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Decline of a non-native ecosystem engineer and its replacement with a native on rocky shores: effects on the diversity and structure of benthic communities

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Abstract

Ecosystem engineer species create enhanced habitat resources, and therefore host exceptionally diverse communities. We studied the case of two ecosystem engineers: a non-native ascidian, Pyura praeputialis, and the native mussel, Perumytilus purpuratus, in the rocky shores of Antofagasta Bay, northern Chile. P. praeputialis was once dominant in mid- and low-intertidal zones, but human harvesting has severely reduced the extent of the P. praeputialis band, allowing for competition from P. purpuratus, which subsequently expanded and replaced P. praeputialis. We compared the macrobenthic community structure between these two ecosystem engineers at five sites throughout the bay. Our results suggest not only an important share of species composition between the ecosystem engineers (68.1%) but also dissimilarity due to differential changes in taxa abundance. Taxonomic richness and diversity were always high in both ecosystem engineers when analyzing communities in areas without these engineers. Diversity recorded in P. praeputialis was slightly higher than those in P. purpuratus; however, the re-establishment of the native mussel could prevent a substantial drop in diversity as the invasive bioengineer disappears. From a biogeographical standpoint, all recorded taxa associated with both ecosystem engineers were native, thus allowing us to conclude that P. praeputialis did not further facilitate the presence of invasive species; rather, this bioengineer could be considered a reservoir of native fauna. Our study highlights the importance of the coexistence of multiple ecosystems engineers and their interactions in the maintenance of biodiversity in rocky shores, especially in cases where human disturbance reduces the more dominant but invasive ecosystem engineer.

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Acknowledgments

Partial results of this study were presented as part of the Marine Ecology degree of D. A. Andrade. We deeply thank M. Malebran and M. Fajardo for helping during sampling and for providing much taxonomic advice. Two anonymous reviewers helped us to improve an early version of this manuscript. K. Plummer kindly revised the English of this manuscript.

Funding

Partial support for sampling was provided by FONDECYT grants No. 11110030 and 1150042 granted to A. S. Pacheco.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Instituto de Ciencias Naturales Alexander von Humboldt, Laboratorio Censor, Facultad de Ciencias del Mar y Recursos Biológicos, Universidad de Antofagasta, Antofagasta, Chile

    Aldo S. Pacheco

  2. Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias y Biológicas, Universidad Científica del Sur, Carretera Panamericana Sur 19, Villa El Salvador, Lima, Peru

    Aldo S. Pacheco

  3. Magister en Ecología de Sistemas Acuáticos, Facultad de Ciencias del Mar y Recursos Biológicos, Universidad de Antofagasta, Av. Universidad de Antofagasta, Antofagasta, Chile

    Diego G. Andrade

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  1. Aldo S. Pacheco
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Contributions

ASP designed the study; DGA conducted the sampling and laboratory analysis; ASP and DGA performed statistical analysis; ASP wrote the manuscript; ASP and DGA prepared the figures and Tables. Both authors reviewed the manuscript and approved the final article.

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Correspondence to Aldo S. Pacheco.

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All applicable international, national, and/or institutional guidelines for animal testing, animal care, and use of animals were followed by the authors.

Sampling and field studies

All necessary permits for sampling and observational field studies have been obtained by the authors from the competent authorities.

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All data generated or analyzed during this study are included in this published article and its supplementary information files.

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Communicated by P. Lana

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Pacheco, A.S., Andrade, D.G. Decline of a non-native ecosystem engineer and its replacement with a native on rocky shores: effects on the diversity and structure of benthic communities. Mar. Biodivers. 50, 2 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12526-019-01033-y

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