The role of nutrient enrichment in the invasion process in intertidal rock pools

• Type: Article in International Scientific Journal
• Date: 2017

Authors

Vieira, R (Author) Other; Isabel Sousa Pinto (Author) FCUP; Arenas, F (Author) Other

Journal

Title: Hydrobiologia

Vol. 797

Pages: 183-198

ISSN: 0018-8158

Publisher: Springer Nature

Indexing

ISI Web of Knowledge - 6 Citations

Scopus - 6 Citations

Other information

Authenticus ID: P-00M-KRY

DOI: 10.1007/s10750-017-3171-x

Abstract (EN): Anthropogenic-mediated disturbances can induce major effects on the structure and functioning of natural systems. Understanding how stressors jointly interact to impact ecosystems has become a central interest to ecological researchers. In this study, we investigated the potential synergies between two recognised threats to the marine environment: eutrophication and biological invasions. Coastal eutrophication is usually regarded as a local stressor resulting from inland agricultural and industrial runoffs. Biological invasions are considered a global threat to coastal ecosystems, mainly derived from the increase of the spatial scale of human activities. We carried out an experimental study to investigate how nutrient supply affected the invasion success of two introduced seaweeds widely recognised as highly invasive species, Sargassum muticum and Grateloupia turuturu. In our study, we seeded experimental macroalgae assemblages with propagules from these two invaders, which were afterwards placed in rock pools under two different nutrient conditions. Results suggested that besides species-specific differences, nutrients promoted the establishment of these two introduced seaweeds. Also, the results from our structural and functional studies showed that functional impacts by invaders may occur even before structural effects are detected in the invaded communities. Even in the absence of large structural impacts associated with the invasion of S. muticum, functional effects were obvious for this species. The assemblages initially seeded with S. muticum presented higher rates of productivity and higher photosynthetic efficiency compared to the other treatments.

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific

No. of pages: 16