do native intertidal burrowing crabs benefit from …...2.0 2.5 spring individuals/ day/ trap 0 00...
TRANSCRIPT
Do native intertidal burrowing crabs benefit from non-native Spartina alterniflora?
College of Environment and EcologyXiamen University, Fujian, China
Hanyu Meng2016/07/18
Our team~
Zhengjie LiWenwen Liu
Xiao Chang
Tianbai Chen
Yiqing Zheng
Dan Peng
Xincong Chen
Yihui Zhang
Advisor
IntroductionInvasive alien species can have serious ecological and economic impacts across the globe (Vilà et al. 2011).
During the establishment and further spread of invasive species in native ecosystem, the interactions between invasive species and native species will occur (Wan et al. 2011).
Invasive plants - Native animals
Spartina alterniflora Burrowing crabs
IntroductionS. alterniflora transforms open mudflats to tall, dense vegetation (Li et al. 2009, He et al. 2012), suppresses native marsh vegetation and associated animals (Li et al. 2009, Ma et al. 2011), and at low latitudes, invades mangrove habitat at higher in the intertidal zone (Zhang et al. 2012).
Zuo et al, 2012
Spartina
mangrove
From:Yihui Zhang
Phragmites
From:Bo Li
Spartina
Spartina
Zuo et al, 2012
>19°
Zuo et al, 2012
Spartina
mangrove
From:Yihui Zhang
Phragmites
From:Bo Li
Spartina
Spartina
IntroductionS. alterniflora transforms open mudflats to tall, dense vegetation (Li et al. 2009, He et al. 2012), suppresses native marsh vegetation and associated animals (Li et al. 2009, Ma et al. 2011), and at low latitudes, invades mangrove habitat at higher in the intertidal zone (Zhang et al. 2012).
Zuo et al, 2012
Spartina
mangrove
From:Yihui Zhang
Phragmites
From:Bo Li
Spartina
Spartina
Mangrove?
In salt marsh, Spartina could affect native crab distribution and diets, as well as provide compatible habitats for native crab(Wang et al, 2008; Qin et al, 2011).
Spartina
mangrove
From:Yihui Zhang
Habitat
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2.5Sesarma plicataMetaplax longipesHelice pingiSesarma bidensUca arcuata
Mangrove Ecotone Spartina Mudflat
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(Li et al. 2014, Ecology)
In mangrove area, what’s the native crabs’ distribution with the invasion of exotic plant Spartina alterniflora?
Is there any difference of crab abundance between invasive Spartina and native mangrove?
Fig. 1 Location of the field site in mangrove area of ZhangjiangEstuary, Fujian Province, China.
August, 2013 August, 2014
Metaplax longipes
Parasesarma plicata
Sampling----pitfall traps (Li et al, 2014) Time: 2013 and 2014 Habitats: Mangrove, S.alterniflora, Unvegtated
mudflat Replicate traps:
n=15 (16 cm diameter, 25 cm deep, > 15 m apart within habitat)
The number of Parasesarma plicata and Metaplaxlongipes per trap every day for 3 consecutive days in Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter.
Pitfall trap
Crab investigation
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Parasesarma plicata MangroveSpartinaMudflat
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2013 2014
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Metaplax longipes
Fig. 2 Density of Parasesarmaplicata and Metaplax longipes in different habitats.
P. plicata was abundant in mangrove and Spartina marsh, while M. longipeswas abundant in unvegetated mudflat.
There was no significant difference of crab density between mangrove forest and Spartina marsh.
Uninvaded mudflat (2013)
Invaded by Spartina (2014)
Invasive plant affects the distribution of native crabs.
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Parasesarma plicata Metaplax longipes
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Fig. 3 Number of Parasesarma plicataand Metaplax longipes before and after S.alterniflora invading unvegetated mudflat within only one growing season.
Spartina removal experiment
Plots set time: May 2015 Treatment: Spartina;
Spartina removal; Unvegetated mudflat
Replicate traps: n=12 Size: 2*2 m Spartina removal
Fig. 4 Density of Parasesarmaplicata and Metaplax longipesin each treatment.
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2015/05 2016/05
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Parasesarma plicataSpartinaSpartina removal Mudflat
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2015/05 2016/05
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Parasesarma plicata was abundant in mangrove and Spartina marsh, whileMetaplax longipes was abundant in unvegetated mudflat.
Spartina alterniflora could expand the intertidal distribution of native P. plicata but limit M. longipes’ distribution with S. alterniflora sharplyoccupying mudflats and displacing mangroves in the upper intertidal of Zhangjiang Estuary.
Conclusion
Spartina alterniflora
Parasesarma plicata
Metaplax longipes
+
─
Ongoing
What are the mechanisms that shaped the patterns of crabs’ distribution?
Additional studies will be conducted to disentangle the roles of the biotic (vegetation, predator, food source) and abiotic (light, temperature, salinity, sediment) factors on the habitat selection of these two crabs(Wang, 2008; Garside & Bishop 2014; He & Cui 2014).
Thank you!
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Spring Summer Autumn Winter2014
Parasesarma plicata MangroveEcotoneSpartinaMudflat
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Metaplax longipes
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A A 0.01.02.03.04.05.06.07.08.0
Spring Summer Autumn Winter
Individu
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2013
Metaplax longipes
Fig. 2 Number of Parasesarma plicata and Metaplax longipes in the four different habitats in Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter 2013 and 2014.