An introduced plant affects aquatic-derived carbon in the diets of riparian birds

PLoS One. 2018 Nov 27;13(11):e0207389. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0207389. eCollection 2018.

Abstract

Non-native plants can impact riparian ecosystem function through diverse terrestrial and aquatic pathways, with cascading effects on food webs. Invasion-mediated vegetation changes can depress terrestrial arthropod communities and alter arthropod flux across the aquatic-terrestrial interface. We investigated the effects of a non-native woody plant, Robinia neomexicana, on insect contributions to riparian songbird diets. This plant was introduced over 100 years ago to the Clear Creek drainage in northwestern Colorado (USA) from its native range, which extends into southern Colorado. We used stable isotope analysis of insects and avian feces to 1) assess whether the relative contributions of aquatic- and terrestrial-derived arthropod prey differed between reference sites and sites invaded by R. neomexicana, and 2) quantify the amount of aquatic- and terrestrial-derived resources consumed by an insectivorous songbird assemblage. Two species of insectivorous songbirds consumed more aquatic insects in invaded sites compared to reference sites. This change in terrestrial- and aquatic-derived prey in bird diets in response to a near-range plant invasion suggests that the introduction of novel species from more distant native ranges could produce similar or stronger effects. Overall, the songbird community consumed approximately 34% aquatic resources, which highlights the importance of these subsidies to riparian consumers. Our investigation of insect subsidies demonstrates how introduced species can indirectly affect food webs and provides insight into the plasticity of riparian consumer responses.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Carbon / metabolism
  • Colorado
  • Food Chain*
  • Insecta / growth & development
  • Introduced Species*
  • Models, Biological*
  • Robinia / growth & development*
  • Songbirds / physiology*

Substances

  • Carbon

Grants and funding

This research was supported by Chevron (awarded to L.P. and W.C.; https://www.chevron.com/), the Colorado Field Ornithologists (awarded to L.S.; https://cobirds.org/CFO/Grants/), and the Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology Department, Graduate Degree Program in Ecology, and Warner College of Natural Resources at Colorado State University. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.