Rapid evolution mitigates the ecological consequences of an invasive species (Bythotrephes longimanus) in lakes in Wisconsin
نویسندگان
چکیده
Invasive species have extensive negative consequences for biodiversity and ecosystem health. Novel species also drive contemporary evolution in many native populations, which could mitigate or amplify their impacts on ecosystems. The predatory zooplankton Bythotrephes longimanus invaded lakes in Wisconsin, USA, in 2009. This invasion caused precipitous declines in zooplankton prey (Daphnia pulicaria), with cascading impacts on ecosystem services (water clarity). Here, we tested the link between Bythotrephes invasion, evolution in Daphnia and post-invasion ecological dynamics using 15 years of long-term data in conjunction with comparative experiments. Invasion by Bythotrephes is associated with rapid increases in the body size of Daphnia Laboratory experiments revealed that such shifts have a genetic component; third-generation laboratory-reared Daphnia from 'invaded' lakes are significantly larger and exhibit greater reproductive effort than individuals from 'uninvaded' lakes. This trajectory of evolution should accelerate Daphnia population growth and enhance population persistence. We tested this prediction by comparing analyses of long-term data with laboratory-based simulations, and show that rapid evolution in Daphnia is associated with increased population growth in invaded lakes.
منابع مشابه
Genetic and maternal effects on tail spine and body length in the invasive spiny water flea (Bythotrephes longimanus)
Interest in the evolution of invasive species has grown in recent years, yet few studies have investigated sources of variation in invasive species traits experiencing natural selection. The spiny water flea, Bythotrephes longimanus, is an invasive zooplankton in the Great Lakes that exhibits seasonal changes in tail spine and body length consistent with natural selection. Evolution of Bythotre...
متن کاملInvasive species triggers a massive loss of ecosystem services through a trophic cascade.
Despite growing recognition of the importance of ecosystem services and the economic and ecological harm caused by invasive species, linkages between invasions, changes in ecosystem functioning, and in turn, provisioning of ecosystem services remain poorly documented and poorly understood. We evaluate the economic impacts of an invasion that cascaded through a food web to cause substantial decl...
متن کاملZooplankton communities and Bythotrephes longimanus in lakes of the montane region of the northern Alps
Lakes in the Alps represent a considerable fraction of nutrient-poor lakes in Central Europe, with unique biodiversity and ecosystem properties. Although some individual lakes are well studied, less knowledge is available on large-scale patterns essential to general understanding of their functioning. Here, we aimed to describe crustacean zooplankton communities (Cladocera, Copepoda) and identi...
متن کاملPropagule pressure, Allee effects and the probability of establishment of an invasive species (Bythotrephes longimanus)
Predicting establishment of exotic species is a central goal of invasion biology, and is dependent upon propagule pressure and population processes. We introduced invading spiny water fleas, Bythotrephes longimanus at different propagule pressures into 19 experimental enclosures, following populations over asexual generations, resting egg production, and emergence in the following year. We inte...
متن کاملEpilimnetic rotifer community responses to Bythotrephes longimanus invasion in Canadian Shield lakes
We studied whether the effects of Bythotrephes longimanus, a new predatory cladoceran zooplankton species to North America, can extend beyond the macrozooplankton to the rotifer community, which is known to be an important controller of the microbial loop. During summer 2003, 14 Canadian Shield lakes were sampled biweekly to evaluate the effect of Bythotrephes on epilimnetic rotifers. Rotifer d...
متن کامل