An anthropogenic habitat within a suboptimal colonized ecosystem provides improved conditions for a range-shifting species.

ABSTRACT: Many species are shifting their ranges in response to the changing climate. In cases where such shifts lead to the colonization of a new ecosystem, it is critical to establish how the shifting species itself is impacted by novel environmental and biological interactions. Anthropogenic habitats that are analogous to the historic habitat of a shifting species may play a crucial role in the ability of that species to expand or persist in suboptimal colonized ecosystems. We tested if the anthropogenic habitat of docks, a likely mangrove analog, provides improved conditions for the range-shifting mangrove tree crab Aratus pisonii within the colonized suboptimal salt marsh ecosystem. To test if docks provided an improved habitat, we compared the impact of the salt marsh and dock habitats on ecol

SUBMITTER: Cannizzo ZJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5792588 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature