How Do Biological and Functional Diversity Change in Invaded Tropical Marine Rocky Reef Communities?

Vinicius Neres-Lima,Larissa M Pires-Teixeira,Joel C Creed

doi:10.3390/d13080353

Vinicius Neres-Lima, Larissa M Pires-Teixeira + Show 1 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/d13080353

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Journal: Diversity	Publication Date: Jul 31, 2021
Citations: 7	License type: CC BY 4.0

Affiliation: Rio de Janeiro State University, Fundo Brasil

Abstract

Evidence so far shows that most alien species (AS) have negative impacts on native biodiversity and are changing biodiversity in almost all environments. Here, we study eight rocky shores at four sites containing reefs with invaded communities and other not-invaded (control) communities, to evaluate the effects of four marine invasive species on biological and functional diversity. We used the adjustment and selection approach of species abundance distribution models (SAD), taxonomic diversity indices and functional diversity indices based on hierarchical grouping matrices (FD—Functional Diversity). In addition to comparing invaded and not-invaded communities, we also performed the same analysis, but removed the invaders (AS removed) from the matrices. The geometric-series model was best adjusted to the majority of communities. The diversity indices suggest that the taxonomic diversity is lower in invaded communities, while the functional diversity indices suggest a change in the functional space of invaded and not-invaded communities, with a greater amount of functional space filled by species in the not-invaded communities. Taxonomic and functional diversity indices were successful in identifying processes that determine the biological diversity of invaded communities, as they seem to obey a pattern that reflects the reduced diversity of invaded communities.

Highlights

The introduction of new species into a new habitat represents a change and adjustment in the pre-existing state of the receiving community
Over the four sites we found a total of 66 taxa of sessile macrobenthic species, 23 of which were algae, 13 sponges, four bryozoans, 18 cnidarians, three ascidians, two echinoderms, two molluscs and one crustacean (Table S2)
The taxon richness was lower in invaded communities, except for Praia da Baleia (PB) site (Figure 3)

Summary

Introduction

The introduction of new species into a new habitat represents a change and adjustment in the pre-existing state of the receiving community. If an AS is functionally similar to the species already existing in the invaded community, they may compete with the resident species of the community (Biotic Resistance/Diversity–Invasibility Hypotheses [19,20]) Both processes result in changes in the functional diversity of a community after the invasion [21,22,23,24]. We used wave-protected shallow subtidal tropical rocky shore benthic communities as models Such communities are highly diverse, highly productive (including symbiotic autotrophic organisms such as corals) and space may be limiting, resulting in competition between sessile autotrophic and heterotrophic species. Under this scenario we would predict that for a species to have successfully established and invaded it will dominate and displace native species. We (3) assess the effectiveness of using these parameters in evaluating the impact of AS on rocky shore communities

Materials and Methods

Study Sites and Species

Map of the study sites along stateofofRio

Sampling

Species Abundance Analysis

Functional Diversity Analysis

Results