title: Benthic assemblages associated with native and non-native oysters are similar.
abstract: Invasive species can impact native species and alter assemblage structure, which affects associated ecosystem functioning. The pervasive Pacific oyster, Crassostrea gigas, has been shown to affect the diversity and composition of many host ecosystems. We tested for effects of the presence of the invasive C. gigas on native assemblages by comparing them directly to assemblages associated with the declining native European oyster, Ostrea edulis. The presence of both oyster species was manipulated in intertidal and subtidal habitats and reefs were constructed at horizontal and vertical orientation to the substratum. After 12months, species diversity and benthic assemblage structure between assemblages with C. gigas and O. edulis were similar, but differed between habitats and orientation, suggesting that both oyster species were functionally similar in terms of biodiversity facilitation. These findings support evidence, that non-native species could play an important role in maintaining biodiversity in systems with declining populations of native species.
authors.affiliation: Queen's University Belfast Marine Laboratory, 12-13 The Strand, Portaferry BT22 1PF, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom. Electronic address: nzwerschke01@qub.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Nadescha
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Zwerschke
authors.affiliation: Queen's University Belfast Marine Laboratory, 12-13 The Strand, Portaferry BT22 1PF, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom; Queen's University Belfast, School of Biological Sciences, Belfast BT9 7BL, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom. Electronic address: m.emmerson@qub.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Mark C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Emmerson
authors.affiliation: Queen's University Belfast Marine Laboratory, 12-13 The Strand, Portaferry BT22 1PF, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom; Queen's University Belfast, School of Biological Sciences, Belfast BT9 7BL, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom. Electronic address: dai-roberts@outlook.com.
authors.forename: Dai
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Roberts
authors.affiliation: Queen's University Belfast Marine Laboratory, 12-13 The Strand, Portaferry BT22 1PF, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom; Queen's University Belfast, School of Biological Sciences, Belfast BT9 7BL, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom. Electronic address: n.oconnor@qub.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Nessa E
authors.initials: NE
authors.lastname: O'Connor
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D044822:Biodiversity; D049896:Crassostrea; D017753:Ecosystem; D058865:Introduced Species; D007494:Ireland; D049895:Ostrea
keywords: Biodiversity; Crassostrea gigas; Functional similarity; Invasive species; Ostrea edulis