Relative Effects of Multiple Stressors on Reef Food Webs in the Northern Gulf of Mexico Revealed via Ecosystem Modeling
Since 2010, the northern Gulf of Mexico (NGoM) has experienced two unique environmental stressors. First, the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill (DWH) impacted a broad range of taxa and habitats and resulted in declines of small demersal reef fish over the study area (88.5–85.5°W and 29–30.5°N). Then,...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2020-06-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Marine Science |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fmars.2020.00513/full |
| _version_ | 1818293121778188288 |
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| author | David D. Chagaris David D. Chagaris William F. Patterson Micheal S. Allen Micheal S. Allen |
| author_facet | David D. Chagaris David D. Chagaris William F. Patterson Micheal S. Allen Micheal S. Allen |
| author_sort | David D. Chagaris |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Since 2010, the northern Gulf of Mexico (NGoM) has experienced two unique environmental stressors. First, the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill (DWH) impacted a broad range of taxa and habitats and resulted in declines of small demersal reef fish over the study area (88.5–85.5°W and 29–30.5°N). Then, from 2011 to 2014 the invasive Indo-Pacific lionfish (Pterois volitans) underwent exponential population growth, leading to some of the highest densities in their invaded range. The primary objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of these stressors on reef ecosystems, and specifically how invasive lionfish and fishing may have impacted recovery following DWH. Site-specific datasets on fish density and diet composition were synthesized into an Ecopath with Ecosim food web model of a NGoM reef ecosystem. The model consisted of 63 biomass groups and was calibrated to time series of abundance from 2009 to 2016. The model accounted for mortality from the DWH using forcing functions derived from logistic dose-response curves and oil concentrations. Eight stressor scenarios were simulated, representing all combinations of DWH, lionfish, and fishing. Simulated biomass differed across model groups due to singular and cumulative impacts of stressors and direct and indirect effects arising through food web interactions. Species with high exploitation rates were influenced by fishing more than lionfish following DWH. Several small demersal fish groups were predicted to be strongly influenced by either the cumulative effects of lionfish and DWH or by lionfish alone. A second group of small demersal fish benefited in the stressor scenarios due to reduced top-down predation and competition in the combined stressor scenarios. We conclude that lionfish had a major impact on this ecosystem, based on both empirical data and simulation results. This caused slower recoveries following DWH and lower fish biomass and diversity. Additionally, the lack of recovery for some groups in the absence of lionfish suggests system reorganization may be preventing return to a pre-DWH state. We intended for this work to improve our understanding of how temperate reef ecosystems, like those in the NGoM, respond to broad scale stressors and advance the state of applied ecosystem modeling for resource damage assessment and restoration planning. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-13T03:10:49Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-7f42d9155ef64d66b4e89a3b461c2af6 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2296-7745 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-13T03:10:49Z |
| publishDate | 2020-06-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Marine Science |
| spelling | doaj.art-7f42d9155ef64d66b4e89a3b461c2af62022-12-22T00:01:37ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Marine Science2296-77452020-06-01710.3389/fmars.2020.00513549984Relative Effects of Multiple Stressors on Reef Food Webs in the Northern Gulf of Mexico Revealed via Ecosystem ModelingDavid D. Chagaris0David D. Chagaris1William F. Patterson2Micheal S. Allen3Micheal S. Allen4Nature Coast Biological Station, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida, Cedar Key, FL, United StatesFisheries and Aquatic Sciences, School of Forest Resources and Conservation, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United StatesFisheries and Aquatic Sciences, School of Forest Resources and Conservation, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United StatesNature Coast Biological Station, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida, Cedar Key, FL, United StatesFisheries and Aquatic Sciences, School of Forest Resources and Conservation, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United StatesSince 2010, the northern Gulf of Mexico (NGoM) has experienced two unique environmental stressors. First, the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill (DWH) impacted a broad range of taxa and habitats and resulted in declines of small demersal reef fish over the study area (88.5–85.5°W and 29–30.5°N). Then, from 2011 to 2014 the invasive Indo-Pacific lionfish (Pterois volitans) underwent exponential population growth, leading to some of the highest densities in their invaded range. The primary objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of these stressors on reef ecosystems, and specifically how invasive lionfish and fishing may have impacted recovery following DWH. Site-specific datasets on fish density and diet composition were synthesized into an Ecopath with Ecosim food web model of a NGoM reef ecosystem. The model consisted of 63 biomass groups and was calibrated to time series of abundance from 2009 to 2016. The model accounted for mortality from the DWH using forcing functions derived from logistic dose-response curves and oil concentrations. Eight stressor scenarios were simulated, representing all combinations of DWH, lionfish, and fishing. Simulated biomass differed across model groups due to singular and cumulative impacts of stressors and direct and indirect effects arising through food web interactions. Species with high exploitation rates were influenced by fishing more than lionfish following DWH. Several small demersal fish groups were predicted to be strongly influenced by either the cumulative effects of lionfish and DWH or by lionfish alone. A second group of small demersal fish benefited in the stressor scenarios due to reduced top-down predation and competition in the combined stressor scenarios. We conclude that lionfish had a major impact on this ecosystem, based on both empirical data and simulation results. This caused slower recoveries following DWH and lower fish biomass and diversity. Additionally, the lack of recovery for some groups in the absence of lionfish suggests system reorganization may be preventing return to a pre-DWH state. We intended for this work to improve our understanding of how temperate reef ecosystems, like those in the NGoM, respond to broad scale stressors and advance the state of applied ecosystem modeling for resource damage assessment and restoration planning.https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fmars.2020.00513/fullecosystem modelingGulf of Mexico reef fishinvasive lionfishDeepwater Horizon oil spillEcopath with Ecosim |
| spellingShingle | David D. Chagaris David D. Chagaris William F. Patterson Micheal S. Allen Micheal S. Allen Relative Effects of Multiple Stressors on Reef Food Webs in the Northern Gulf of Mexico Revealed via Ecosystem Modeling Frontiers in Marine Science ecosystem modeling Gulf of Mexico reef fish invasive lionfish Deepwater Horizon oil spill Ecopath with Ecosim |
| title | Relative Effects of Multiple Stressors on Reef Food Webs in the Northern Gulf of Mexico Revealed via Ecosystem Modeling |
| title_full | Relative Effects of Multiple Stressors on Reef Food Webs in the Northern Gulf of Mexico Revealed via Ecosystem Modeling |
| title_fullStr | Relative Effects of Multiple Stressors on Reef Food Webs in the Northern Gulf of Mexico Revealed via Ecosystem Modeling |
| title_full_unstemmed | Relative Effects of Multiple Stressors on Reef Food Webs in the Northern Gulf of Mexico Revealed via Ecosystem Modeling |
| title_short | Relative Effects of Multiple Stressors on Reef Food Webs in the Northern Gulf of Mexico Revealed via Ecosystem Modeling |
| title_sort | relative effects of multiple stressors on reef food webs in the northern gulf of mexico revealed via ecosystem modeling |
| topic | ecosystem modeling Gulf of Mexico reef fish invasive lionfish Deepwater Horizon oil spill Ecopath with Ecosim |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fmars.2020.00513/full |
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