Loading...
Publication
Efeito do comportamento agressivo de Phymactis papillosa (Lesson, 1830) sobre espécies de anémonas-do-mar intertidais nativas portuguesas
| Name: | Description: | Size: | Format: | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.05 MB | Adobe PDF |
Authors
Advisor(s)
Abstract(s)
As espécies invasoras têm alterado globalmente os habitats marinhos e são a
segunda maior causa da extinção de espécies, sendo fundamental analisar a sua presença
e prever danos que possam causar. Phymactis papillosa (Lesson, 1830) nativa da costa
Pacífica da América do Sul e Central, é uma espécie de anémona-do-mar exótica em
Portugal, com a seu primeiro registo neste local em 2017. Estando esta espécie confinada
ao intertidal rochoso, prevê-se que ela possa ter um efeito de competição por espaço,
sobretudo com espécies do mesmo grupo funcional. Para testar esta hipótese, foram
provocadas interações agressivas de P. papillosa sobre quatro espécies de anémonas-do mar intertidais nativas- Actinia equina, Actinia schmidti, Actinia fragacea e Anemonia
viridis, das espécies mais abundantes no intertidal rochoso em Portugal, com o objetivo
de qualificar o comportamento agressivo de P. papillosa e perceber o impacto que esta
pode causar nas espécies nativas e no ecossistema. Utilizaram-se morfotipos verdes e
vermelhos de P. papillosa para também observar possíveis diferenças na agressivade entre
ambos. Foram observados nove comportamentos agonísticos durante as interações, com
a espécie exótica a ser dominante sobre as três espécies do género Actinia mas equiparada
a A. viridis, quer em termos dos resultados de confrontos quer da própria agressividade.
Os dois morfotipos de P. papillosa não apresentaram diferenças evidentes num panorama
geral. A aplicação de acrorhagi, um estrutura importante na agressividade das anémonas,
foi menos frequente que o previsto. Estes resultados comprovam que P. papillosa pode
provocar impactos negativos nas espécies Actinia, já que apresenta uma dominância
comportamental, levando a um impacto da distribuição espacial destas espécies.
ABSTRACT: Invasive species have globally altered marine habitats and are the second biggest cause of species extinction, making it essential to analyze their presence and predict the damage they may cause. Phymactis papillosa (Lesson, 1830), native to the Pacific coast of South and Central America, is a species of sea anemone, exotic in Portugal, with its first record in this location in 2017. As this species is confined to the rocky intertidal, it can impact native species by space competition, especially with the ones from the same functional group. To test this hypothesis, aggressive interactions of P. papillosa were provoked on four species of native intertidal sea anemones- Actinia equina, Actinia schmidti, Actinia fragacea and Anemonia viridis, some of the most abundant rocky intertidal sea anemone species in Portugal, with the aim of qualifying the aggressive behavior of P. papillosa and understand the impact that can have on native species and the ecosystem. Green and red morphotypes of P. papillosa were used to also observe possible differences between them. Nine agonistic behaviors were observed, with the exotic species being dominant over the three species of the genus Actinia but equivalent to A. viridis, both in terms of the results of confrontations and aggressiveness. There were no clear differences between the two morphotypes of P. papillosa. The application of acrorhagi, an important structure in the aggressiveness in anemones, was less frequent than expected. These results show that P. papillosa can have negative impacts on Actinia species, due to its behavioural dominance, with impact on the native species spatial distribution.
ABSTRACT: Invasive species have globally altered marine habitats and are the second biggest cause of species extinction, making it essential to analyze their presence and predict the damage they may cause. Phymactis papillosa (Lesson, 1830), native to the Pacific coast of South and Central America, is a species of sea anemone, exotic in Portugal, with its first record in this location in 2017. As this species is confined to the rocky intertidal, it can impact native species by space competition, especially with the ones from the same functional group. To test this hypothesis, aggressive interactions of P. papillosa were provoked on four species of native intertidal sea anemones- Actinia equina, Actinia schmidti, Actinia fragacea and Anemonia viridis, some of the most abundant rocky intertidal sea anemone species in Portugal, with the aim of qualifying the aggressive behavior of P. papillosa and understand the impact that can have on native species and the ecosystem. Green and red morphotypes of P. papillosa were used to also observe possible differences between them. Nine agonistic behaviors were observed, with the exotic species being dominant over the three species of the genus Actinia but equivalent to A. viridis, both in terms of the results of confrontations and aggressiveness. There were no clear differences between the two morphotypes of P. papillosa. The application of acrorhagi, an important structure in the aggressiveness in anemones, was less frequent than expected. These results show that P. papillosa can have negative impacts on Actinia species, due to its behavioural dominance, with impact on the native species spatial distribution.
Description
Dissertação de Mestrado
realizada sob a orientação da Professora
Doutora Ana Martins Pereira,
apresentada no Ispa – Instituto
Universitário para obtenção de grau de
Mestre na especialidade de Biologia
Marinha e Conservação.
Keywords
Espécies exóticas Invasão Competição espacial Morfotipo Conservação Exotic species Invasion Space competition Morphotype Conservation