Spatially extended habitat modification by intertidal reef-building bivalves has implications for consumer-resource interactions
Ecosystem engineers can strongly modify habitat structure and resource availability across space. In theory, this should alter the spatial distributions of trophically interacting species. In this article, we empirically investigated the importance of spatially extended habitat modification by reef-...
Published in: | Ecosystems |
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Main Authors: | , , , , , , , |
Format: | Article in Journal/Newspaper |
Language: | English |
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2012
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Online Access: | https://hdl.handle.net/11370/6406f438-bb0e-4bf2-8c87-68f6d247ca34 https://research.rug.nl/en/publications/6406f438-bb0e-4bf2-8c87-68f6d247ca34 https://doi.org/10.1007/s10021-012-9538-y https://pure.rug.nl/ws/files/6778423/2012EcosystemsvdZee.pdf https://pure.rug.nl/ws/files/6778424/2012EcosystemsvdZeeSupp.pdf |
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ftunigroningenpu:oai:pure.rug.nl:publications/6406f438-bb0e-4bf2-8c87-68f6d247ca34 2024-09-15T18:03:10+00:00 Spatially extended habitat modification by intertidal reef-building bivalves has implications for consumer-resource interactions van der Zee, Els M. van der Heide, Tjisse Donadi, Serena Eklöf, Johan S. Eriksson, Britas Klemens Olff, Han van der Veer, Henk W. Piersma, Theunis 2012-06 application/pdf https://hdl.handle.net/11370/6406f438-bb0e-4bf2-8c87-68f6d247ca34 https://research.rug.nl/en/publications/6406f438-bb0e-4bf2-8c87-68f6d247ca34 https://doi.org/10.1007/s10021-012-9538-y https://pure.rug.nl/ws/files/6778423/2012EcosystemsvdZee.pdf https://pure.rug.nl/ws/files/6778424/2012EcosystemsvdZeeSupp.pdf eng eng https://research.rug.nl/en/publications/6406f438-bb0e-4bf2-8c87-68f6d247ca34 info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess van der Zee , E M , van der Heide , T , Donadi , S , Eklöf , J S , Eriksson , B K , Olff , H , van der Veer , H W & Piersma , T 2012 , ' Spatially extended habitat modification by intertidal reef-building bivalves has implications for consumer-resource interactions ' , Ecosystems , vol. 15 , no. 4 , pp. 664-673 . https://doi.org/10.1007/s10021-012-9538-y ecosystem engineer Mytilus edulis Crassostrea gigas habitat modification extended effects spatial species distribution benthic community shorebirds WADDEN SEA ECOSYSTEM ENGINEERS POSITIVE FEEDBACKS CERASTODERMA-EDULE MUSSEL BEDS COMMUNITIES COCKLES FAUNA DIET FOOD article 2012 ftunigroningenpu https://doi.org/10.1007/s10021-012-9538-y 2024-07-01T14:49:22Z Ecosystem engineers can strongly modify habitat structure and resource availability across space. In theory, this should alter the spatial distributions of trophically interacting species. In this article, we empirically investigated the importance of spatially extended habitat modification by reef-building bivalves in explaining the distribution of four avian predators and their benthic prey in the Wadden Sea-one of the world's largest intertidal soft-sediment ecosystems. We applied Structural Equation Modeling to identify important direct and indirect interactions between the different components of the system. We found strong spatial gradients in sediment properties into the surrounding area of mixed blue mussel (Mytilus edulis) and Pacific oyster (Crassostrea gigas) reefs, indicating large-scale (100s of m) engineering effects. The benthic community was significantly affected by these gradients, with the abundance of several important invertebrate prey species increasing with sediment organic matter and decreasing with distance to the reefs. Distance from the reef, sediment properties, and benthic food abundance simultaneously explained significant parts of the distribution of oystercatchers (Haematopus ostralegus), Eurasian curlews (Numenius arquata), and bar-tailed godwits (Limosa lapponica). The distribution of black-headed gulls (Chroicoceph ridibundus)-a versatile species with many diet options-appeared unaffected by the reefs. These results suggest that intertidal reef builders can affect consumer-resource dynamics far beyond their own boundaries, emphasizing their importance in intertidal soft-bottom ecosystems like the Wadden Sea. Article in Journal/Newspaper Crassostrea gigas Numenius arquata Pacific oyster University of Groningen research database Ecosystems 15 4 664 673 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
University of Groningen research database |
op_collection_id |
ftunigroningenpu |
language |
English |
topic |
ecosystem engineer Mytilus edulis Crassostrea gigas habitat modification extended effects spatial species distribution benthic community shorebirds WADDEN SEA ECOSYSTEM ENGINEERS POSITIVE FEEDBACKS CERASTODERMA-EDULE MUSSEL BEDS COMMUNITIES COCKLES FAUNA DIET FOOD |
spellingShingle |
ecosystem engineer Mytilus edulis Crassostrea gigas habitat modification extended effects spatial species distribution benthic community shorebirds WADDEN SEA ECOSYSTEM ENGINEERS POSITIVE FEEDBACKS CERASTODERMA-EDULE MUSSEL BEDS COMMUNITIES COCKLES FAUNA DIET FOOD van der Zee, Els M. van der Heide, Tjisse Donadi, Serena Eklöf, Johan S. Eriksson, Britas Klemens Olff, Han van der Veer, Henk W. Piersma, Theunis Spatially extended habitat modification by intertidal reef-building bivalves has implications for consumer-resource interactions |
topic_facet |
ecosystem engineer Mytilus edulis Crassostrea gigas habitat modification extended effects spatial species distribution benthic community shorebirds WADDEN SEA ECOSYSTEM ENGINEERS POSITIVE FEEDBACKS CERASTODERMA-EDULE MUSSEL BEDS COMMUNITIES COCKLES FAUNA DIET FOOD |
description |
Ecosystem engineers can strongly modify habitat structure and resource availability across space. In theory, this should alter the spatial distributions of trophically interacting species. In this article, we empirically investigated the importance of spatially extended habitat modification by reef-building bivalves in explaining the distribution of four avian predators and their benthic prey in the Wadden Sea-one of the world's largest intertidal soft-sediment ecosystems. We applied Structural Equation Modeling to identify important direct and indirect interactions between the different components of the system. We found strong spatial gradients in sediment properties into the surrounding area of mixed blue mussel (Mytilus edulis) and Pacific oyster (Crassostrea gigas) reefs, indicating large-scale (100s of m) engineering effects. The benthic community was significantly affected by these gradients, with the abundance of several important invertebrate prey species increasing with sediment organic matter and decreasing with distance to the reefs. Distance from the reef, sediment properties, and benthic food abundance simultaneously explained significant parts of the distribution of oystercatchers (Haematopus ostralegus), Eurasian curlews (Numenius arquata), and bar-tailed godwits (Limosa lapponica). The distribution of black-headed gulls (Chroicoceph ridibundus)-a versatile species with many diet options-appeared unaffected by the reefs. These results suggest that intertidal reef builders can affect consumer-resource dynamics far beyond their own boundaries, emphasizing their importance in intertidal soft-bottom ecosystems like the Wadden Sea. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
van der Zee, Els M. van der Heide, Tjisse Donadi, Serena Eklöf, Johan S. Eriksson, Britas Klemens Olff, Han van der Veer, Henk W. Piersma, Theunis |
author_facet |
van der Zee, Els M. van der Heide, Tjisse Donadi, Serena Eklöf, Johan S. Eriksson, Britas Klemens Olff, Han van der Veer, Henk W. Piersma, Theunis |
author_sort |
van der Zee, Els M. |
title |
Spatially extended habitat modification by intertidal reef-building bivalves has implications for consumer-resource interactions |
title_short |
Spatially extended habitat modification by intertidal reef-building bivalves has implications for consumer-resource interactions |
title_full |
Spatially extended habitat modification by intertidal reef-building bivalves has implications for consumer-resource interactions |
title_fullStr |
Spatially extended habitat modification by intertidal reef-building bivalves has implications for consumer-resource interactions |
title_full_unstemmed |
Spatially extended habitat modification by intertidal reef-building bivalves has implications for consumer-resource interactions |
title_sort |
spatially extended habitat modification by intertidal reef-building bivalves has implications for consumer-resource interactions |
publishDate |
2012 |
url |
https://hdl.handle.net/11370/6406f438-bb0e-4bf2-8c87-68f6d247ca34 https://research.rug.nl/en/publications/6406f438-bb0e-4bf2-8c87-68f6d247ca34 https://doi.org/10.1007/s10021-012-9538-y https://pure.rug.nl/ws/files/6778423/2012EcosystemsvdZee.pdf https://pure.rug.nl/ws/files/6778424/2012EcosystemsvdZeeSupp.pdf |
genre |
Crassostrea gigas Numenius arquata Pacific oyster |
genre_facet |
Crassostrea gigas Numenius arquata Pacific oyster |
op_source |
van der Zee , E M , van der Heide , T , Donadi , S , Eklöf , J S , Eriksson , B K , Olff , H , van der Veer , H W & Piersma , T 2012 , ' Spatially extended habitat modification by intertidal reef-building bivalves has implications for consumer-resource interactions ' , Ecosystems , vol. 15 , no. 4 , pp. 664-673 . https://doi.org/10.1007/s10021-012-9538-y |
op_relation |
https://research.rug.nl/en/publications/6406f438-bb0e-4bf2-8c87-68f6d247ca34 |
op_rights |
info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10021-012-9538-y |
container_title |
Ecosystems |
container_volume |
15 |
container_issue |
4 |
container_start_page |
664 |
op_container_end_page |
673 |
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1810440689116250112 |