What guides invasion success? Ecological correlates of arrival, establishment and spread of Red Sea bivalves in the Mediterranean Sea

Autor(en)

Rafal Nawrot, Devapriya Chattopadhyay, Martin Zuschin

Abstrakt

ABSTRACT
Aim The opening of the Suez Canal in 1869 re-established the direct link
between long-separated biogeographic realms, allowing hundreds of marine
species to spread from the Red Sea to the Mediterranean. We use marine bivalves
to relate species-level attributes to successful transition through successive
stages of the invasion process.
Location Mediterranean and Red Sea.
Methods We compiled data on taxonomic composition, body size, life habit
and geographic distribution of the Red Sea bivalve fauna from published literature,
museum collections and our own field surveys. Using multimodel inference,
we examined selectivity of the Lessepsian invasion and identify traits that
distinguish successful species at three major stages of invasion: arrival, establishment
and spread.
Results The upper limit of bathymetric range and occurrence outside the tropical
zone in other regions are the strongest predictors of successful transition
through the Suez Canal. Establishment in the Mediterranean is positively correlated
with earlier arrival and association with hard-bottom habitats. Preference
for hard substrates together with large body size is the primary factor distinguishing
invasive aliens representing a significant threat to recipient ecosystems
from other established species.
Main conclusions The relative strength of abiotic and biotic filters changes
along the course of the invasion: environmental affinity and climate match constrain
the pool of potential invaders, while the establishment in the new region
and invasive status depend on the habitat preferences and life history traits of
aliens, affecting their interactions with resident species. Our results together
with previous studies suggest that the eastern Mediterranean rocky shores are
more susceptible to the establishment of Lessepsian species, many of which
may induce strong pressure on recipient communities as ecosystems engineers
and competitors of native species.

Organisation(en)

Institut für Paläontologie

Externe Organisation(en)

Indian Institute of Science

Journal

Diversity and Distributions: a journal of conservation biogeography

Band

21

Seiten

1075-1086

Anzahl der Seiten

12

ISSN

1366-9516

DOI

https://doi.org/10.1111/ddi.12348

Publikationsdatum

2015

Peer-reviewed

Ja

ÖFOS 2012

106053 Zoogeographie, 106021 Meeresbiologie, 105118 Paläontologie

Schlagwörter

ASJC Scopus Sachgebiete

Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics

Sustainable Development Goals

SDG 14 – Leben unter Wasser

Link zum Portal

https://ucrisportal.univie.ac.at/de/publications/what-guides-invasion-success-ecological-correlates-of-arrival-establishment-and-spread-of-red-sea-bivalves-in-the-mediterranean-sea(b33a8dce-931d-406a-9c94-b4a61235c60d).html