CBMA - Centre of Molecular and Environmental Biology, Department of Biology, University of Minho, Campus de Gualtar, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal; IB-S, Institute of Science and Innovation for Bio-Sustainability, University of Minho, Campus de Gualtar, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal.
CBMA - Centre of Molecular and Environmental Biology, Department of Biology, University of Minho, Campus de Gualtar, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal; IB-S, Institute of Science and Innovation for Bio-Sustainability, University of Minho, Campus de Gualtar, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal.
Sci Total Environ. 2016 Jan 15;541:714-720. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2015.09.125. Epub 2015 Oct 2.
Invasive alien species (IAS) can disrupt important ecological functions in aquatic ecosystems; however, many of these effects are not quantified and remain speculative. In this study, we assessed the effects of the invasive crayfish Procambarus clarkii (Girard, 1852) on leaf litter decomposition (a key ecosystem process) and associated invertebrates using laboratory and field manipulative experiments. The crayfish had significant impacts on leaf decomposition due to direct consumption of leaf litter and production of fine particulate organic matter, and indirectly due to consumption of invertebrate shredders. The invertebrate community did not appear to recognize P. clarkii as a predator, at least in the first stages after its introduction in the system; but this situation might change with time. Overall, results suggested that the omnivore invader P. clarkii has the potential to affect detritus-based food webs through consumption of basal resources (leaf litter) and/or consumers. Recognizing that this IAS is widespread in Europe, Asia and Africa, and may attain high density and biomass in aquatic ecosystems, our results are important to develop strategies for improving stream ecosystem functioning and to support management actions aiming to control the invasive omnivore P. clarkii.
入侵的外来物种 (IAS) 会破坏水生生态系统中的重要生态功能；然而，这些影响中有许多尚未被量化，仍处于推测阶段。在这项研究中，我们使用实验室和野外操作实验评估了入侵小龙虾 Procambarus clarkii (Girard, 1852) 对叶凋落物分解（一个关键的生态系统过程）和相关无脊椎动物的影响。由于小龙虾直接消耗叶凋落物和产生细颗粒有机物质，以及间接地通过消耗无脊椎动物的碎食者，对叶凋落物分解有显著影响。无脊椎动物群落似乎没有将 P. clarkii 视为捕食者，至少在系统引入后的最初阶段是这样；但这种情况可能会随着时间的推移而改变。总的来说，研究结果表明，这种杂食性入侵物种 P. clarkii 有可能通过消耗基础资源（叶凋落物）和/或消费者来影响碎屑为基础的食物网。鉴于这种 IAS 在欧洲、亚洲和非洲广泛分布，并且可能在水生生态系统中达到高密度和生物量，我们的研究结果对于制定改善溪流生态系统功能的策略以及支持旨在控制入侵杂食性 P. clarkii 的管理行动非常重要。
