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Non-indigenous invasive bivalves as ecosystem engineers

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Abstract

Several non-indigenous bivalve species have been colonising aquatic ecosystems worldwide, in some cases with great ecological and economic impacts. In this paper, we focus on the ecosystem engineering attributes of non-indigenous invasive bivalves (i.e., the capacities of these organisms to directly or indirectly affect the availability of resources to other species by physically modifying the environment). By reviewing the ecology of several invasive bivalves we identify a variety of mechanisms via which they modify, maintain and/or create habitats. Given the usually high densities and broad spatial distributions of such bivalves, their engineering activities can significantly alter ecosystem structure and functioning (e.g., changes in sediment chemistry, grain size, and organic matter content via bioturbation, increased light penetration into the water column due to filter feeding, changes in near bed flows and shear stress due to the presence of shells, provision of colonisable substrate and refuges by shells). In addition, changes in ecosystem structure and functioning due to engineering by invasive bivalves often have very large economic impacts. Given the worldwide spread of non-indigenous bivalves and the varied ways in which they physically modify habitats, their engineering effects should receive more serious consideration in restoration and management initiatives.

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Acknowledgments

Ronaldo Sousa is supported by a postdoctoral grant from the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology—FCT (SFRH/BPD/43570/2008). Special thanks to Clive Jones and Pedro Morais for helpful suggestions on the manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. CIMAR/CIIMAR – Centro Interdisciplinar de Investigação Marinha e Ambiental, Universidade do Porto, Rua dos Bragas 289, 4050-123, Porto, Portugal

    Ronaldo Sousa

  2. Aquatic Ecology Group, Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge, CB2 3EJ, UK

    Ronaldo Sousa & David C. Aldridge

  3. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata, Mar del Plata, Argentina

    Jorge L. Gutiérrez

  4. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina

    Jorge L. Gutiérrez

  5. Grupo de Investigación y Educación en Temas Ambientales (GrIETA), Mar del Plata, Argentina

    Jorge L. Gutiérrez

  6. Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies, Millbrook, NY, 12545, USA

    Jorge L. Gutiérrez

Authors
  1. Ronaldo Sousa
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  2. Jorge L. Gutiérrez
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  3. David C. Aldridge
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Ronaldo Sousa.

Appendix

Appendix

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Table 1 Distribution, life habits, ecosystem engineering effects and economic effects of non-indigenous invasive bivalves
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Sousa, R., Gutiérrez, J.L. & Aldridge, D.C. Non-indigenous invasive bivalves as ecosystem engineers. Biol Invasions 11, 2367–2385 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10530-009-9422-7

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