Data generated from: The role of fisheries management in enhancing the resistance of marine ecosystems to biological invasion

Biological invasion is one of the major threats to biodiversity, ecosystem
health, and services worldwide. In marine ecosystems, invasions are
difficult to monitor and control; thus, management strategies that can
enhance biotic resistance are the key to tackle invasion risks. However,
the biotic resistance of marine ecosystems is poorly understood with
respect to the influencing factors and regulating mechanisms. We used an
individual-based modelling approach to predict the potential risks of a
biological invasion event from an ecosystem perspective, and tested how
fishing as a driving factor of ecosystem structure can alter biotic
resistance. We considered a species of high invasive risk globally,
European green crab (Carcinus maenas) as an example, and evaluated its
invasion risk in a heavily exploited ecosystem, Haizhou Bay, China.
Further, we illustrated the role of fishery management to improve biotic
resistance in order to inform the development of resistance-enhancing
strategies. We found that the Haizhou Bay ecosystem would be vulnerable to
the invasion of green crab, while reducing fishing intensity by half could
effectively enhance its biotic resistance by decreasing the invasion
success rate by up to 52 %. Alternatively, the reduced predation pressure
experienced by juvenile C. maenas would largely contribute to successful
invasions. Fishing activities could regulate the predation pressure by
changing predator biomass and trophic links within the ecosystem, and
thereby alter the biotic resistance to invasion. We further designed a
range of simplified management strategies that controlled the fishing
efforts on selected predators, and illustrated their effectiveness to
enhance biotic resistance. These strategies could mediate the trade-offs
between fisheries production and ecosystem management to a certain degree.
We validated the predation-based hypothesis of biotic resistance in marine
ecosystems, and illustrated that fishery management can enhance biotic
resistance by changing ecosystem structure. Based on this mechanism,
fishery management strategies could simultaneously enhance biotic
resistance and reduce management conflicts. We proposed an IBM-based
framework as a comprehensive assessment tool that holding significant
potential for developing precautionary management strategies.