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Experimental and survey-based evidences for effective biotic resistance by predators in ports

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Abstract

Of the suite of species interactions involved in biotic resistance to species invasions, predation can have complex outcomes according to the theoretical and empirical framework of community ecology. In this study, we aimed to determine the likelihood of consumptive biotic resistance within fouling communities in four ports of central Chile. Notably, we examined the influence of micro- (> 1–2 mm, < 1–2 cm) and macro- (> 1–2 cm) predators, with a particular focus on their effects on non-indigenous species (NIS). Experimental and observational approaches were combined. An exclusion experiment was carried out over 4 months to examine predator effect on the early establishment of new assemblages on settlement panels. Later successional stages upon panels were examined over a total of 26 months and supported by rapid assessment surveys in the surrounding habitats. Community structure was significantly influenced by the exclusion treatments. Macropredators reduced the fouling biomass and abundance, although conflicting patterns emerged from the exclusion of both categories of predators. Altogether, predators reduced the abundance of most NIS and cryptogenic species, some of them being only observed when the two categories of predators were excluded—a pattern generally sustained over the long-term dynamics in community development. Our results show an effective consumptive biotic resistance, furthermore possibly dependent on predator size. Further work is however needed to determine the influence of the functional diversity of natural enemies on the efficiency of biotic resistance and its interplay with other biotic interactions (competition or mutualism). A comprehensive understanding of these processes should in turn help defining management strategies in a context of habitat modification and species loss.

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Most of the data are provided in the supplementary material associated with the manuscript. Detailed data are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

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Acknowledgements

We are grateful to M Altamirano, R Reed, O Marin and I Hinojosa for diving assistance, J Martínez and J Cruz for sailing assistance and to B Pedreros, S Morocco Escobar, A Araya, V Molina, E Fernández, P Valenzuela and N Cofré and the CIBAS institute for help with logistics in the study sites. We also thank D Gordon and for help with Exochella identification. The manuscript benefited from the valuable feedback of two anonymous reviewers. JCL further thanks the Centre IDEAL (Investigación Dinámica de Ecosistemas Marinos de Altas Latitudes, Universidad Austral de Chile) for kind hospitality over the manuscript writing. AB was supported by a FONDECYT Grant, No. 1170598. JCL was funded by a FONDECYT postdoctoral fellowship No. 3160172.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departamento de Ecología, Facultad de Ciencias, Centro de Investigación en Biodiversidad y Ambientes Sustentables (CIBAS), Universidad Católica de la Santísima Concepción, Casilla 297, Concepción, Chile

    Jean-Charles Leclerc & Antonio Brante

  2. CNRS, UMR 7144 AD2M, Station Biologique de Roscoff, Sorbonne Université, Place Georges Teissier, 29680, Roscoff, France

    Frédérique Viard

Authors
  1. Jean-Charles Leclerc
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  2. Frédérique Viard
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  3. Antonio Brante
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Contributions

JCL, FV and AB conceived the idea and designed the study. JCL designed the methodology, collected the data and led the writing of the manuscript. FV and AB significantly contributed to manuscript writing and critical review.

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Correspondence to Jean-Charles Leclerc.

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Leclerc, JC., Viard, F. & Brante, A. Experimental and survey-based evidences for effective biotic resistance by predators in ports. Biol Invasions 22, 339–352 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10530-019-02092-9

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