Different Mechanisms Explain Decoupled Co-Occurrence Patterns of Native and Non-Native Macroinvertebrates

Area of Science:

• Ecology
• Environmental Science
• Conservation Biology

Background:

• Biological invasions are a primary cause of biodiversity loss and ecosystem disruption.
• Understanding invasion dynamics is critical for effective management and conservation strategies.
• Biotic interactions, such as competition, play a significant role in species distribution and invasion success.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the community assembly processes of freshwater macroinvertebrates under biological invasion.
• To differentiate the roles of environmental filtering and biotic interactions in shaping native and non-native species distributions.
• To uncover co-occurrence patterns and community organization using a long-term European dataset.

Main Methods:

• Utilized joint Species Distribution Models (jSDMs) with a comprehensive European dataset.
• Incorporated functional traits, phylogenetic relationships, and environmental niches.
• Analyzed residual variance to infer species-to-species interactions, including competition.

Main Results:

• Environmental covariates had varying effects on native and non-native species, with stronger environmental filtering on native species.
• Non-native species demonstrated broader environmental niches compared to native species.
• Biotic filtering, including interspecific competition and invasion meltdown, significantly influenced species distributions beyond abiotic factors.

Conclusions:

• Biotic interactions are key drivers of biological invasion success, complementing environmental filtering.
• Non-native species often possess broader niches, facilitating their establishment and spread.
• A nuanced understanding of both biotic and abiotic factors is essential for predicting invasion risk and managing impacts.