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Historical data reveal power-law dispersal patterns of invasive aquatic species

Historical data reveal power-law dispersal patterns of invasive aquatic species
Historical data reveal power-law dispersal patterns of invasive aquatic species
Understanding how invasive species spread is of particular concern in the current era of globalisation and rapid environmental change. The occurrence of super-diffusive movements within the context of Lévy flights has been discussed with respect to particle physics, human movements, microzooplankton, disease spread in global epidemiology and animal foraging behaviour. Super-diffusive movements provide a theoretical explanation for the rapid spread of organisms and disease, but their applicability to empirical data on the historic spread of organisms has rarely been tested. This study focuses on the role of long-distance dispersal in the invasion dynamics of aquatic invasive species across three contrasting areas and spatial scales: open ocean (north-east Atlantic), enclosed sea (Mediterranean) and an island environment (Ireland). Study species included five freshwater plant species, Azolla filiculoides, Elodea canadensis, Lagarosiphon major, Elodea nuttallii and Lemna minuta; and ten species of marine algae, Asparagopsis armata, Antithamnionella elegans, Antithamnionella ternifolia, Codium fragile, Colpomenia peregrina, Caulerpa taxifolia, Dasysiphonia sp., Sargassum muticum, Undaria pinnatifida and Womersleyella setacea. A simulation model is constructed to show the validity of using historical data to reconstruct dispersal kernels. Lévy movement patterns similar to those previously observed in humans and wild animals are evident in the re-constructed dispersal pattern of invasive aquatic species. Such patterns may be widespread among invasive species and could be exacerbated by further development of trade networks, human travel and environmental change. These findings have implications for our ability to predict and manage future invasions, and improve our understanding of the potential for spread of organisms including infectious diseases, plant pests and genetically modified organisms.
0906-7590
581-590
Kelly, Ruth
8170301b-39ea-4838-bfa5-1799fb0ab02c
Lundy, Mathieu G.
92231ae4-3af4-49bf-b58c-0cc3ae5ed44d
Mineur, Frédéric
4c7decd1-dfa3-457a-a850-82c4598adac6
Harrod, Chris
666cba0c-59de-404b-9fa5-71264dd19d8a
Maggs, Christine A.
4cd0c75d-8d9d-442b-a6f6-7889115bdae4
Humphries, Nicolas E.
9246d06a-396a-4c05-9721-dc340e75a4d0
Sims, David W.
7234b444-25e2-4bd5-8348-a1c142d0cf81
Reid, Neil
b1ca9ded-c919-474c-83b5-9b3f84178131
Kelly, Ruth
8170301b-39ea-4838-bfa5-1799fb0ab02c
Lundy, Mathieu G.
92231ae4-3af4-49bf-b58c-0cc3ae5ed44d
Mineur, Frédéric
4c7decd1-dfa3-457a-a850-82c4598adac6
Harrod, Chris
666cba0c-59de-404b-9fa5-71264dd19d8a
Maggs, Christine A.
4cd0c75d-8d9d-442b-a6f6-7889115bdae4
Humphries, Nicolas E.
9246d06a-396a-4c05-9721-dc340e75a4d0
Sims, David W.
7234b444-25e2-4bd5-8348-a1c142d0cf81
Reid, Neil
b1ca9ded-c919-474c-83b5-9b3f84178131

Kelly, Ruth, Lundy, Mathieu G., Mineur, Frédéric, Harrod, Chris, Maggs, Christine A., Humphries, Nicolas E., Sims, David W. and Reid, Neil (2014) Historical data reveal power-law dispersal patterns of invasive aquatic species. Ecography, 37 (6), 581-590. (doi:10.1111/j.1600-0587.2013.00296.x).

Record type: Article

Abstract

Understanding how invasive species spread is of particular concern in the current era of globalisation and rapid environmental change. The occurrence of super-diffusive movements within the context of Lévy flights has been discussed with respect to particle physics, human movements, microzooplankton, disease spread in global epidemiology and animal foraging behaviour. Super-diffusive movements provide a theoretical explanation for the rapid spread of organisms and disease, but their applicability to empirical data on the historic spread of organisms has rarely been tested. This study focuses on the role of long-distance dispersal in the invasion dynamics of aquatic invasive species across three contrasting areas and spatial scales: open ocean (north-east Atlantic), enclosed sea (Mediterranean) and an island environment (Ireland). Study species included five freshwater plant species, Azolla filiculoides, Elodea canadensis, Lagarosiphon major, Elodea nuttallii and Lemna minuta; and ten species of marine algae, Asparagopsis armata, Antithamnionella elegans, Antithamnionella ternifolia, Codium fragile, Colpomenia peregrina, Caulerpa taxifolia, Dasysiphonia sp., Sargassum muticum, Undaria pinnatifida and Womersleyella setacea. A simulation model is constructed to show the validity of using historical data to reconstruct dispersal kernels. Lévy movement patterns similar to those previously observed in humans and wild animals are evident in the re-constructed dispersal pattern of invasive aquatic species. Such patterns may be widespread among invasive species and could be exacerbated by further development of trade networks, human travel and environmental change. These findings have implications for our ability to predict and manage future invasions, and improve our understanding of the potential for spread of organisms including infectious diseases, plant pests and genetically modified organisms.

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More information

e-pub ahead of print date: 18 February 2014
Published date: June 2014
Organisations: Ocean and Earth Science

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 362294
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/362294
ISSN: 0906-7590
PURE UUID: 5fa8baf0-f8f1-4701-b875-227d025d552c

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Date deposited: 19 Feb 2014 14:02
Last modified: 14 Mar 2024 16:02

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Contributors

Author: Ruth Kelly
Author: Mathieu G. Lundy
Author: Frédéric Mineur
Author: Chris Harrod
Author: Christine A. Maggs
Author: Nicolas E. Humphries
Author: David W. Sims
Author: Neil Reid

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