/Amphipods_Kiel

Amphipods_Kiel

Primary LanguageR

Seasonal changes in biodiversity of native and non-indigenous amphipod taxa under diverse anthropogenic impacts

Authors: Elžbieta Kazanavičiūtė, James W.E. Dickey, Ismael Soto, Phillip J. Haubrock, Reid Brennan, Gregor Steffen & Elizabeta Briski

Abstract

Anthropogenic disturbances are having strong, negative effects on aquatic systems globally, altering ecological communities and potentially creating vacant niches and habitats for both native and non-indigenous species (NIS) to exploit. Globalization and new trade routes have amplified the spread and establishment of NIS by connecting disturbed areas globally. In this study, we conducted comparative assessment of seasonal variations using Generalised Linear Models (GLMs) in amphipod communities at three southeastern Baltic Sea locations – two anthropogenically impacted and one protected habitat – to determine if native and NIS diversity differed among these habitats. Our study revealed nine amphipod species across all three habitats, of which two were NIS. The impacted habitats had a significantly higher native species richness and a lower NIS abundance, while the protected habitat was dominated by NIS Gammarus tigrinus for most of the year. The second NIS, Gammarus japonica was strictly found at the anthropogenically impacted habitats, recorded at low abundances. Despite the close proximity of the sampled habitats, the two NIS did not overlap in their distributions. Although anthropogenically impacted habitats may be under higher invasion risk, at the same time, they may not be the best environments for NIS to thrive, with native species already having adapted to disturbances there. Instead, nearby undisturbed and/or protected habitats may be highly vulnerable to invasions due to more tolerable environmental conditions, naïve native species, and prior adapted populations of NIS to diverse stressors.

Keywords: Gammarids, impacted habitats, non-native species, protected habitats, species abundance, species richness

Code:

  • Elza_data.R

Code created by: Ismael Soto

Ismael Soto | Mail

Data:

  • DATA FOR ISMAEL.xlsx