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Journal ArticleDOI

Geographical range, heat tolerance and invasion success in aquatic species

TL;DR: It is found that species introduced to freshwater systems have broader geographical ranges in comparison to native species, and introduced species are more heat tolerant than related native species collected from the same habitats.
Abstract: Species with broader geographical ranges are expected to be ecological generalists, while species with higher heat tolerances may be relatively competitive at more extreme and increasing temperatures. Thus, both traits are expected to relate to increased survival during transport to new regions of the globe, and once there, establishment and spread. Here, we explore these expectations using datasets of latitudinal range breadth and heat tolerance in freshwater and marine invertebrates and fishes. After accounting for the latitude and hemisphere of each species’ native range, we find that species introduced to freshwater systems have broader geographical ranges in comparison to native species. Moreover, introduced species are more heat tolerant than related native species collected from the same habitats. We further test for differences in range breadth and heat tolerance in relation to invasion success by comparing species that have established geographically restricted versus extensive introduced distributions. We find that geographical range size is positively related to invasion success in freshwater species only. However, heat tolerance is implicated as a trait correlated to widespread occurrence of introduced populations in both freshwater and marine systems. Our results emphasize the importance of formal risk assessments before moving heat tolerant species to novel locations.

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Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, the authors review evidence for the responses of marine life to recent climate change across ocean regions, from tropical seas to polar oceans, and find that general trends in species responses are consistent with expectations from climate change, including poleward and deeper distributional shifts, advances in spring phenology, declines in calcification and increases in the abundance of warm water species.
Abstract: Climate change is driving changes in the physical and chemical properties of the ocean that have consequences for marine ecosystems. Here, we review evidence for the responses of marine life to recent climate change across ocean regions, from tropical seas to polar oceans. We consider observed changes in calcification rates, demography, abundance, distribution and phenology of marine species. We draw on a database of observed climate change impacts on marine species, supplemented with evidence in the Fifth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. We discuss factors that limit or facilitate species’ responses, such as fishing pressure, the availability of prey, habitat, light and other resources, and dispersal by ocean currents. We find that general trends in species responses are consistent with expectations from climate change, including poleward and deeper distributional shifts, advances in spring phenology, declines in calcification and increases in the abundance of warm-water species. The volume and type of evidence of species responses to climate change is variable across ocean regions and taxonomic groups, with much evidence derived from the heavily-studied north Atlantic Ocean. Most investigations of marine biological impacts of climate change are of the impacts of changing temperature, with few observations of effects of changing oxygen, wave climate, precipitation (coastal waters) or ocean acidification. Observations of species responses that have been linked to anthropogenic climate change are widespread, but are still lacking for some taxonomic groups (e.g., phytoplankton, benthic invertebrates, marine mammals).

552 citations


Cites background from "Geographical range, heat tolerance ..."

  • ...The role of climate change in driving distribution shifts in marine biodiversity is currently garnering considerable attention (e.g., Bates et al., 2013; Poloczanska et al., 2013; Lenoir and Svenning, 2014) given the potential ramifications for fisheries, marine management, conservation, and policy…...

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Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Impacts of AIS, factors limiting their dispersal, and the role that humans play in transporting AIS are described, including those that pave the way for invasions by other species (“invasional meltdown”).
Abstract: Humans have effectively transported thousands of species around the globe and, with accelerated trade; the rate of introductions has increased over time. Aquatic ecosystems seem at particular risk from invasive species because of threats to biodiversity and human needs for water resources. Here, we review some known aspects of aquatic invasive species (AIS) and explore several new questions. We describe impacts of AIS, factors limiting their dispersal, and the role that humans play in transporting AIS. We also review the characteristics of species that should be the greatest threat for future invasions, including those that pave the way for invasions by other species (“invasional meltdown”). Susceptible aquatic communities, such as reservoirs, may serve as stepping stones for invasions of new landscapes. Some microbes disperse long distance, infect new hosts and grow in the external aquatic medium, a process that has consequences for human health. We also discuss the interaction between species invasions and other human impacts (climate change, landscape conversion), as well as the possible connection of invasions with regime shifts in lakes. Since many invaders become permanent features of the environment, we discuss how humans live with invasive species, and conclude with questions for future research.

339 citations


Cites background from "Geographical range, heat tolerance ..."

  • ...Furthermore, species with greater heat tolerance tend to also be over-represented in the invaders (Bates et al., 2013), a trend that has important implications for interactions between invasive species and climate change (Interaction with other processes section below)....

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  • ...Reservoirs create conditions more suitable for the invasive and more heat-tolerant species (Bates et al., 2013), as well as fauna tolerant of degraded ecosystems (Karatayev et al., 2009; Früh et al., 2012b)....

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  • ...Since many non-native species are tolerant to a wide range of environmental conditions (Kolar & Lodge, 2002; Bates et al., 2013; Sorte et al., 2013), we expect changing climate should facilitate the establishment of non-native species....

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  • ...For freshwater and marine invertebrates and fish, species with greater geographic range tend to be over-represented among invasive species, relative to those not invading (Kolar & Lodge, 2002; Bates et al., 2013)....

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Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: This work focuses on warming-related range shifts in marine systems to describe extensions and contractions as stages, and evaluates the utility of trait-based risk (invasion) and vulnerability (extinction) frameworks for application in a range shift context and finds inadequacies.
Abstract: Climate change is transforming the structure of biological communities through the geographic extension and contraction of species’ ranges. Range edges are naturally dynamic, and shifts in the location of range edges occur at different rates and are driven by different mechanisms. This leads to challenges when seeking to generalize responses among taxa and across systems. We focus on warming-related range shifts in marine systems to describe extensions and contractions as stages. Range extensions occur as a sequence of (1) arrival, (2) population increase, and (3) persistence. By contrast, range contractions occur progressively as (1) performance decline, (2) population decrease and (3) local extinction. This stage-based framework can be broadly applied to geographic shifts in any species, life-history stage, or population subset. Ideally the probability of transitioning through progressive range shift stages could be estimated from empirical understanding of the various factors influencing range shift rates. Nevertheless, abundance and occupancy data at the spatial resolution required to quantify range shifts are often unavailable and we suggest the pragmatic solution of considering observations of range shifts within a confidence framework incorporating the type, amount and quality of data. We use case studies to illustrate how diverse evidence sources can be used to stage range extensions and contractions and assign confidence that an observed range shift stage has been reached. We then evaluate the utility of trait-based risk (invasion) and vulnerability (extinction) frameworks for application in a range shift context and find inadequacies, indicating an important area for development. We further consider factors that influence rates of extension and contraction of range edges in marine habitats. Finally, we suggest approaches required to increase our capacity to observe and predict geographic range shifts under climate change.

211 citations


Cites background from "Geographical range, heat tolerance ..."

  • ...…physiological tolerances, phenotypic plasticity, the ability to overcome dispersal barriers and ecological generalism are expected pre-requisites for colonization and spread into new areas (Angert et al., 2011; Keith et al., 2011; Weir and Salice, 2011; Bates et al., 2013; Knutsen et al., 2013)....

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Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: An integrative, synthetic approach including the investigation of multiple physiological traits (metabolic performance and thermal tolerance), and their plasticity, is proposed to provide more accurate and balanced predictions on species and assemblage vulnerability to both acute and chronic effects of global warming.
Abstract: Predicting species vulnerability to global warming requires a comprehensive, mechanistic understanding of sublethal and lethal thermal tolerances. To date, however, most studies investigating species physiological responses to increasing temperature have focused on the underlying physiological traits of either acute or chronic tolerance in isolation. Here we propose an integrative, synthetic approach including the investigation of multiple physiological traits (metabolic performance and thermal tolerance), and their plasticity, to provide more accurate and balanced predictions on species and assemblage vulnerability to both acute and chronic effects of global warming. We applied this approach to more accurately elucidate relative species vulnerability to warming within an assemblage of six caridean prawns occurring in the same geographic, hence macroclimatic, region, but living in different thermal habitats. Prawns were exposed to four incubation temperatures (10, 15, 20 and 25 °C) for 7 days, their metabolic rates and upper thermal limits were measured, and plasticity was calculated according to the concept of Reaction Norms, as well as Q10 for metabolism. Compared to species occupying narrower/more stable thermal niches, species inhabiting broader/more variable thermal environments (including the invasive Palaemon macrodactylus) are likely to be less vulnerable to extreme acute thermal events as a result of their higher upper thermal limits. Nevertheless, they may be at greater risk from chronic exposure to warming due to the greater metabolic costs they incur. Indeed, a trade-off between acute and chronic tolerance was apparent in the assemblage investigated. However, the invasive species P. macrodactylus represents an exception to this pattern, showing elevated thermal limits and plasticity of these limits, as well as a high metabolic control. In general, integrating multiple proxies for species physiological acute and chronic responses to increasing temperature helps providing more accurate predictions on species vulnerability to warming.

148 citations


Cites background from "Geographical range, heat tolerance ..."

  • ...This combination of traits possibly explains the recent geographical expansion of this species (Bates et al., 2013), and may make it particularly resilient to future warming scenarios (IPCC, 2014)....

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  • ...Palaemon macrodactylus seems, therefore, to have evolved a remarkably high metabolic control, which possibly explains its recent geographical expansion (Bates et al., 2013), and may make it especially resilient to future warming scenarios....

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  • ...…under future glo- bal change scenarios, we predict that in the English Channel area P. montagui may suffer a reduction in © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd, Global Change Biology, 21, 181–194 presence and abundance, while P. macrodactylus may experience a further expansion (e.g., Bates et al., 2013)....

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  • ...Palaemon macrodactylus seems, therefore, to have evolved a remarkably high metabolic control, which possibly explains its recent geographical expansion (Bates et al., 2013), and may make it especially resilient to future warming scenarios....

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  • ...This combi- nation of traits possibly explains the recent geographical expansion of this species (Bates et al., 2013), and may make it particularly resilient to future warming scenarios (IPCC, 2014)....

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Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The results provide novel insight into the well‐studied system of clinal differentiation in D. melanogaster and provide a context for future studies seeking to identify loci contributing to local adaptation in a wide variety of organisms, including other invasive species as well as temperate endemics.
Abstract: Populations arrayed along broad latitudinal gradients often show patterns of clinal variation in phenotype and genotype. Such population differentiation can be generated and maintained by both historical demographic events and local adaptation. These evolutionary forces are not mutually exclusive and can in some cases produce nearly identical patterns of genetic differentiation among populations. Here, we investigate the evolutionary forces that generated and maintain clinal variation genome-wide among populations of Drosophila melanogaster sampled in North America and Australia. We contrast patterns of clinal variation in these continents with patterns of differentiation among ancestral European and African populations. Using established and novel methods we derive here, we show that recently derived North America and Australia populations were likely founded by both European and African lineages and that this hybridization event likely contributed to genome-wide patterns of parallel clinal variation between continents. The pervasive effects of admixture mean that differentiation at only several hundred loci can be attributed to the operation of spatially varying selection using an FST outlier approach. Our results provide novel insight into the well-studied system of clinal differentiation in D. melanogaster and provide a context for future studies seeking to identify loci contributing to local adaptation in a wide variety of organisms, including other invasive species as well as temperate endemics.

147 citations


Cites background from "Geographical range, heat tolerance ..."

  • ...If invasive species are widely distributed in their native range (Bates et al. 2013), this raises the pos-...

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  • ...If invasive species are widely distributed in their native range (Bates et al. 2013), this raises the possibility that successful invasions may often result from admixture of populations that are already differentially adapted to selection pressures that vary along broad spatial gradients in the…...

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References
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Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Although a significant logistic regression model was obtained using the biological attributes, the model could not predict invasiveness of the test species pairs, and a model using only European range successfully predictedInvasiveness in 70% of theTest species.
Abstract: Previous studies suggest that, within particular groups of plant species, biological attributes can be used to predict the potential invasiveness of species that are intentionally introduced for horticultural or agri- cultural purposes. We examined the broad question of whether commonly available biological information can predict the invasiveness of a wide range of intentionally and accidentally introduced species. We collected information from published floras on 165 pairs of plant species. In each pair, one species originated in Eu- rope and successfully invaded New Brunswick, Canada, and the other was a congeneric species that has not invaded North America. Only three biological characters—lifeform, stem height, and flowering period—and European geographic range were known for all species. We conducted multiple logistic regression analyses us- ing two-thirds (110) of the species pairs and tested the predictive ability of resulting models using the remain- ing 55 pairs. Although a significant logistic regression model was obtained using the biological attributes, the model could not predict invasiveness of the test species pairs. In contrast, a model using only European range successfully predicted invasiveness in 70% of the test species. The importance of geographic range suggests that prediction of invasiveness on a species-by-species basis is not likely to help stem the flow of accidentally introduced invasive species. Species that are inadvertently picked up and moved to a new location due to their wide distribution are the same species that are likely to succeed in a new environment due to their wide environmental tolerances.

401 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: It is shown that extreme warming events, which are increasing in magnitude and frequency, can force step-wise changes in species distributions in marine ecosystems and return times of these events have major implications for projections of species distributions and ecosystem structure, which have typically been based on gradual warming trends.
Abstract: Species distributions have shifted in response to global warming in all major ecosystems on the Earth. Despite cogent evidence for these changes, the underlying mechanisms are poorly understood and currently imply gradual shifts. Yet there is an increasing appreciation of the role of discrete events in driving ecological change. We show how a marine heat wave (HW) eliminated a prominent habitat-forming seaweed, Scytothalia dorycarpa, at its warm distribution limit, causing a range contraction of approximately 100 km (approx. 5% of its global distribution). Seawater temperatures during the HW exceeded the seaweed's physiological threshold and caused extirpation of marginal populations, which are unlikely to recover owing to life-history traits and oceanographic processes. Scytothalia dorycarpa is an important canopy-forming seaweed in temperate Australia, and loss of the species at its range edge has caused structural changes at the community level and is likely to have ecosystem-level implications. We show that extreme warming events, which are increasing in magnitude and frequency, can force step-wise changes in species distributions in marine ecosystems. As such, return times of these events have major implications for projections of species distributions and ecosystem structure, which have typically been based on gradual warming trends.

371 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Overall, the results indicate that although dispersal can be an important process moderating species' distributions, increased attention should be paid to other processes responsible for range size variation.
Abstract: There are a variety of proposed evolutionary and ecological explanations for why some species have more extensive geographical ranges than others. One of the most common explanations is variation in species’ dispersal ability. However, the purported relationship between dispersal distance and range size has been subjected to few theoretical investigations, and empirical tests reach conflicting conclusions. We attempt to reconcile the equivocal results of previous studies by reviewing and synthesizing quantitative dispersal data, examining the relationship between average dispersal ability and range size for different spatial scales, regions and taxonomic groups. We use extensive data from marine taxa whose average dispersal varies by seven orders of magnitude. Our results suggest dispersal is not a general determinant of range size, but can play an important role in some circumstances. We also review the mechanistic theories proposed to explain a positive relationship between range size and dispersal and explore their underlying rationales and supporting or refuting evidence. Despite numerous studies assuming a priori that dispersal influences range size, this is the first comprehensive conceptual evaluation of these ideas. Overall, our results indicate that although dispersal can be an important process moderating species’ distributions, increased attention should be paid to other processes responsible for range size variation.

367 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: A meta-analytical approach is taken to broadly evaluate whether non-native species are poised to respond more positively than native species to future climatic conditions, including enhanced positive responses to more favourable conditions and stronger negative responses to less favourable conditions.
Abstract: Climate change and biological invasions are primary threats to global biodiversity that may interact in the future. To date, the hypothesis that climate change will favour non-native species has been examined exclusively through local comparisons of single or few species. Here, we take a meta-analytical approach to broadly evaluate whether non-native species are poised to respond more positively than native species to future climatic conditions. We compiled a database of studies in aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems that reported performance measures of non-native (157 species) and co-occurring native species (204 species) under different temperature, CO2 and precipitation conditions. Our analyses revealed that in terrestrial (primarily plant) systems, native and non-native species responded similarly to environmental changes. By contrast, in aquatic (primarily animal) systems, increases in temperature and CO2 largely inhibited native species. There was a general trend towards stronger responses among non-native species, including enhanced positive responses to more favourable conditions and stronger negative responses to less favourable conditions. As climate change proceeds, aquatic systems may be particularly vulnerable to invasion. Across systems, there could be a higher risk of invasion at sites becoming more climatically hospitable, whereas sites shifting towards harsher conditions may become more resistant to invasions.

270 citations