scholarly journals Relationship of Sphaeroma Quoianum to Sediment Characteristics and Invertebrate Community

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Morgan Brown ◽  
Jason K Keller ◽  
Christine R Whitcraft
Keyword(s):  
Salt Marsh ◽  
Native Species ◽  
Southern California ◽  
Ecosystem Functions ◽  
Invertebrate Community ◽  
Wetland Functions ◽  
Invertebrate Communities ◽  
Native Communities ◽  
Dense Networks ◽  
Relationship Of

Abstract Many important wetland functions are tied to sediment dynamics, which are largely governed by infaunal invertebrate communities. These communities are sensitive to changes in sediment structure and to colonization by non-native species. In a southern California salt marsh, the non-native Australian isopod Sphaeroma quoianum has created dense networks of burrows within the marsh banks. Since this isopod increases erosion in many areas and can change local invertebrate communities, its possible contribution to habitat loss in this already-scarce southern California ecosystem is an important question. This study connected S. quoianum burrows to increased proportions of crustaceans, decreased carbon content, and steep marsh bluffs. These results highlight the potential susceptibility of salt marsh habitat with steep edges to invasion by non-native species and demonstrate that such invasion can correlate to key changes in ecosystem function. These results also suggest that S. quoianum invasion of salt marsh habitats can alter native communities and ecosystem functions, thus incipient invasions should be of concern to managers and ecologists alike.

scholarly journals Alien Species vs. Native Species: From Community Ecology to Eco-Evolutionary Dynamics

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andersonn Silveira Prestes
Keyword(s):  
Alien Species ◽  
Exotic Species ◽  
Native Species ◽  
Evolutionary Dynamics ◽  
Evolutionary Processes ◽  
Native Communities ◽  
Individualized Approach ◽  
History Of ◽  
Relationship Of ◽  
The Relationship

The establishment and spread of exotic species is a contemporary major concern. Alien species may become invasive in their new habitat, leading to both/either environmental and/or economic impacts. I briefly reviewed the literature in the last decade about the relationship of exotic species and native communities. I identified that professionals usually approach the subject in two main points of view: (1) researchers tend to point out the impacts of alien species on entire communities, evaluating if the relationship is positive, negative or neutral; (2) they focus on the eco-evolutionary processes involved in the introductions, the dynamics of invasion, and individual study cases. When evaluating the response of introductions to entire communities, evidence seems to be ambiguous and may support positive, negative or neutral relationship, especially depending on the scale approached. The unique eco-evolutionary pathways of each introduction may be a great shortcoming in the searching for generalities. On the other hand, advances have been made in understanding the dynamics of invasion on different lineages through a more selective/individualized approach. I suggest that the dynamics of invasion might be studied through a perspective in which different eco-evolutionary processes, levels of organization (from gene to entire communities), the history of the organism(s) and time are taken into account. Individual cases might be compared in attempt to understand how the relationship exotic and native works and in the search for generalities.

scholarly journals Green roof and ground-level invertebrate communities are similar and are driven by building height and landscape context

2020 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jacinda R Dromgold ◽  
Caragh G Threlfall ◽  
Briony A Norton ◽  
Nicholas S G Williams
Keyword(s):  
Native Species ◽  
Green Space ◽  
Ground Level ◽  
Green Roofs ◽  
Vegetation Types ◽  
Invertebrate Community ◽  
Invertebrate Communities ◽  
Surrounding Environment ◽  
Native Grassland ◽  
Family Level

Abstract Green roofs are increasingly promoted for urban biodiversity conservation, but the value of these novel habitats is uncertain. We aimed to test two hypotheses: (i) green roofs can support comparable invertebrate family and order richness, composition and abundances to ground-level habitats and (ii) green roofs planted with native species from local habitats will support a richer invertebrate community at family and order level than other green roofs. We sampled the invertebrate community on green roofs dominated by native grassland or introduced succulent species in Melbourne, Australia, and compared these to the invertebrate community in ground-level sites close by, and sites with similar vegetation types. The only significant differences between the invertebrate communities sampled on green roofs and ground-level habitats were total abundance and fly family richness, which were higher in ground-level habitats. Second hypothesis was not supported as invertebrate communities on green roofs supporting a local vegetation community and those planted with introduced Sedum and other succulents were not detectably different at family level. The per cent cover of green space surrounding each site was consistently important in predicting the richness and abundance of the invertebrate families we focussed on, while roof height, site age and size were influential for some taxa. Our results suggest that invertebrate communities of green roofs in Melbourne are driven largely by their surrounding environment and consequently the effectiveness of green roofs as invertebrate habitat is highly dependent on location and their horizontal and vertical connection to other habitats.

scholarly journals Short-term impact of sediment addition on plants and invertebrates in a southern California salt marsh

PLoS ONE ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 15 (11) ◽  
pp. e0240597
Author(s):  
Kaelin J. McAtee ◽  
Karen M. Thorne ◽  
Christine R. Whitcraft
Keyword(s):  
Salt Marsh ◽  
Sea Level Rise ◽  
Sea Level ◽  
Salt Marshes ◽  
Southern California ◽  
Plant Cover ◽  
Invertebrate Community ◽  
Insect Larvae ◽  
Sediment Addition ◽  
One Year

The implementation and monitoring of management strategies is integral to protect coastal marshes from increased inundation and submergence under sea-level rise. Sediment addition is one such strategy in which sediment is added to marshes to raise relative elevations, decrease tidal inundation, and enhance ecosystem processes. This study looked at the plant and invertebrate community responses over 12 months following a sediment addition project on a salt marsh located in an urbanized estuary in southern California, USA. This salt marsh is experiencing local subsidence, is sediment-limited from landscape modifications, has resident protected species, and is at-risk of submergence from sea-level rise. Abiotic measurements, invertebrate cores, and plant parameters were analyzed before and after sediment application in a before-after-control-impact (BACI) design. Immediately following the sediment application, plant cover and invertebrate abundance decreased significantly, with smothering of existing vegetation communities without regrowth, presumably creating resulting harsh abiotic conditions. At six months after the sediment application treatment, Salicornia bigelovii minimally colonized the sediment application area, and Spartina foliosa spread vegetatively from the edges of the marsh; however, at 12 months following sediment application overall plant recovery was still minimal. Community composition of infaunal invertebrates shifted from a dominance of marsh-associated groups like oligochaetes and polychaetes to more terrestrial and more mobile dispersers like insect larvae. In contrast to other studies, such as those with high organic deposition, that showed vegetation and invertebrate community recovery within one year of sediment application, our results indicated a much slower recovery following a sediment addition of 32 cm which resulted in a supratidal elevation with an average of 1.62 m (NAVD88) at our sampling locations. Our results indicate that the site did not recover after one year and that recovery may take longer which illustrates the importance of long-term monitoring to fully understand restoration trajectories and inform adaptive management. Testing and monitoring sea-level rise adaptation strategies like sediment addition for salt marshes is important to prevent the loss of important coastal ecosystems.

scholarly journals Evaluating restoration trajectories using DNA metabarcoding of invertebrates and their associated plant communities

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mieke van der Heyde ◽  
Michael Bunce ◽  
Kingsley Dixon ◽  
Kristen Fernandes ◽  
Jonathan Majer ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Plant Communities ◽  
Soil Formation ◽  
Ecosystem Functions ◽  
Invertebrate Community ◽  
Community Recovery ◽  
Invertebrate Communities ◽  
Dna Metabarcoding ◽  
Site Restoration ◽  
Dispersal Abilities ◽  
Harsh Climate

Invertebrate communities provide many critical ecosystem functions (e.g. pollination, decomposition, herbivory and soil formation), and have been identified as indicators of ecological restoration. Unfortunately, invertebrates are often overlooked in restoration monitoring because they are time-consuming to survey, often require rare taxonomic expertise, and there are many undescribed species. DNA metabarcoding is a tool to rapidly survey invertebrates and can also provide information about plants with which those invertebrates are interacting. Here we evaluate how invertebrate communities may be used to determine ecosystem trajectories during restoration. We collected ground-dwelling and airborne invertebrates across chronosequences of mine-site restoration in three ecologically different locations in Western Australia, and identified invertebrate and plant communities using DNA metabarcoding. Ground-dwelling invertebrates showed the clearest restoration signals, with communities becoming more similar to reference communities over time. These patterns were weaker in airborne invertebrates, which have higher dispersal abilities and therefore less local fidelity to environmental conditions. Invertebrate community recovery was most evident in ecosystems with relatively stable climax communities, while the trajectory in the Pilbara, with its harsh climate and unpredictable monsoonal flooding, was unclear. Plant assay results indicate invertebrates are foraging locally, providing data about interactions between invertebrates and their environment. Thus, we show how DNA metabarcoding of invertebrate communities can be used to evaluate likely trajectories for restoration. Testing and incorporating new monitoring techniques such as DNA metabarcoding is critical to improving restoration outcomes, and is now particularly salient given the ambitious global restoration targets associated with the UN decade on Ecosystem Restoration.

scholarly journals Riparian Vegetation Structure Influences Terrestrial Invertebrate Communities in an Agricultural Landscape

Water ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 188
Author(s):  
Cristina Popescu ◽  
Mihaela Oprina-Pavelescu ◽  
Valentin Dinu ◽  
Constantin Cazacu ◽  
Francis J. Burdon ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Riparian Vegetation ◽  
Human Impacts ◽  
Agricultural Landscapes ◽  
Riparian Buffers ◽  
Management Tool ◽  
Potential Contribution ◽  
Invertebrate Community ◽  
Invertebrate Communities ◽  
Terrestrial Invertebrate ◽  
Invertebrate Diversity

Stream and terrestrial ecosystems are intimately connected by riparian zones that support high biodiversity but are also vulnerable to human impacts. Landscape disturbances, overgrazing, and diffuse pollution of agrochemicals threaten riparian biodiversity and the delivery of ecosystem services in agricultural landscapes. We assessed how terrestrial invertebrate communities respond to changes in riparian vegetation in Romanian agricultural catchments, with a focus on the role of forested riparian buffers. Riparian invertebrates were sampled in 10 paired sites, with each pair consisting of an unbuffered upstream reach and a downstream reach buffered with woody riparian vegetation. Our results revealed distinct invertebrate community structures in the two site types. Out of 33 invertebrate families, 13 were unique to either forested (6) or unbuffered (7) sites. Thomisidae, Clubionidae, Tetragnathidae, Curculionidae, Culicidae, and Cicadidae were associated with forested buffers, while Lycosidae, Chrysomelidae, Staphylinidae, Coccinellidae, Tettigoniidae, Formicidae, and Eutichuridae were more abundant in unbuffered sites. Despite statistically equivocal results, invertebrate diversity was generally higher in forested riparian buffers. Local riparian attributes significantly influenced patterns in invertebrate community composition. Our findings highlight the importance of local woody riparian buffers in maintaining terrestrial invertebrate diversity and their potential contribution as a multifunctional management tool in agricultural landscapes.

scholarly journals New insights into the influence of plant and microbial diversity on denitrification rates in a salt marsh

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Olivia U. Mason ◽  
Patrick Chanton ◽  
Loren N. Knobbe ◽  
Julian Zaugg ◽  
Behzad Mortazavi
Keyword(s):  
Microbial Community ◽  
Salt Marsh ◽  
Microbial Diversity ◽  
Ecosystem Functions ◽  
Juncus Roemerianus ◽  
Rrna Gene ◽  
Metabolic Potential ◽  
Marsh Vegetation ◽  
Core Microbiome ◽  
N Removal

AbstractCoastal salt marshes are some of the most productive ecosystems on Earth, providing numerous services such as soil carbon storage, flood protection and nutrient filtering, several of which are mediated by the sediment microbiome associated with marsh vegetation. Here, nutrient filtering (nitrate removal through denitrification) was examined by determining microbial community structure (16S rRNA gene iTag sequencing), diversity, denitrification rates and metabolic potential (assembled metagenomic sequences) in collocated patches of Spartina alterniflora (Spartina) and Juncus roemerianus (Juncus) sediments. The iTag data showed that diversity and richness in Spartina and Juncus sediment microbial communities were highly similar. However, microbial community evenness differed significantly, with the most even communities observed in Juncus sediments. Further, denitrification rates were significantly higher in Juncus compared to Spartina, suggesting oscillations in microbial abundances and in particular the core microbiome identified herein, along with plant diversity influence marsh nitrogen (N) removal. Amplicon and assembled metagenome sequences pointed to a potentially important, yet unappreciated Planctomycetes role in N removal in the salt marsh. Thus, perturbations, such as sea-level rise, that can alter marsh vegetation distribution could impact microbial diversity and may ultimately influence the ecologically important ecosystem functions the marsh sediment microbiome provides.

scholarly journals Ectoparasite extinction in simplified lizard assemblages during experimental island invasion

2020 ◽  
Vol 16 (8) ◽  
pp. 20200474 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christian L. Cox ◽  
Sean Alexander ◽  
Brianna Casement ◽  
Albert K. Chung ◽  
John David Curlis ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Introduced Species ◽  
Native Species ◽  
Population Expansion ◽  
Enemy Release ◽  
Total Density ◽  
Agonistic Interactions ◽  
Native Communities ◽  
Trombiculid Mite ◽  
Density And Biomass ◽  
Field Transplant

Introduced species can become invasive, damaging ecosystems and disrupting economies through explosive population growth. One mechanism underlying population expansion in invasive populations is ‘enemy release’, whereby the invader experiences relaxation of agonistic interactions with other species, including parasites. However, direct observational evidence of release from parasitism during invasion is rare. We mimicked the early stages of invasion by experimentally translocating populations of mite-parasitized slender anole lizards ( Anolis apletophallus ) to islands that varied in the number of native anoles. Two islands were anole-free prior to the introduction, whereas a third island had a resident population of Gaige's anole ( Anolis gaigei ). We then characterized changes in trombiculid mite parasitism over multiple generations post-introduction. We found that mites rapidly went extinct on one-species islands, but that lizards introduced to the two-species island retained mites. After three generations, the two-species island had the highest total density and biomass of lizards, but the lowest density of the introduced species, implying that the ‘invasion’ had been less successful. This field-transplant study suggests that native species can be ‘enemy reservoirs’ that facilitate co-colonization of ectoparasites with the invasive host. Broadly, these results indicate that the presence of intact and diverse native communities may help to curb invasiveness.

Native Communities, Museums and Collaboration

2011 ◽  
Vol 33 (2) ◽  
pp. 16-20 ◽  
Author(s):  
JoAllyn Archambault
Keyword(s):  
American Indians ◽  
Personal Experience ◽  
Background Information ◽  
Native Communities ◽  
Relationship Of ◽  
The Relationship

Although this article concerns itself primarily with the relationship of contemporary American Indians to American museums, I want to place it within a larger historical frame than is commonly done. Americans generally have a poor sense of history and we often reinvent the wheel in the name of innovation and creativity. In the atmosphere of postmodern anthropology this is often the case as personal experience trumps orthodoxy or convention. Accordingly, I will provide some background information that provides greater context to modern situations.

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