The University of Southampton
University of Southampton Institutional Repository

Between-habitat variability in the population dynamics of a global marine invader may drive management uncertainty

Between-habitat variability in the population dynamics of a global marine invader may drive management uncertainty
Between-habitat variability in the population dynamics of a global marine invader may drive management uncertainty
Understanding population dynamics of established invasive species is important for designing effective management measures and predicting factors such as invasiveness and ecological impact. The kelp Undaria pinnatifida has spread to most temperate regions of the world, however a basic understanding of population dynamics is lacking for many regions. Here, Undaria was monitored for 2 years, at 9 sites, across 3 habitats to investigate habitat-related variation in population structure, reproductive capacity and morphology. Populations on marina pontoons were distinct from those in reef habitats, with extended recruitment periods and higher abundance, biomass, maturation rates and fecundity; potentially driven by lower inter-specific and higher intra-specific competition within marinas. This suggests that artificial habitats are likely to facilitate the spread, proliferation and reproductive fitness of Undaria across its non-native range. More broadly, generalising population dynamics of invasive species across habitat types is problematic, thus adding high complexity to management options.
0025-326X
488-500
Epstein, Graham
672bb3a6-6393-47c3-b119-06a073afbf41
Smale, Daniel
19528a3a-f66c-474d-ae13-c6405b8014ab
Epstein, Graham
672bb3a6-6393-47c3-b119-06a073afbf41
Smale, Daniel
19528a3a-f66c-474d-ae13-c6405b8014ab

Epstein, Graham and Smale, Daniel (2018) Between-habitat variability in the population dynamics of a global marine invader may drive management uncertainty. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 147, 488-500. (doi:10.1016/j.marpolbul.2018.10.055).

Record type: Article

Abstract

Understanding population dynamics of established invasive species is important for designing effective management measures and predicting factors such as invasiveness and ecological impact. The kelp Undaria pinnatifida has spread to most temperate regions of the world, however a basic understanding of population dynamics is lacking for many regions. Here, Undaria was monitored for 2 years, at 9 sites, across 3 habitats to investigate habitat-related variation in population structure, reproductive capacity and morphology. Populations on marina pontoons were distinct from those in reef habitats, with extended recruitment periods and higher abundance, biomass, maturation rates and fecundity; potentially driven by lower inter-specific and higher intra-specific competition within marinas. This suggests that artificial habitats are likely to facilitate the spread, proliferation and reproductive fitness of Undaria across its non-native range. More broadly, generalising population dynamics of invasive species across habitat types is problematic, thus adding high complexity to management options.

Text
1-s2.0-S0025326X18307677-main - Version of Record
Available under License Creative Commons Attribution.
Download (2MB)

More information

Accepted/In Press date: 26 October 2018
e-pub ahead of print date: 30 October 2018
Published date: December 2018

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 425743
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/425743
ISSN: 0025-326X
PURE UUID: 176a5c56-d096-4080-806c-e16935b6042d

Catalogue record

Date deposited: 02 Nov 2018 17:30
Last modified: 15 Mar 2024 22:24

Export record

Altmetrics

Contributors

Author: Graham Epstein
Author: Daniel Smale

Download statistics

Downloads from ePrints over the past year. Other digital versions may also be available to download e.g. from the publisher's website.

View more statistics

Atom RSS 1.0 RSS 2.0

Contact ePrints Soton: eprints@soton.ac.uk

ePrints Soton supports OAI 2.0 with a base URL of http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/cgi/oai2

This repository has been built using EPrints software, developed at the University of Southampton, but available to everyone to use.

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue without changing your settings, we will assume that you are happy to receive cookies on the University of Southampton website.

×