Contrasting effects of invasive rabbits on endemic plants driving vegetation change in a subtropical alpine insular environment
Alpine ecosystems on islands are among the most isolated on Earth, leading to very high rates of endemism. Endemic species on oceanic islands are particularly vulnerable to invasive herbivores. In the alpine zone of Tenerife, which harbors a unique endemic flora, the dominance pattern of the two most dominant species in our days (Spartocytisus supranubius and Pterocephalus lasiospermus) has shifted in the last few decades, which may be a result of increasing rabbit pressure. In this study we explore how rabbits affect the population structure, soil nutrient composition and regeneration of our two target endemics within Teide National Park. For this purpose, we established 90 plots at 30 locations. Within 13 locations we sampled permanent exclosure plots that were established between 7 and 12 years before sampling, applying three treatments (full herbivory, rabbit herbivory and no herbivory). At one site we collected 80 soil samples to evaluate changes in soil chemistry and plant growth using a greenhouse experiment. Our results show that rabbits have a negative effect on the population structure of S. supranubius, while the contrary occurs with P. lasiospermus. Rabbit presence alters soil chemistry leading to a decline in nitrogen, which affects growth in both species. The presence of rabbits leads to a dominance shift in these two keystone endemic species, altering dominance patterns in the summit scrub of Tenerife. The decline of S. supranubius could represent the example of many endemic species of this system. Thus, we call for an immediate control of rabbit population (<0.5 rabbits/ha) to protect this unique alpine endemic flora.
Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , |
---|---|
Other Authors: | |
Format: | artículo biblioteca |
Published: |
Springer
2018-10-17
|
Subjects: | Vegetation dynamic, Oryctolagus cuniculus, Exclosure experiment, Conservation, Density-damage relationship, El Teide National Park, |
Online Access: | http://hdl.handle.net/10261/179499 http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100004336 |
Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
id |
dig-ipna-es-10261-179499 |
---|---|
record_format |
koha |
spelling |
dig-ipna-es-10261-1794992020-12-13T09:05:55Z Contrasting effects of invasive rabbits on endemic plants driving vegetation change in a subtropical alpine insular environment Cubas, Jonay Martín-Esquivel, José Luis Nogales, Manuel Severin, D. H. Irl Hernández-Hernández, Raquel López-Darias, Marta Marrero-Gómez, Manuel Arco Aguilar, Marcelino del González-Mancebo, Juana María Ministerio de Agricultura, Alimentación y Medio Ambiente (España) Universidad de La Laguna Vegetation dynamic Oryctolagus cuniculus Exclosure experiment Conservation Density-damage relationship El Teide National Park Alpine ecosystems on islands are among the most isolated on Earth, leading to very high rates of endemism. Endemic species on oceanic islands are particularly vulnerable to invasive herbivores. In the alpine zone of Tenerife, which harbors a unique endemic flora, the dominance pattern of the two most dominant species in our days (Spartocytisus supranubius and Pterocephalus lasiospermus) has shifted in the last few decades, which may be a result of increasing rabbit pressure. In this study we explore how rabbits affect the population structure, soil nutrient composition and regeneration of our two target endemics within Teide National Park. For this purpose, we established 90 plots at 30 locations. Within 13 locations we sampled permanent exclosure plots that were established between 7 and 12 years before sampling, applying three treatments (full herbivory, rabbit herbivory and no herbivory). At one site we collected 80 soil samples to evaluate changes in soil chemistry and plant growth using a greenhouse experiment. Our results show that rabbits have a negative effect on the population structure of S. supranubius, while the contrary occurs with P. lasiospermus. Rabbit presence alters soil chemistry leading to a decline in nitrogen, which affects growth in both species. The presence of rabbits leads to a dominance shift in these two keystone endemic species, altering dominance patterns in the summit scrub of Tenerife. The decline of S. supranubius could represent the example of many endemic species of this system. Thus, we call for an immediate control of rabbit population (<0.5 rabbits/ha) to protect this unique alpine endemic flora. We also thank the Ministerio de Agricultura, Alimentation y Medio Ambiente (REF 1621/2015) for the financial support and the service of El Teide National Park provided use with all kind of facilities for development of this study. Jonay Cubas holds a PhD studentship from La Laguna University. Peer Reviewed 2019-04-08T07:46:28Z 2019-04-08T07:46:28Z 2018-10-17 2019-04-08T07:46:28Z artículo http://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_6501 doi: 10.1007/s10530-017-1576-0 e-issn: 1573-1464 issn: 1387-3547 Biological Invasions 20(3): 793-807 (2018) http://hdl.handle.net/10261/179499 10.1007/s10530-017-1576-0 http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100004336 Postprint https://doi.org/10.1007/s10530-017-1576-0 Sí none Springer |
institution |
IPNA ES |
collection |
DSpace |
country |
España |
countrycode |
ES |
component |
Bibliográfico |
access |
En linea |
databasecode |
dig-ipna-es |
tag |
biblioteca |
region |
Europa del Sur |
libraryname |
Biblioteca del IPNA España |
topic |
Vegetation dynamic Oryctolagus cuniculus Exclosure experiment Conservation Density-damage relationship El Teide National Park Vegetation dynamic Oryctolagus cuniculus Exclosure experiment Conservation Density-damage relationship El Teide National Park |
spellingShingle |
Vegetation dynamic Oryctolagus cuniculus Exclosure experiment Conservation Density-damage relationship El Teide National Park Vegetation dynamic Oryctolagus cuniculus Exclosure experiment Conservation Density-damage relationship El Teide National Park Cubas, Jonay Martín-Esquivel, José Luis Nogales, Manuel Severin, D. H. Irl Hernández-Hernández, Raquel López-Darias, Marta Marrero-Gómez, Manuel Arco Aguilar, Marcelino del González-Mancebo, Juana María Contrasting effects of invasive rabbits on endemic plants driving vegetation change in a subtropical alpine insular environment |
description |
Alpine ecosystems on islands are among the most isolated on Earth, leading to very high rates of endemism. Endemic species on oceanic islands are particularly vulnerable to invasive herbivores. In the alpine zone of Tenerife, which harbors a unique endemic flora, the dominance pattern of the two most dominant species in our days (Spartocytisus supranubius and Pterocephalus lasiospermus) has shifted in the last few decades, which may be a result of increasing rabbit pressure. In this study we explore how rabbits affect the population structure, soil nutrient composition and regeneration of our two target endemics within Teide National Park. For this purpose, we established 90 plots at 30 locations. Within 13 locations we sampled permanent exclosure plots that were established between 7 and 12 years before sampling, applying three treatments (full herbivory, rabbit herbivory and no herbivory). At one site we collected 80 soil samples to evaluate changes in soil chemistry and plant growth using a greenhouse experiment. Our results show that rabbits have a negative effect on the population structure of S. supranubius, while the contrary occurs with P. lasiospermus. Rabbit presence alters soil chemistry leading to a decline in nitrogen, which affects growth in both species. The presence of rabbits leads to a dominance shift in these two keystone endemic species, altering dominance patterns in the summit scrub of Tenerife. The decline of S. supranubius could represent the example of many endemic species of this system. Thus, we call for an immediate control of rabbit population (<0.5 rabbits/ha) to protect this unique alpine endemic flora. |
author2 |
Ministerio de Agricultura, Alimentación y Medio Ambiente (España) |
author_facet |
Ministerio de Agricultura, Alimentación y Medio Ambiente (España) Cubas, Jonay Martín-Esquivel, José Luis Nogales, Manuel Severin, D. H. Irl Hernández-Hernández, Raquel López-Darias, Marta Marrero-Gómez, Manuel Arco Aguilar, Marcelino del González-Mancebo, Juana María |
format |
artículo |
topic_facet |
Vegetation dynamic Oryctolagus cuniculus Exclosure experiment Conservation Density-damage relationship El Teide National Park |
author |
Cubas, Jonay Martín-Esquivel, José Luis Nogales, Manuel Severin, D. H. Irl Hernández-Hernández, Raquel López-Darias, Marta Marrero-Gómez, Manuel Arco Aguilar, Marcelino del González-Mancebo, Juana María |
author_sort |
Cubas, Jonay |
title |
Contrasting effects of invasive rabbits on endemic plants driving vegetation change in a subtropical alpine insular environment |
title_short |
Contrasting effects of invasive rabbits on endemic plants driving vegetation change in a subtropical alpine insular environment |
title_full |
Contrasting effects of invasive rabbits on endemic plants driving vegetation change in a subtropical alpine insular environment |
title_fullStr |
Contrasting effects of invasive rabbits on endemic plants driving vegetation change in a subtropical alpine insular environment |
title_full_unstemmed |
Contrasting effects of invasive rabbits on endemic plants driving vegetation change in a subtropical alpine insular environment |
title_sort |
contrasting effects of invasive rabbits on endemic plants driving vegetation change in a subtropical alpine insular environment |
publisher |
Springer |
publishDate |
2018-10-17 |
url |
http://hdl.handle.net/10261/179499 http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100004336 |
work_keys_str_mv |
AT cubasjonay contrastingeffectsofinvasiverabbitsonendemicplantsdrivingvegetationchangeinasubtropicalalpineinsularenvironment AT martinesquiveljoseluis contrastingeffectsofinvasiverabbitsonendemicplantsdrivingvegetationchangeinasubtropicalalpineinsularenvironment AT nogalesmanuel contrastingeffectsofinvasiverabbitsonendemicplantsdrivingvegetationchangeinasubtropicalalpineinsularenvironment AT severindhirl contrastingeffectsofinvasiverabbitsonendemicplantsdrivingvegetationchangeinasubtropicalalpineinsularenvironment AT hernandezhernandezraquel contrastingeffectsofinvasiverabbitsonendemicplantsdrivingvegetationchangeinasubtropicalalpineinsularenvironment AT lopezdariasmarta contrastingeffectsofinvasiverabbitsonendemicplantsdrivingvegetationchangeinasubtropicalalpineinsularenvironment AT marrerogomezmanuel contrastingeffectsofinvasiverabbitsonendemicplantsdrivingvegetationchangeinasubtropicalalpineinsularenvironment AT arcoaguilarmarcelinodel contrastingeffectsofinvasiverabbitsonendemicplantsdrivingvegetationchangeinasubtropicalalpineinsularenvironment AT gonzalezmancebojuanamaria contrastingeffectsofinvasiverabbitsonendemicplantsdrivingvegetationchangeinasubtropicalalpineinsularenvironment |
_version_ |
1777669750356180992 |