Search results for "alien invasion"
showing 2 items of 2 documents
Native predators control the population of an invasive crab in no-take marine protected areas
2018
1. The resistance of an ecosystem to species invasion is considered to be related to the abundance and diversity of native species i.e. biotic resistance hypothesis). Theory predicts that the high native diversity in pristine systems can hinder the establishment and/or the spread of non‐native species through direct and indirect mechanisms (e.g. through competitive and/or predatory interactions). 2. Here we tested whether predation provides higher resistance to invasion by the Percnidae crab Percnon gibbesi (H. Milne Edwards, 1853) in protected native communities, compared with exploited ones. Specifically, this study aimed to compare: (i) the abundance and diversity of potential predator a…
The role of Marine Protected Areas in influencing the invasion success of the alien crab Percnon gibbesi
2018
The biotic resistance hypothesis states that pristine communities, with high species richness and functional diversity, are less prone to biological invasions than species-poor areas either this is natural or it is a result of human activities. Complex communities with high levels of biodiversity, such as those hosted by Marine Protected Areas, should offer fewer niche opportunities (e.g. resources and space) to invasive species thereby reducing both their establishment possibilities and success (i.e. settlement and/or expansion). The present study aimed to evaluate the capacity of marine protected communities to provide a buffer against the establishment of one of the most invasive species…