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Global ecological impacts of marine exotic species
Anton, A.; Geraldi, N.R.; Lovelock, C.E.; Apostolaki, E.T.; Bennett, S.; Cebrian, J.; Krause-Jensen, D.; Marbà, N.; Martinetto, P.; Pandolfi, J.M.; Santana-Garcon, J.; Duarte, C.M. (2019). Global ecological impacts of marine exotic species. Nature Ecology & Evolution 3(5): 787-800. https://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41559-019-0851-0
In: Nature Ecology & Evolution. Springer Nature. ISSN 2397-334X, more
Related to:
Anton, A.; Geraldi, N.R.; Lovelock, C.E.; Apostolaki, E.; Bennett, S.; Cebrian, J.; Krause-Jensen, D.; Marbà, N.; Martinetto, P.; Pandolfi, J.M.; Santana-Garcon, J.; Duarte, C.M. (2020). Reply to: Indiscriminate data aggregation in ecological meta-analysis underestimates impacts of invasive species. Nature Ecology & Evolution 4(3): 315-317. https://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41559-020-1118-5, more
Peer reviewed article  

Available in  Authors 

Keyword
    Organisms > Invasive species

Authors  Top 
  • Anton, A.
  • Geraldi, N.R.
  • Lovelock, C.E., more
  • Apostolaki, E.T.
  • Bennett, S.
  • Cebrian, J.
  • Krause-Jensen, D.
  • Marbà, N., more
  • Martinetto, P.
  • Pandolfi, J.M.
  • Santana-Garcon, J.
  • Duarte, C.M., more

Abstract
    Exotic species are a growing global ecological threat; however, their overall effects are insufficiently understood. While some exotic species are implicated in many species extinctions, others can provide benefits to the recipient communities. Here, we performed a meta-analysis to quantify and synthesize the ecological effects of 76 exotic marine species (about 6% of the listed exotics) on ten variables in marine communities. These species caused an overall significant, but modest in magnitude (as indicated by a mean effect size of g < 0.2), decrease in ecological variables. Marine primary producers and predators were the most disruptive trophic groups of the exotic species. Approximately 10% (that is, 2 out of 19) of the exotic species assessed in at least three independent studies had significant impacts on native species. Separating the innocuous from the disruptive exotic species provides a basis for triage efforts to control the marine exotic species that have the most impact, thereby helping to meet Aichi Biodiversity Target 9 of the Convention on Biological Diversity.

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