 30 years later. Both species can have a strong negative impact on agriculture, natural environment and on outdoor human activities. Invasion success -the establishment and spread of a species- may be influenced negatively by the degree of interaction with the resident native community, and alien species already present. The sequential arrival of these two wasps allows us to understand key questions of invasion ecology. Additionally, recognizing the outcome of the invasion by vespids in Patagonia -a region lacking native social wasps-, may help plan species-focused mitigation and control strategies. We explored long term species coexistence through the deterministic Lotka-Volterra competition model, using site-specific field data on prey captured (to estimate niche overlap) and current nest densities in sites. Food items carried by workers were similar but there is some degree of segregation. V. germanica nest density in shared sites, and in sites without coexistence, were 3.14 and 3.5 respectively, being higher for V. vulgaris with 4.71 and 5.33. The model predicts stable co-existence of both species in the invaded range, yet a higher abundance of V. vulgaris should be expected. Added to evidence on other foraging behavioral attributes of both wasp species and the invasion patterns observed in other regions, it is likely that the prior presence of V. germanica does not contribute significantly to the biotic resistance of the invaded range for V. vulgaris

Download Full-text

Re-examining the relationship between invasive lionfish and native grouper in the Caribbean

10.7287/peerj.preprints.262v1 ◽

2014 ◽

Author(s):

Abel Valdivia ◽

John F Bruno ◽

Courtney Cox ◽

Serena Hackerott ◽

Stephanie Green

Keyword(s):

Native Species ◽

Biotic Resistance ◽

Spatial Scales ◽

Structural Complexity ◽

Invasion Success ◽

Site Characteristics ◽

Invasive Lionfish ◽

Caribbean Coral Reefs ◽

Biogeographic Regions ◽

The Relationship

Biotic resistance is the idea that native species negatively affect the invasion success of introduced species, but whether this can occur at large spatial scales is poorly understood. Here we re-evaluated the hypothesis that native large-bodied grouper and other predators are controlling the abundance of exotic lionfish (Pterois volitans/miles) on Caribbean coral reefs. We assessed the relationship between the biomass of lionfish and native predators at 71 reefs in three biogeographic regions while taking into consideration several cofactors that may affect fish abundance, including among others, proxies for fishing pressure and habitat structural complexity. Our results indicate that the abundance of lionfish, large-bodied grouper and other predators were not negatively related. Lionfish abundance was instead controlled by several physical site characteristics, and possibly by culling. Taken together, our results suggest that managers cannot rely on current native grouper populations to control the lionfish invasion.

Download Full-text

Biotic resistance shapes the influence of propagule pressure on invasion success in bacterial communities

Ecology ◽

10.1002/ecy.1852 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 98 (7) ◽

pp. 1743-1749 ◽

Cited By ~ 15

Author(s):

Matt L. Jones ◽

Josep Ramoneda ◽

Damian W. Rivett ◽

Thomas Bell

Keyword(s):

Bacterial Communities ◽

Biotic Resistance ◽

Propagule Pressure ◽

Invasion Success

Download Full-text

Context-Dependence of Urban Forest Vegetation Invasion Level and Alien Species’ Ecological Success

Forests ◽

10.3390/f10010026 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 10 (1) ◽

pp. 26 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Marcin K. Dyderski ◽

Andrzej M. Jagodziński

Keyword(s):

Alien Species ◽

Resource Availability ◽

Urban Forest ◽

Vegetation Type ◽

Urban Forests ◽

Forest Vegetation ◽

Vegetation Types ◽

Habitat Filtering ◽

Ecological Success ◽

Context Dependent

Research Highlights: Urban ecosystems are claimed to be more invaded than natural vegetation. Despite numerous studies, the patterns of alien species occurrence in urban forests are rarely linked to invasion ecology hypotheses. Background and Objectives: We assumed that patterns of invasion level (i.e., neophyte richness) and neophyte ecological success (cover) are context-dependent, i.e., depend on the type of vegetation, and that hypotheses connected with empty niche and biotic acceptance will have the strongest support in urban forests. We also tested biotic resistance, habitat filtering, disturbance, resource availability, and environmental heterogeneity hypotheses. Materials and Methods: Using a random forest algorithm, we tested the importance of factors related to invasion ecology hypotheses in a dataset of urban forest vegetation plots (n = 120). We studied seven types of forest plant communities occurring in Poznań (W Poland) and we assessed the vegetation’s taxonomic and functional composition. Results: We found that models of alien species richness and cover explained 28.5% and 35.0% of variance, respectively. Vegetation type was of the highest importance in both cases, suggesting that the occurrence of alien plant species is context-dependent. Resource availability and disturbance ecological indicator values were also of high importance. Conclusions: Our study supported resource availability and habitat filtering hypotheses as explanations of the level of invasion and ecological success of alien species in an urban forest, with partial support for the disturbance hypothesis. Our study revealed that predictors of invasion level are context-dependent, as patterns of alien species richness and cover differed among vegetation types. We highlight context-dependence of alien species invasion patterns in different vegetation types due to the habitat-forming role of dominant tree species and different availability of resources and disturbance levels, as well as different pools of native species. Thus, prevention and management of biological invasions in urban forests should account for forest vegetation type.

Download Full-text

Biotic resistance and vegetative propagule pressure co-regulate the invasion success of a marine clonal macrophyte

Scientific Reports ◽

10.1038/s41598-018-35015-0 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 8 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Elena Balestri ◽

Flavia Vallerini ◽

Virginia Menicagli ◽

Sara Barnaba ◽

Claudio Lardicci

Keyword(s):

Biotic Resistance ◽

Propagule Pressure ◽

Invasion Success ◽

Vegetative Propagule

Download Full-text

Analysis of propagule pressure and genetic diversity in the invasibility of a freshwater apex predator: the peacock bass (genus Cichla)

Neotropical Ichthyology ◽

10.1590/s1679-62252014000100011 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 12 (1) ◽

pp. 105-116 ◽

Cited By ~ 11

Author(s):

Daniel C. Carvalho ◽

Denise A. A. Oliveira ◽

Iracilda Sampaio ◽

Luciano B. Beheregaray

Keyword(s):

Genetic Diversity ◽

Genetic Variation ◽

Amazon Basin ◽

Biotic Resistance ◽

Propagule Pressure ◽

Invasion Success ◽

Southeastern Brazil ◽

Feeding Strategies ◽

Apex Predator ◽

Biological Variables

An important step in invasive biology is to assess biological variables that could be used to predict invasion success. The study of genetics, evolution, and interactions of invasive and native species in invaded ranges provides a unique opportunity to study processes in population genetics and the capability of a species' range expansion. Here, we used information from microsatellite DNA markers to test if genetic variation relates to propagule pressure in the successful invasion of an apex predator (the Amazonian cichlid Cichla) into Southeastern Brazilian River systems. Invasive populations of Cichla have negatively impacted many freshwater communities in Southeastern Brazil since the 1960s. Reduction of genetic variation was observed in all invasive populations for both Cichla kelberi (CK) and Cichla piquiti(CP). For instance, heterozygosity was lower in the invasive range when compared to native populations from the Amazon basin (CP HE= 0.179/0.44; CK HE= 0.258/0.536 respectively). Therefore, despite the successful invasion of Cichla in southeast Brazil, low genetic diversity was observed in the introduced populations. We suggest that a combination of factors, such as Cichla's reproductive and feeding strategies, the "evolutionary trap" effect and the biotic resistance hypothesis, overcome their depauperete genetic diversity, being key aspects in this apex predator invasion.

Download Full-text

Relative roles of climatic suitability and anthropogenic influence in determining the pattern of spread in a global invader

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences ◽

10.1073/pnas.1011723108 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 108 (1) ◽

pp. 220-225 ◽

Cited By ~ 90

Author(s):

Núria Roura-Pascual ◽

Cang Hui ◽

Takayoshi Ikeda ◽

Gwénaël Leday ◽

David M. Richardson ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Invasive Species ◽

Biotic Resistance ◽

Propagule Pressure ◽

Distribution Patterns ◽

Global Scale ◽

Invasion Success ◽

Climatic Suitability ◽

Natural Ecosystems ◽

Widespread Species ◽

Human Modification

Because invasive species threaten the integrity of natural ecosystems, a major goal in ecology is to develop predictive models to determine which species may become widespread and where they may invade. Indeed, considerable progress has been made in understanding the factors that influence the local pattern of spread for specific invaders and the factors that are correlated with the number of introduced species that have become established in a given region. However, few studies have examined the relative importance of multiple drivers of invasion success for widespread species at global scales. Here, we use a dataset of >5,000 presence/absence records to examine the interplay between climatic suitability, biotic resistance by native taxa, human-aided dispersal, and human modification of habitats, in shaping the distribution of one of the world's most notorious invasive species, the Argentine ant (Linepithema humile). Climatic suitability and the extent of human modification of habitats are primarily responsible for the distribution of this global invader. However, we also found some evidence for biotic resistance by native communities. Somewhat surprisingly, and despite the often cited importance of propagule pressure as a crucial driver of invasions, metrics of the magnitude of international traded commodities among countries were not related to global distribution patterns. Together, our analyses on the global-scale distribution of this invasive species provide strong evidence for the interplay of biotic and abiotic determinants of spread and also highlight the challenges of limiting the spread and subsequent impact of highly invasive species.

Download Full-text