The combined effect of dispersal and chemical stress on the composition, diversity and productivity of marine micro-algae communities

Ondertitel:Het gecombineerde effect van dispersie en chemische stress op de samenstelling, diversiteit en productiviteit van mariene micro-algen gemeenschappen

Human activities, such as the release of chemicals, induce stress to the earth’s ecosystems. Moreover, changing land use and habitat destruction decrease the habitat of species and increase fragmentation. An increasing fragmentation limits the movement, also named dispersal, of organisms between communities. Many studies have investigated how chemical stress or dispersal influence the diversity and productivity of communities. However, the way stress and dispersal may act together has only been addressed to a limited extent. In my dissertation, I therefore investigated the combined effect of chemical stress (the herbicide atrazine) and dispersal on the composition, diversity and productivity of marine microalgae communities. I also used model simulations to theoretically explore possible dispersal-diversity relationships. The presented results show that dispersal can generate changes in composition, diversity and productivity of stressed communities but that these effects depend on, among others, stress level and species identity.

ISBN:9789463571807

Jaar van publicatie:2019

Toegankelijkheid:Open