Changes in lichen diversity and community structure with fur seal population increase on Signy Island, South Orkney Islands
Abstract Signy Island has experienced a dramatic increase in fur seal numbers over recent decades, which has led to the devastation of lowland terrestrial vegetation, with the eradication of moss turfs and carpets being the most prominent feature. Here we demonstrate that fur seals also affect the o...
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crcambridgeupr:10.1017/s0954102010000684 2024-09-15T17:45:16+00:00 Changes in lichen diversity and community structure with fur seal population increase on Signy Island, South Orkney Islands Favero-Longo, Sergio E. Cannone, Nicoletta Roger Worland, M. Convey, Peter Piervittori, Rosanna Guglielmin, Mauro 2010 http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0954102010000684 https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0954102010000684 en eng Cambridge University Press (CUP) https://www.cambridge.org/core/terms Antarctic Science volume 23, issue 1, page 65-77 ISSN 0954-1020 1365-2079 journal-article 2010 crcambridgeupr https://doi.org/10.1017/s0954102010000684 2024-08-28T04:03:45Z Abstract Signy Island has experienced a dramatic increase in fur seal numbers over recent decades, which has led to the devastation of lowland terrestrial vegetation, with the eradication of moss turfs and carpets being the most prominent feature. Here we demonstrate that fur seals also affect the other major component of this region’s typical cryptogamic vegetation, the lichens, although with a lower decrease in variability and abundance than for bryophytes. Classification (UPGMA) and ordination (Principal Coordinate Analysis) of vegetation data highlight differences in composition and abundance of lichen communities between areas invaded by fur seals and contiguous areas protected from these animals. Multivariate analysis relating lichen communities to environmental parameters, including animal abundance and soil chemistry (Canonical Correspondence Analysis), suggests that fur seal trampling results in the destruction of muscicolous-terricolous lichens, including several cosmopolitan and bipolar fruticose species. In addition, animal excretion favours an increase in nitrophilous crustose species, a group which typically characterizes areas influenced by seabirds and includes several Antarctic endemics. The potential effect of such animal-driven changes in vegetation on the fragile terrestrial ecosystem (e.g. through modification of the ground surface temperature) confirms the importance of indirect environmental processes in Antarctica. Article in Journal/Newspaper Antarc* Antarctic Antarctic Science Antarctica Signy Island South Orkney Islands Cambridge University Press Antarctic Science 23 1 65 77 |
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Cambridge University Press |
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crcambridgeupr |
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English |
description |
Abstract Signy Island has experienced a dramatic increase in fur seal numbers over recent decades, which has led to the devastation of lowland terrestrial vegetation, with the eradication of moss turfs and carpets being the most prominent feature. Here we demonstrate that fur seals also affect the other major component of this region’s typical cryptogamic vegetation, the lichens, although with a lower decrease in variability and abundance than for bryophytes. Classification (UPGMA) and ordination (Principal Coordinate Analysis) of vegetation data highlight differences in composition and abundance of lichen communities between areas invaded by fur seals and contiguous areas protected from these animals. Multivariate analysis relating lichen communities to environmental parameters, including animal abundance and soil chemistry (Canonical Correspondence Analysis), suggests that fur seal trampling results in the destruction of muscicolous-terricolous lichens, including several cosmopolitan and bipolar fruticose species. In addition, animal excretion favours an increase in nitrophilous crustose species, a group which typically characterizes areas influenced by seabirds and includes several Antarctic endemics. The potential effect of such animal-driven changes in vegetation on the fragile terrestrial ecosystem (e.g. through modification of the ground surface temperature) confirms the importance of indirect environmental processes in Antarctica. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Favero-Longo, Sergio E. Cannone, Nicoletta Roger Worland, M. Convey, Peter Piervittori, Rosanna Guglielmin, Mauro |
spellingShingle |
Favero-Longo, Sergio E. Cannone, Nicoletta Roger Worland, M. Convey, Peter Piervittori, Rosanna Guglielmin, Mauro Changes in lichen diversity and community structure with fur seal population increase on Signy Island, South Orkney Islands |
author_facet |
Favero-Longo, Sergio E. Cannone, Nicoletta Roger Worland, M. Convey, Peter Piervittori, Rosanna Guglielmin, Mauro |
author_sort |
Favero-Longo, Sergio E. |
title |
Changes in lichen diversity and community structure with fur seal population increase on Signy Island, South Orkney Islands |
title_short |
Changes in lichen diversity and community structure with fur seal population increase on Signy Island, South Orkney Islands |
title_full |
Changes in lichen diversity and community structure with fur seal population increase on Signy Island, South Orkney Islands |
title_fullStr |
Changes in lichen diversity and community structure with fur seal population increase on Signy Island, South Orkney Islands |
title_full_unstemmed |
Changes in lichen diversity and community structure with fur seal population increase on Signy Island, South Orkney Islands |
title_sort |
changes in lichen diversity and community structure with fur seal population increase on signy island, south orkney islands |
publisher |
Cambridge University Press (CUP) |
publishDate |
2010 |
url |
http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0954102010000684 https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0954102010000684 |
genre |
Antarc* Antarctic Antarctic Science Antarctica Signy Island South Orkney Islands |
genre_facet |
Antarc* Antarctic Antarctic Science Antarctica Signy Island South Orkney Islands |
op_source |
Antarctic Science volume 23, issue 1, page 65-77 ISSN 0954-1020 1365-2079 |
op_rights |
https://www.cambridge.org/core/terms |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1017/s0954102010000684 |
container_title |
Antarctic Science |
container_volume |
23 |
container_issue |
1 |
container_start_page |
65 |
op_container_end_page |
77 |
_version_ |
1810493026266513408 |