New England salt marsh recovery: opportunistic colonization of an invasive species and its non-consumptive effects

Predator depletion on Cape Cod (USA) has released the herbivorous crab Sesarmareticulatum from predator control leading to the loss of cordgrass from salt marsh creek banks. After more than three decades of die-off, cordgrass is recovering at heavily damaged sites coincident with the invasion of gre...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:PloS one 2013-08, Vol.8 (8), p.e73823-e73823
Main Authors: Coverdale, Tyler C, Axelman, Eric E, Brisson, Caitlin P, Young, Eric W, Altieri, Andrew H, Bertness, Mark D
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animal behavior
Animals
Avoidance behavior
Brachyura
Burrows
Carcinus
Carcinus maenas
Colonization
Coral reefs
Crabs
Crustaceans
Cues
Ecology
Ecosystem
Ecosystem biology
Ecosystems
Evolutionary biology
Herbivory
Hypotheses
Intertidal zone
Introduced Species
Invasive species
Morone saxatilis
New England
Nonnative species
Olfactory stimuli
Population Density
Predator control
Predators
Recovery
Recovery (Medical)
Salinity
Salt marshes
Science
Sesarma
Spartina
Sport fishing
Visual effects
Visual stimuli
Wetlands
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Summary:Predator depletion on Cape Cod (USA) has released the herbivorous crab Sesarmareticulatum from predator control leading to the loss of cordgrass from salt marsh creek banks. After more than three decades of die-off, cordgrass is recovering at heavily damaged sites coincident with the invasion of green crabs (Carcinusmaenas) into intertidal Sesarma burrows. We hypothesized that Carcinus is dependent on Sesarma burrows for refuge from physical and biotic stress in the salt marsh intertidal and reduces Sesarma functional density and herbivory through consumptive and non-consumptive effects, mediated by both visual and olfactory cues. Our results reveal that in the intertidal zone of New England salt marshes, Carcinus are burrow dependent, Carcinus reduce Sesarma functional density and herbivory in die-off areas and Sesarma exhibit a generic avoidance response to large, predatory crustaceans. These results support recent suggestions that invasive Carcinus are playing a role in the recovery of New England salt marshes and assertions that invasive species can play positive roles outside of their native ranges.
ISSN:1932-6203
1932-6203
DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0073823