Seaweed of the littoral zone at Cove Island in Long Island Sound: annual variation and impact of environmental factors

A site in the western part of Long Island Sound was monitored from January 2000 to May 2002. The littoral was divided into five different zones from the supra-littoral fringe (A) to the infra-littoral fringe (E). The midshore was dominated by Fucus vesiculosus L. and the sublittoral fringe by Chondrus crispus Stackh. There was a significant change in community structure over the years and the predominant change occurred between 2001 and 2002. The alternation in community structure was caused by an increase in abundance of species like Porphyra suborbiculata Kjellm., Porphyra leucosticta Type A and C (Neefus et al. 2000), Ceramium virgatum Roth, and Codium fragile subsp. tomentosoides (van Goor)Silva and a decrease in abundance in Fucus vesiculosus, Blidingia minima (Nägeli ex Kütz.) Kylin and Ulva lactuca L. The changes in community structure coincided with the change in environmental conditions. Air temperature as well as surface seawater temperature (depth <2 m) were the most important factors of those analyzed. Temperature seems to be the bottom-up force regulating the community structure.     

Intertidal benthic communities associated with the macroalgae <Emphasis Type="Italic">Iridaea cordata</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Adenocystis utricularis</Emphasis> in King George Island,Antarctica

Antarctic benthos has been a main target in Antarctic research, but very few quantitative studies have been carried out in the littoral zone, which may be seasonally covered by macroalgae. In this work, we studied (1) cover and biomass of the macroalgae Iridaea cordata and Adenocystis utricularis, and (2) composition of macrobenthic assemblage associated with these macroalgal species at three locations at King George Island: Mareograph Beach (1 M), Tank’s Bay (2R) and Ardley Bay (3R). Iridaea cordata was collected by completely detaching the algae from the substrate, while A. utricularis was scraped. Adenocystis utricularis covered more than 80 % of the substrate at all locations, while coverage of Iridaea cordata was below 53 % or absent (3R). Fresh biomass of I. cordata was 0.8–61.4 g/individual and 4.7–93.0 g/100 cm² for A. utricularis. The assemblage associated with both macroalgae differed significantly between sites. The studied fauna was composed mainly of amphipods, gastropods and bivalves. Species diversity was higher in the community associated with A. utricularis. A total of ~27 ind/g DW were found associated with I. cordata, while ~112 ind/g DW were found associated with A. utricularis. The most abundant groups associated with I. cordata were amphipods at 1 M (57 %) and gastropods at 2R (46 %). Both groups were responsible for the dissimilarity between localities (62.50 %). The most abundant groups associated with A. utricularis were the gastropods at all localities reaching up to 82 % at 1 M. This study provides a first baseline on the diversity and abundance of benthic assemblages associated with intertidal macroalgae in the southwest of King George Island.     

Dominance of a <Emphasis Type="Italic">Rhizopogon</Emphasis> sister species corresponds to forest age structure

Rhizopogon vesiculosus and Rhizopogon vinicolor are sister species of ectomycorrhizal fungi that associate exclusively with Douglas-fir (DF). They form tuberculate mycorrhizas and they can be easily distinguished using molecular tools. We are not aware of studies relating their relative abundance in forests with different age classes. Our objective was to determine whether a change in the number or relative abundance of R. vesiculosus and R. vinicolor tubercules and genotypes was related to a change in the percent of DF in a regenerating phase (<50 years old). R. vesiculosus and R. vinicolor were located by excavating tuberculate mycorrhizas from the forest floor. A DNA Alu1 digest was used to distinguish between the two species. Microsatellite markers were used to identify genotypes. The number of R. vesiculosus tubercules correlated positively with an increasing proportion of DF in a regenerating phase, while the number of R. vinicolor tubercules was similar across all forest age structures. The number of R. vesiculosus genotypes did not correlate with forest age structure, whereas the number of R. vinicolor genotypes showed a negative relationship with an increasing proportion of DF in a regenerating phase. When the numbers of R. vesiculosus tubercules and genotypes were expressed as a relative abundance of the two species, there was a positive correlation with an increasing proportion of DF in a regenerating phase for both genotypes and tubercules. Our results suggest that the degree of DF regeneration or ecosystem factors related to DF regeneration affect the population dynamics of R. vesiculosus and R. vinicolor differently.     

Experimental Detritus Manipulations Unite Surface and Cave Stream Ecosystems Along a Common Energy Gradient

Subsidies of detritus from donor habitats are important energy sources for many ecosystems, but understanding their role in structuring recipient food webs requires comparative experimental studies along the full spectrum of detrital fluxes. Here we report results from an experimental addition of maize (Zea mays L.) litter to a detritus-poor cave stream ecosystem, which we then compare with analogous, past experiments using detritus-rich surface stream ecosystems that similarly have detritus-based food webs and extremely low in situ primary production. Bulk-tissue and compound-specific stable isotope analyses showed that maize litter carbon (C) was rapidly assimilated by microbes and transferred via successive trophic levels to the top of the cave stream food web (omnivorous crayfishes and predatory salamanders). All trophic levels increased in abundance and biomass, but only facultative cave taxa, that is those also found in surface streams, contributed to this numerical response. The lack of response by obligate cave species presumably occurred because evolutionary trade-offs associated with adaptations to low-C environments constrained their population-level responses during the one-year period of the litter addition. Comparison of the responses of the cave community with the analogous litter manipulation experiments in surface streams showed strong convergence in the functional relationship between invertebrate and detritus biomass (R ² = 0.72, P < 0.0001). Our results suggest that these seemingly disparate stream food webs lie along a single, common gradient of detritus supply, occupied at its extreme minimum by communities of obligate cave taxa adapted to low-energy environments.     

The impact of the invasive Ponto-Caspian amphipod <Emphasis Type="Italic">Pontogammarus robustoides</Emphasis> on littoral communities in Lithuanian lakes

The intentionally introduced Pontogammarus robustoides is the most successful amphipod invader of Lithuanian inland waters and has become established in large lakes. Its impact on littoral invertebrate communities was studied by comparing similar habitats across lakes that harbour or are devoid of the invader. In habitats where P. robustoides is well established and numerous, it significantly reduces species richness and community diversity. Moderate pontogammarid density in habitats that can sustain the native gammarid Gammarus lacustris, however, revealed no negative impact on diversity metrics. Among the lakes studied, the benthic biomass did not differ in invaded and uninvaded habitats. The biomass of indigenous invertebrates (excluding chironomids, which exhibited high lake-specific biomass variation) was lower in the places with well-established P. robustoides. A detrimental impact was observed upon the native isopod Asellus aquaticus and a negative correlation with most of the higher taxa of native invertebrates. In the invaded lake habitats that favour P. robustoides, a change in community structure and a decrease in diversity up to twofold or more are to be expected.     

Performance of two alpine plant species along environmental gradients in an alpine meadow ecosystem in central Tibet

Understanding how biotic interactions and abiotic conditions affect plant performance is important for predicting changes in ecosystem function and services in variable environments. We tested how performances of Astragalus rigidulus and Potentilla fruticosa change along gradients of biotic interactions (represented by plant species richness, abundance of the dominant plant species Kobresia pygmaea, and herbivory intensity) and abiotic conditions (represented by elevation, aspect, and slope steepness) across a semi-arid landscape in central Tibet. Redundancy analyses showed that the biotic variables explained 30 and 39 % of the variation in overall performance of A. rigidulus (P = 0.03) and P. fruticosa (P = 0.01), respectively. Abiotic variables did not contribute significantly to variation among A. rigidulus populations. Plant size decreased with species richness in both species and was larger on south- rather than north-facing slopes. Reproductive effort for both species was significantly negatively related to the abundance of K. pygmaea and both species had larger reproductive effort on south- rather than north- and west-facing slopes. The proportion of biomass allocated to sexual reproduction in P. fruticosa was negatively correlated with K. pygmaea abundance and herbivory intensity. The population density of P. fruticosa was positively related to elevation, species richness, and K. pygmaea abundance. We conclude that plant performance at a local scale was more strongly related to biotic than abiotic conditions, but different components of plant performance responded differently to predictor variables and the responses were species-specific. These findings have important implications for rangeland management under changing environmental conditions.     

Peculiarities of the Structure of and Trends in the Macrobenthos Community of the Ermolinskaya Bay Lagoon Ecosystem,Kandalaksha Bay,White Sea

The species composition and spatial and trophic structures of the macrobenthos communities of the Ermolinskaya Bay were studied, and the main changes that had occurred since previous explorations (the 1960s) were analyzed. The most significant changes in the spatial structure of the macrobenthos community (species diversity, population density and biomass, and similarities of the species’ distribution) were observed with regard to the sea level zone: the most pronounced at the upper littoral, followed by the middle littoral, lower littoral, and sublittoral. The longitudinal gradient of the community structure (from the innermost area seaward) was pronounced less strongly. Altogether, four macrobenthos communities can be identified in Ermolinskaya Bay; they differ in species composition, diversity, population density and biomass, and trophic structure: (1) community of the upper littoral with the dominance of collecting deposit feeders, Hydrobia ulvae, and scrapers, Littorina saxatilis; (2) community of the middle littoral with the prevalence of deposit feeders, Hydrobia ulvae and Macoma balthica, seston feeders, Mya arenaria, and, to a lesser extent, Mytilus edulis; (3) community of the lower littoral with the domination of the filtering organisms, Mytilus edulis, to a lesser extent collecting deposit feeders, Hydrobia ulvae and Macoma balthica, and scrapers, Littorina littorea; and (4) community of the sublittoral, where the leading positions belong to the group of collecting deposit feeders, Macoma balthica, to a lesser extent also Hydrobia ulvae (in the innermost area) and Capitella capitata, Arenicola marina (in the marine part of the bay). The gradual siltation of the bay and the reduction of its connection to the sea have led to the development of a littoral complex of species in the sublittoral, whereas the species typical at the sublittoral in the 1960s are now mainly found at the outlet of the bay.     

Distribution and ecological relations among the alien crab, <Emphasis Type="Italic">Percnon gibbesi</Emphasis> (H. Milne-Edwards 1853) and autochthonous species,in and out of an SW Mediterranean MPA

The distribution of the allochthonous crab Percnon gibbesi and its relationships with other benthic invertebrate species was assessed inside the marine reserve of Cabo de Palos—Islas Hormigas (Mediterranean sea, Spain) and neighbouring non-protected sites. Although a significant spatial variability was detected at finer spatial scale, there was no influence of protection measures or insularity on the abundance of P. gibbesi. The presence of small holes, encrusting algae and low slope favour the colonization success of this crustacean, and the spatial distribution of these habitat features could explain the observed pattern. The abundance of P. gibbesi was similar to that of native crab species; however, a non-significant negative relationship between the abundance of P. gibbesi and native crabs (Pachygrapsus marmoratus and Eriphia verrucosa), urchins (Arbacia lixula and Paracentrotus lividus) and a snail (Phorcus turbinatus) was observed. This work highlights the importance of monitoring alien crab population densities taking structural habitat and other potentially influential factors into account and the likely effect of this alien species on the native ones.     

Study of biological communities subject to imperfect detection: bias and precision of community <Emphasis Type="Italic">N</Emphasis>-mixture abundance models in small-sample situations

Community N-mixture abundance models for replicated counts provide a powerful and novel framework for drawing inferences related to species abundance within communities subject to imperfect detection. To assess the performance of these models, and to compare them to related community occupancy models in situations with marginal information, we used simulation to examine the effects of mean abundance \((\bar{\lambda }\): 0.1, 0.5, 1, 5), detection probability \((\bar{p}\): 0.1, 0.2, 0.5), and number of sampling sites (n _site : 10, 20, 40) and visits (n _visit : 2, 3, 4) on the bias and precision of species-level parameters (mean abundance and covariate effect) and a community-level parameter (species richness). Bias and imprecision of estimates decreased when any of the four variables \((\bar{\lambda }\), \(\bar{p}\), n _site , n _visit ) increased. Detection probability \(\bar{p}\) was most important for the estimates of mean abundance, while \(\bar{\lambda }\) was most influential for covariate effect and species richness estimates. For all parameters, increasing n _site was more beneficial than increasing n _visit . Minimal conditions for obtaining adequate performance of community abundance models were n _site  ≥ 20, \(\bar{p}\) ≥ 0.2, and \(\bar{\lambda }\) ≥ 0.5. At lower abundance, the performance of community abundance and community occupancy models as species richness estimators were comparable. We then used additive partitioning analysis to reveal that raw species counts can overestimate β diversity both of species richness and the Shannon index, while community abundance models yielded better estimates. Community N-mixture abundance models thus have great potential for use with community ecology or conservation applications provided that replicated counts are available.     

Sublittoral soft bottom communities and diversity of Mejillones Bay in northern Chile (Humboldt Current upwelling system)

The macrozoobenthos of Mejillones Bay (23°S; Humboldt Current) was quantitatively investigated over a 7-year period from austral summer 1995/1996 to winter 2002. About 78 van Veen grab samples taken at six stations (5, 10, 20 m depth) provided the basis for the analysis of the distribution of 60 species and 28 families of benthic invertebrates, as well as of their abundance and biomass. Mean abundance (2,119 individuals m^?2) was in the same order compared to a previous investigation; mean biomass (966 g formalin wet mass m^?2), however, exceeded prior estimations mainly due to the dominance of the bivalve Aulacomya ater. About 43% of the taxa inhabited the complete depth range. Mean taxonomic Shannon diversity (H′, Log e) was 1.54 ± 0.58 with a maximum at 20 m (1.95 ± 0.33); evenness increased with depth. The fauna was numerically dominated by carnivorous gastropods, polychaetes and crustaceans (48%). About 15% of the species were suspensivorous, 13% sedimentivorous, 11% detritivorous, 7% omnivorous and 6% herbivorous. Cluster analyses showed a significant difference between the shallow and the deeper stations. Gammarid amphipods and the polychaete family Nephtyidae characterized the 5-m-zone, the molluscs Aulacomya ater, Mitrella unifasciata and gammarids the intermediate zone, while the gastropod Nassarius gayi and the polychaete family Nereidae were most prominent at the deeper stations. The communities of the three depth zones did not appear to be limited by hypoxia during non-El Niño conditions. Therefore, no typical change in community structure occurred during El Niño 1997–1998, in contrast to what was observed for deeper faunal assemblages and hypoxic bays elsewhere in the coastal Humboldt Current system.     

Linkages of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Firmicutes</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Bacteroidetes</Emphasis> populations to methanogenic process performance

To identify potential linkages between specific bacterial populations and process performance in anaerobic digestion, the dynamics of bacterial community structure was monitored with high-throughput sequencing in triplicate anaerobic digesters treating animal waste. Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes were found as the two most abundant populations, however, with contrasting population dynamics in response to organic overloading. Firmicutes dominated the bacterial community during stable process performance at low organic loading rate, representing over 50 % of the bacterial abundance. In contrast, the onset of organic overloading raised the relative abundance of Bacteroidetes from 20 ± 2.6 to 44 ± 3.1 %. In addition to the significant negative correlation between the relative abundance of Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes, populations of Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes were found to be linked to process parameters including organic loading rate, volatile fatty acids concentration, and methane production. Therefore, the population abundance ratio of Firmicutes to Bacteroidetes (F/B ratio) was suggested as a potential indicator for process performance. The interactions between Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes populations could be exploited to develop strategies for the prevention of performance perturbation in anaerobic digestion processes.     

Collapse of the native ruffe (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Gymnocephalus cernua</Emphasis>) population in the Biesbosch lakes (the Netherlands) owing to round goby (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Neogobius melanostomus</Emphasis>) invasion

We investigated the change in benthic fish communities in three artificial lakes of the Biesbosch area in the Netherlands between two time periods: before and after the invasion of round goby (Neogobius melanostomus). Native ruffe (Gymnocephalus cernua), the dominant species in benthic gillnet and littoral beach seining catches before the invasion, almost completely disappeared in all lakes only 2 years after the invasion. We found a significant increase in 0 + perch (Perca fluviatilis) and, in some lakes, pikeperch (Sander lucioperca) abundance in gillnet catches after invasion. In the post-invasion period, the 0 + fish community was dominated by perch, and the older fish community was dominated by round goby. The species richness of 0 + fish increased in the post-invasion period owing to the invasion of gobiids. However, it did not change for older fish between periods. Our results clearly show that, owing to a similar benthic lifestyle and high niche overlap, ruffe was the only species negatively influenced by the round goby invasion. The competitive superiority of round goby over ruffe is so strong that the once-dominant species of the overall benthic fish community collapsed after only a few years of coexistence.     

Impact of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Phanerochaete chrysosporium</Emphasis> inoculation on indigenous bacterial communities during agricultural waste composting

This research was conducted to distinguish between the separate effects of the Phanerochaete chrysosporium inoculation and sample property heterogeneity induced by different inoculation regimes on the indigenous bacterial communities during agricultural waste composting. P. chrysosporium was inoculated during different phases. The bacterial community abundance and structure were determined by quantitative PCR and denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis analysis, respectively. Results indicated a significant stimulatory effect of P. chrysosporium inoculation on the bacterial community abundance. The bacterial community abundance significantly coincided with pile temperature, ammonium, and nitrate (P?<?0.006). Variance partition analysis showed that the P. chrysosporium inoculation directly explained 20.5 % (P?=?0.048) of the variation in the bacterial communities, whereas the sample property changes induced by different inoculation regimes indirectly explained up to 35.1 % (P?=?0.002). The bacterial community structure was significantly related to pile temperature, water-soluble carbon (WSC), and C/N ratio when P. chrysosporium were inoculated. The C/N ratio solely explained 7.9 % (P?=?0.03) of the variation in community structure, whereas pile temperature and WSC explained 7.7 % (P?=?0.026) and 7.5 % (P?=?0.034) of the variation, respectively. P. chrysosporium inoculation affected the indigenous bacterial communities most probably indirectly through increasing pile temperature, enhancing the substrate utilizability, and changing other physico-chemical factors.     

Competition with stone crabs drives juvenile spiny lobster abundance and distribution

Interspecific competition is assumed to have a strong influence on the population dynamics of competing species, but is not easily demonstrated for mobile species in the wild. In the Florida Keys (USA), anecdotal observations have long pointed to an inverse relationship in abundance of two large decapod crustaceans found co-occurring in hard-bottom habitat, the stone crab Menippe mercenaria and the Caribbean spiny lobster Panulirus argus. We used them to explicitly test whether competition for a renewable resource (shelter) can drive the abundance and distribution of the inferior competitor. We first explored this relationship in shelter competition mesocosm experiments to determine the competitively dominant species. Results showed that stone crabs are clearly the dominant competitors regardless of the number of lobsters present, the presence of co-sheltering species such as the spider crab, Damithrax spinosissimus, or the order of introduction of competitors into the mesocosm. We also found that lobsters use chemical cues from stone crabs to detect and avoid them. We then tested the ramifications of this competitive dominance in the field by manipulating stone crab abundance and then tracking the abundance and distribution of spiny lobsters through time. Increased stone crab abundance immediately resulted in decreased lobster abundance and increased aggregation. The opposite occurred on sites where stone crabs were removed. When we stopped removing stone crabs from these sites, they soon returned and lobster abundance decreased. This study explicitly demonstrated that interspecific competition can drive population dynamics between these species, and ultimately, community composition in these shallow water habitats.     

Disentangling the stream community impacts of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Didymosphenia geminata</Emphasis>: How are higher trophic levels affected?

Human activities frequently result in either intentional or unintentional introductions of species to new locations, and freshwater environments worldwide are particularly vulnerable to species invasions. An introduced freshwater diatom, Didymosphenia geminata, was first discovered in New Zealand in 2004 but there was limited research available to predict the drivers of D. geminata biomass and how biomass variability might influence higher trophic levels (e.g. invertebrates and fish). We examined the effect of D. geminata biomass on benthic invertebrates, invertebrate drift and fish communities in 20 rivers in New Zealand with variable hydrology, physical habitat and water chemistry. Variation in D. geminata biomass was best explained by a model that showed D. geminata biomass increased with time since the last flow event exceeding three times the median annual discharge and decreasing concentration of dissolved reactive phosphorus. Analyses of biotic responses showed that high D. geminata biomass did not affect either invertebrate or fish diversity but altered the structure of benthic communities, changed the composition of drifting invertebrate communities and reduced fish biomass by 90 %, particularly trout. A partial least squares path model was used to disentangle both direct and indirect effects of D. geminata on fish communities and showed D. geminata had a significant negative direct effect on fish communities. This is the first study to show how the potential effects of the introduced diatom D. geminata can impact fish communities and has shown that D. geminata impacts fish both directly and indirectly through changes in their invertebrate prey community.     

Sorption of fluorescent polystyrene microplastic particles to edible seaweed <Emphasis Type="Italic">Fucus vesiculosus</Emphasis>

Increased global demands for food have raised interest for seaweed as a healthy and sustainable food source. At the same time, the large amounts of microplastic in the oceans have raised concern in relation to pollution of seafood including sea vegetables. The aim of this study was to examine sorption of fluorescent polystyrene (PS) microplastic particles to edible macroalga (seaweed) Fucus vesiculosus, and to investigate to what extent adsorbed PS particles could be washed off, using an industrial relevant method. PS microplastic particles (diameter of 20 μm) were used in a concentration of 2.65 mg L^?1 (corresponding to 597 particles per mL) in filtrated seawater (50 mL) to treat F. vesiculosus distal tips in blue cap flasks (100 mL) placed in a rotary box for 2 h. Results showed sorption of PS microplastic particles to F. vesiculosus analysed by microscopy and a significant reduction of 94.5% by washing. These results were based on high microplastic concentrations, not comparable to natural conditions/concentrations. Nonetheless, this study provides methodological and mechanistic insights into procedures for investigating the sorption of microplastics to seaweed, for which there is currently no established standardised method.     

Distribution and habitat associations of the California moray (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Gymnothorax mordax</Emphasis>) within Two Harbors,Santa Catalina Island,California

While kelp forests are some of the best-surveyed ecosystems in California, information on cryptic inhabitants and their role within the community are lacking. Kelp itself provides overall structure to the habitat; however the rocky reef to which the kelp attaches is known to provide additional structure for cryptic species. Gymnothorax mordax, the California moray, is an elusive predatory species that is considered abundant in the waters around Catalina Island. However, no life history data exists for this species. We examined habitat composition, relative abundance, size pattern distributions, and biomass of G. mordax within Two Harbors, Catalina Island. Habitats were sampled using a combination of baited trap collection and transect surveys using SCUBA. A total of 462 G. mordax were captured, primarily in shallow (< 10 m) waters. Individuals of G. mordax were associated with mostly boulder and cobble substrates. Measurements of relative abundance and density indicate that G. mordax is more prevalent than reported in previous studies. We also discovered that the 6 trapping sites from which all morays were collected, differed in size structuring and density while the relatively high biomass did not change across sites. In general, southern facing sites exhibited higher densities of morays, while northern facing sites showed more size structuring. We show how the structural complexity of the rocky reef habitat in an already diverse kelp forest ecosystem, can support a high biomass of a cryptic elongate predatory fish.     

Predation regulation of sedimentary faunal structure: potential effects of a fishery-induced switch in predators in a Newfoundland sub-Arctic fjord

The collapse of the cod fishery in Newfoundland has coincided with marked increases in abundances of snow crab, pandalid shrimp, and other crustaceans that prey on sedimentary infauna. A 3-year sampling program in Bonne Bay, Newfoundland indicates differences in composition and number of these predators in the two main arms of the fjord that coincide with strong differences in benthic community structure. To test whether predation pressure contributes to the observed patterns in sedimentary fauna, exclusion field experiments with full and partial cages were deployed in both arms at 30-m depth and sampled along with ambient sediments at 0-, 4-, and 8-week periods. Predation significantly influenced species composition, abundance and, in some cases, diversity. The most striking changes included increases in the polychaetes Phöloe tecta and Ophelina cylindricaudata in exclusions relative to controls, and concurrent declines in the polychaete Paradoneis lyra and the cumacean Lamphros fuscata. In laboratory experiments, fresh non-disturbed sediment cores from each experimental area were either protected or exposed to snow crab, the most abundant predator in the bay. A snow crab inclusion experiment was also carried out in the field, using cages similar to those used for exclusions. Despite differences in sedimentary faunas in the two arms, both types of experiments detected a predator effect that was very similar to that documented in exclusion experiments. Thus, despite differences in the scales associated with each type of manipulation, our results suggest that crab predation is a significant structuring force in Newfoundland sedimentary communities. Given the historical changes that have occurred in predator composition as a result of cod over-fishing, we hypothesize that broad-scale community changes may be taking place in North Atlantic benthic ecosystems.     

Can enemy release explain the invasion success of the diploid <Emphasis Type="Italic">Leucanthemum vulgare</Emphasis> in North America?

Enemy release is a commonly accepted mechanism to explain plant invasions. Both the diploid Leucanthemum vulgare and the morphologically very similar tetraploid Leucanthemum ircutianum have been introduced into North America. To verify which species is more prevalent in North America we sampled 98 Leucanthemum populations and determined their ploidy level. Although polyploidy has repeatedly been proposed to be associated with increased invasiveness in plants, only two of the populations surveyed in North America were the tetraploid L. ircutianum. We tested the enemy release hypothesis by first comparing 20 populations of L. vulgare and 27 populations of L. ircutianum in their native range in Europe, and then comparing the European L. vulgare populations with 31 L. vulgare populations sampled in North America. Characteristics of the site and associated vegetation, plant performance and invertebrate herbivory were recorded. In Europe, plant height and density of the two species were similar but L. vulgare produced more flower heads than L. ircutianum. Leucanthemum vulgare in North America was 17 % taller, produced twice as many flower heads and grew much denser compared to L. vulgare in Europe. Attack rates by root- and leaf-feeding herbivores on L. vulgare in Europe (34 and 75 %) was comparable to that on L. ircutianum (26 and 71 %) but higher than that on L. vulgare in North America (10 and 3 %). However, herbivore load and leaf damage were low in Europe. Cover and height of the co-occurring vegetation was higher in L. vulgare populations in the native than in the introduced range, suggesting that a shift in plant competition may more easily explain the invasion success of L. vulgare than escape from herbivory.     

Interactive effects of global and regional change on a coastal ecosystem

Vertical distribution and diel vertical migration of a zooplankton community were studied at two stations off Central Peru in April 2006. Zooplankton was collected at five depth strata by vertical hauls with Hydo-Bios multinet (300-μm mesh, 0.25-m² mouth size). The zooplankton community was distributed in relation to a strong, shallow oxycline (1 ml l^?1 oxygen isopleth generally above 36 m). The highest total abundance was always in the upper, well-oxygenated layer. The most important species were: Acartia tonsa (72.86%), Centropages brachiatus (7.5%), and Paracalanus parvus (3.1%); Acartia tonsa was the dominant species at all times. Larvae of the polychaete Magelona sp. (7.5%) and larvae of the brachiopod Discinisca lamellosa (3.5%) were numerically dominant in April and small copepods e.g. Oncaea venusta (3.88%) were numerically dominant during August. Five distinct patterns of vertical distribution and migration in relation to the oxygen minimum layer were distinguished in this study: (1) Ontogenetic vertical migration through the oxycline (Acartia tonsa adults, nauplii, and copepodids), (2) permanent limitation to layers above the oxycline (e.g. Oikopleura sp., most invertebrate larvae), (3) distribution mostly below the oxycline with occasional migration into the layers just above the oxycline (Eucalanus inermis), (4) Diel Vertical Migration (Centropages brachiatus), and (5) reverse Diel Vertical Migration (larvae of the polychaete Magelona sp.).