Climate-Driven Impacts of Exotic Species on Marine Ecosystems
Bennett, Scott, Julia Santana‐Garcon, Núria Marbà, Gabriel Jorda, Andrea Anton, Eugenia T. Apostolaki, Just Cebrian, et al. “Climate-Driven Impacts of Exotic Species on Marine Ecosystems.” Global Ecology and Biogeography 30, no. 5 (2021): 1043–55. https://doi.org/10.1111/geb.13283.
Summary
Marine organisms are very sensitive to temperature. Each species has an ideal temperature range in which their physiology is optimized. In temperatures further away from the optimum, their competitive ability and potential for ecological impact are reduced. The authors reviewed the existing literature on the impacts of marine invasive species to perform a meta-analysis of the thermal characteristics of the invasive species' home (origin) and invaded (recipient) habitats.
They quantified the extent of impacts in the invaded range, taking into account the thermal characteristics of the origin and recipient habitats. The calculated difference in median temperature between the origin and recipient ranges was defined as the thermal anomaly. The greatest impacts occurred in recipient regions with an average anomaly of –2.2C, that is, recipient regions that were cooler than the home ranges.
They inferred that the optimum temperature for the invasive species in the recipient communities was slightly cooler than their home ranges. Under predicted ocean warming scenarios, local temperatures will deviate from the invasive species’ optimum temperatures, resulting in reduced impacts in the recipient communities. On the other hand, the increased temperatures will be further from native species' optima which may result in reduced competitive ability of the native species.
Take home points
The invaded ranges tended to be more poleward (as opposed to nearer the equator) than the home ranges.
On average, marine invasive species caused the most impacts in invasive ranges that were cooler than their habitat of origin.
Predicted ocean warming may result in decreased impact of invasive species in the invaded range, however warmer ocean temperatures will also negatively impact native species.
Management implications
Reducing poleward human-mediated transport of marine invasive species from their origin ranges can reduce the likelihood of establishment in cooler recipient communities.
Introductions will be more likely and impacts will be more severe in temperate and sub-polar regions than in subtropical and tropical waters.
Keywords
Range Expansion; Impact Study; Novel introduction pathways; Climate extremes; Competitiveness; Meta-analyses; Thermal environment