Historical invasions of the intertidal zone of Atlantic North America associated with distinctive patterns of trade and emigration.
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A
; 106(20): 8239-44, 2009 May 19.
Article
in En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-19416814
ABSTRACT
Early invasions of the North American shore occurred mainly via deposition of ballast rock, which effectively transported pieces of the intertidal zone across the Atlantic. From 1773-1861, >880 European ships entered Pictou Harbor, Nova Scotia, as a result of emigration and trade from Europe. The rockweed Fucus serratus (1868) and the snail Littorina littorea ( approximately 1840) were found in Pictou during this same period. With shipping records (a proxy for propagule pressure) to guide sampling, we used F. serratus as a model to examine the introductions because of its relatively low genetic diversity and dispersal capability. Microsatellite markers and assignment tests revealed 2 introductions of the rockweed into Nova Scotia 1 from Galway (Ireland) to Pictou and the other from Greenock (Scotland) to western Cape Breton Island. To examine whether a high-diversity, high-dispersing species might have similar pathways of introduction, we analyzed L. littorea, using cytochrome b haplotypes. Eight of the 9 Pictou haplotypes were found in snails collected from Ireland and Scotland. Our results contribute to a broader understanding of marine communities, because these 2 conspicuous species are likely to be the tip of an "invasion iceberg" to the NW Atlantic from Great Britain and Ireland in the 19th Century.
Full text:
1
Collection:
01-internacional
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Snails
/
Ecosystem
/
Commerce
/
Fucus
/
Emigration and Immigration
Type of study:
Prognostic_studies
/
Risk_factors_studies
Limits:
Animals
/
Humans
Country/Region as subject:
America do norte
/
Europa
Language:
En
Journal:
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A
Year:
2009
Document type:
Article
Affiliation country:
United States