Data From: An artificial habitat increases the reproductive fitness of a range-shifting species within a newly colonized ecosystem

When a range-shifting species colonizes an ecosystem it has not previously inhabited, it may experience suboptimal conditions that challenge its continued persistence and expansion. Some impacts may be partially mitigated by artificial habitat analogues: artificial habitats that more closely resemble a species’ historic ecosystem than the surrounding habitat. If conditions provided by such habitats increase reproductive success, they could be vital to the expansion and persistence of range-shifting species. We investigated the reproduction of the mangrove tree crab Aratus pisonii in its historic mangrove habitat, the suboptimal colonized salt marsh ecosystem, and on docks within the marsh, an artificial mangrove analogue. Crabs were assessed for offspring production and quality, as well as measures of maternal investment and egg quality. Aratus pisonii found on docks produced more eggs, more eggs per unit energy investment, and higher quality larvae than conspecifics in the surrounding ...

当分布区扩展物种在其此前未栖息过的生态系统中定居时，可能会遭遇非最优条件，这些条件对其持续生存与扩展构成挑战。此类影响或可通过人工栖息地类似物得到部分缓解——这类人工栖息地与周边环境相比，更接近物种的历史生态系统。若此类栖息地提供的条件能提升繁殖成功率，则其对分布区扩展物种的扩展与存续至关重要。我们研究了红树蟹（Aratus pisonii）在其历史红树林栖息地、已定居的非最优盐沼生态系统，以及盐沼内作为人工红树林类似物的码头这三种环境中的繁殖情况。我们评估了这些螃蟹的后代产量与质量，以及母本投入和卵质量的相关指标。