Long Term Interactions of Native and Invasive Species in a Marine Protected Area Suggest Complex Cascading Effects Challenging Conservation Outcomes

Understanding the interactions among invasive species, native species and marine protected areas (MPAs), long-term regime shifts in MPAs is receiving increased attention, since biological invasions can alter structure functioning of ecosystems challenge conservation efforts. Here we found evidence marked modifications rocky reef associated biota a Mediterranean MPA from 2009 to 2019 through visual census surveys, due presence altering ecosystem triggering complex cascading effects on long term. Low levels populations high-level predators were accompanied by population increase high performance both fish herbivores. Subsequently overgrazing habitat degradation resulted towards diminishing invertebrate grazers omnivorous benthic species. Our study represents good showcase how coexist or exclude at same time regulate out-compete other established invaders