Little giants: a rapidly invading seagrass alters ecosystem functioning relative to native foundation species

The spread of invasive species is a major component of global ecological change and how and when to manage particular species is a diicult empirical question. Ideally, these decisions should be based on the speciic impacts of invading species including both their efects on native competitors and how they may or may not play similar roles in broader ecosystem functioning. Halophila stipulacea is an invasive seagrass currently spreading through the Caribbean, and as seagrasses are foundation species, the efects of invasion have the potential to be particularly far-reaching. To evaluate the impacts of H. stipulacea we quantiied spread and potential for displacement of native seagrasses as well as the efects of invasion on multiple ecosystem processes, particularly resource support for higher trophic levels and habitat creation. Long-term monitoring suggested that H. stipulacea likely displaces some native seagrasses (Syringodium filiforme and Halodule wrightii), but not others. Halophila s...

外来入侵物种的扩散是全球生态变化的核心组成部分，而针对特定入侵物种的管理时机与策略选择，是一项极具挑战性的实证研究课题。理想情况下，此类管理决策应基于入侵物种的具体影响：既需考量其对本地竞争物种的作用，也需明确其在更广泛生态系统功能中是否承担相似的生态角色。多形海草（Halophila stipulacea）是目前正在加勒比海区域扩散的入侵性海草；由于海草属于生态系统建群种（foundation species），其入侵所产生的影响极有可能波及范围极广且深远。为评估多形海草的入侵影响，本研究量化了其扩散范围、对本地海草的潜在取代能力，以及入侵对多项生态系统过程的作用，尤其是对更高营养级生物的资源支撑效应与栖息地构建功能。长期监测结果显示，多形海草大概率会取代部分本地海草物种（如丝状海菖蒲Syringodium filiforme与哈氏二药藻Halodule wrightii），但并非所有本地海草都会受到其取代。多形海草（Halophila s.）……