Climate change-driven range expansion of an invasive marine invertebrate

气候变化驱动的入侵海洋无脊椎动物的范围扩大

• 批准号: RGPIN-2018-06160
• 负责人: McKindsey, Christopher
• 金额: $ 2.04万
• 依托单位: Université Laval
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Discovery Grants Program - Individual
• 财政年份: 2018
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2018-01-01 至 2019-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=659350
• 关键词: Climate; change; driven; range; expansion

Coastal marine systems are ideal for developing and testing ecological theory. However, as an important interface between terrestrial and aquatic biomes, they are heavily affected by local anthropogenic influences (e.g. pollution, coastal development). Climate change (CC) in particular has influenced intertidal environments where changes in both air and water temperatures may alter the environment in which intertidal organisms live. Coastal ecosystems are also disproportionally affected by biological invasions as ports are often gateways for the introduction of non-indigenous species. ******Intertidal communities in the Québec St. Lawrence maritime estuary (SLME) are structured by annual winter ice scour disturbance and physical heterogeneity (e.g., crevices, spaces between boulders) plays a key role in providing refuges for sessile (e.g. mussels, seaweeds) and mobile (e.g. snails, crabs) species. Most common species are indigenous to this ecosystem, with the exception of the periwinkle Littorina littorea, an herbivorous snail that was introduced into eastern Canada in the mid-1800s. It has since spread throughout the Canadian Maritimes and the northeastern USA, becoming a dominant consumer on many shores. Its spread into the SLME has, however, been historically limited, but its abundance has increased dramatically in the last decades.******The general objective of this proposal is to examine the impacts of this recent range expansion on SLME intertidal communities and how CC-related environmental variables modulate these impacts. Using field- and laboratory-based approaches, the relative influence of air and water temperature on the abundance, distribution and behaviour of this invader will be assessed, including its effects on food resources (benthic microalgae), competitors, and other benthic invertebrates by addressing three major objectives. First, completing a habitat- (e.g., bays vs. rocky points) and microhabitat-specific (e.g., crevices vs. exposed rock surfaces) synoptic survey of the snail's current abundance and distribution in the SLME. In parallel, the habitat- and microhabitat-specific thermal environment will be assessed and inter-annual shifts in habitat/microhabitat use documented. Second, field and laboratory mesocosm manipulations of air and water temperature will assess the behavioural basis of microhabitat preferences and demographic consequences (e.g., growth, survival). Third, community impacts (competition for microalgal food and shelter with the native L. saxatilis and impacts on sessile species) will be evaluated. Overall, this integrated approach examining the consequences of this invasion will provide both a conceptual framework for addressing concerns of climate change-mediated range expansion of non-indigenous species and practical knowledge on the dynamics of key elements of this coastal ecosystem.

沿海海洋系统是发展和检验生态理论的理想场所。然而，作为陆地和水生生物群落之间的重要界面，它们受到当地人为影响（例如污染，沿海开发）的严重影响。 特别是气候变化影响了潮间带环境，空气和水温的变化可能改变潮间带生物的生存环境。沿海生态系统也受到生物入侵的有害影响，因为港口往往是引进非本地物种的门户。** 魁北克省圣劳伦斯海洋河口（SLME）的潮间带群落由每年冬季冰冲刷干扰和物理异质性（例如，在为固着物种（例如贻贝、海藻）和移动的物种（例如蜗牛、螃蟹）提供避难所方面发挥着关键作用。大多数常见的物种都是这个生态系统的本地物种，除了长春花Littorina littorea，这是一种食草性蜗牛，于19世纪中期引入加拿大东部。此后，它已蔓延到整个加拿大沿海地区和美国东北部，成为许多海岸的主要消费者。然而，它在SLME中的传播在历史上是有限的，但在过去几十年中，它的丰度急剧增加。本提案的总体目标是研究近期范围扩大对SLME潮间带群落的影响，以及与CC相关的环境变量如何调节这些影响。使用现场和实验室为基础的方法，空气和水温的相对影响的丰度，分布和这种入侵者的行为将进行评估，包括其对食物资源（底栖微藻）的影响，竞争对手，和其他底栖无脊椎动物解决三个主要目标。首先，完成一个栖息地-（例如，海湾对岩石点）和微生境特异性（例如，裂缝与裸露的岩石表面）的蜗牛的当前丰度和分布在SLME的天气调查。与此同时，将评估特定生境和微生境的热环境，并记录生境/微生境使用的年际变化。第二，对空气和水温的实地和实验室围隔操作将评估微生境偏好和人口后果的行为基础（例如，生长、存活）。 第三，群落影响（与本地L. saxatilis和对固着物种的影响）。总的来说，这种综合的方法，审查这种入侵的后果将提供一个概念框架，解决气候变化介导的非本地物种的范围扩大和实用知识的动态的关键要素，这一沿海生态系统的关注。