Facilitation cascades
Although the emergent interactions that arise from multiple consumers (e.g., trophic cascades) and multiple competitors (e.g., intransitive networks) are innovative concepts with fundamental implications, the interactive effects of multiple facilitators on ecosystem dynamics remain largely unexplored. We conducted experiments with co-occurring foundation species on New England cobble beaches, and found that they support a distinctive assemblage of intertidal organisms. In this system, the primary foundation species (cordgrass) ameliorates thermal stress and allows attachment of a secondary foundation species (ribbed mussels) which further buffers physical conditions by providing moist crevice space and stable, hard substrate. We termed this sequence of positive interactions a “facilitation cascade”, and predicted that facilitation cascades are widespread since many habitats such as coral reefs, salt marshes, and forest canopies are each constructed of multiple foundations species. Subsequent collaboration has tested the generality of facilitation cascades and considered their theoretical and conservation implications.
Additional work on cobble beaches revealed that both native and invasive species have positive responses to the facilitation cascade. This suggests that facilitation cascades can be an important mechanism for biotic acceptance and thereby explaining observed correlations between native biodiversity and the success of invasive species. The ability of our small-scale experiments to explain large-scale relationships between native and invasive species suggests that a whole community perspective that incorporates multiple functional/trophic groups is essential for scaling small-scale species interactions to large-scale community patterns
Much of our current field work on facilitation cascades is focused on mangrove root systems in the Caribbean.
Although the emergent interactions that arise from multiple consumers (e.g., trophic cascades) and multiple competitors (e.g., intransitive networks) are innovative concepts with fundamental implications, the interactive effects of multiple facilitators on ecosystem dynamics remain largely unexplored. We conducted experiments with co-occurring foundation species on New England cobble beaches, and found that they support a distinctive assemblage of intertidal organisms. In this system, the primary foundation species (cordgrass) ameliorates thermal stress and allows attachment of a secondary foundation species (ribbed mussels) which further buffers physical conditions by providing moist crevice space and stable, hard substrate. We termed this sequence of positive interactions a “facilitation cascade”, and predicted that facilitation cascades are widespread since many habitats such as coral reefs, salt marshes, and forest canopies are each constructed of multiple foundations species. Subsequent collaboration has tested the generality of facilitation cascades and considered their theoretical and conservation implications.
Additional work on cobble beaches revealed that both native and invasive species have positive responses to the facilitation cascade. This suggests that facilitation cascades can be an important mechanism for biotic acceptance and thereby explaining observed correlations between native biodiversity and the success of invasive species. The ability of our small-scale experiments to explain large-scale relationships between native and invasive species suggests that a whole community perspective that incorporates multiple functional/trophic groups is essential for scaling small-scale species interactions to large-scale community patterns
Much of our current field work on facilitation cascades is focused on mangrove root systems in the Caribbean.
Selected publications
Thomsen, M.S., A.H. Altieri, C. Angelini, M.J. Bishop, F. Bulleri, R. Farhan, V.M.M. Fruhling, P.E. Gribben, S.B. Harrison, Q. He, M. Klinghardt, J. Langeneck, B.S. Lanham, L. Mondardini, Y. Mulders, S. Oleksyn, A.P. Ramus, D.R. Schiel, T. Schneider, A. Siciliano, B.R. Silliman, D.A. Smale, P.M. South, T. Wernberg, S. Zhang, and G. Zotz (2022). Heterogeneity within and among co-occurring foundation species increases biodiversity. Nature Communications 13: 581.
Gribben, P.E., C. Angelini, A.H. Altieri, M.J. Bishop, M.S. Thomsen, and F. Bulleri (2019) Facilitation cascades in marine ecosystems: A synthesis and future directions. Oceanography and Marine Biology - An Annual Review: 57:127-168.
Thomsen, M.S., A.H. Altieri, C. Angelini, M.J. Bishop, P.E. Gribben, G. Lear, Q. He, D.R. Schiel, B.R. Silliman, P.M. South, D.M. Watson, T. Wernberg, G. Zotz (2018) Secondary foundation species enhance biodiversity. Nature Ecology and Evolution 2: 634-639.
Altieri, A.H. and A.D. Irving (2017) Species coexistence and the superior ability of an invasive species to exploit a facilitation cascade habitat. PeerJ 5:e2848.
Van der Zee, E., C. Angelini, L. L. Govers, M. J. A. Christianen, A. H. Altieri, K. J. van der Reijden, B. R. Silliman, J. van De Koppel, M. van der Geest, J. A. van Gils, H. W. van der Veer, T. Piersma, P. C. de Ruiter, H. Olff, and T. van der Heide (2016) How habitat-modifying organisms structure the food web of two coastal ecosystems. Proceedings of the Royal Society B-Biological Sciences 283:20152326.
Van de Koppel, J., T. van der Heide, A.H. Altieri, B.K. Eriksson, T.J. Bouma, H. Olff, B.R. Silliman (2015) Long-distance interactions regulate the structure and resilience of coastal ecosystems. Annual Review of Marine Science 7: 139-158.
Angelini, C., A.H. Altieri, B.R. Silliman, and M.D. Bertness (2011) Interactions among foundation species and their consequences for community organization, biodiversity, and conservation. BioScience 61: 782-789.
Thomsen, M.S., T. Wernberg, A. H. Altieri, F. Tuya, D. Gulbransen, K. McGlathery, M. Holmer, B.R. Silliman (2010) Habitat cascades: the conceptual context and global relevance of indirect positive effects. Integrative and Comparative Biology 50: 158-175.
Altieri, A.H., B.K. van Wesenbeeck, M.D. Bertness, B.R. Silliman (2010) Facilitation cascade explains positive relationship between native biodiversity and invasion success. Ecology 91: 1269-1275.
Altieri, A.H., B.R. Silliman, M.D. Bertness (2007) Hierarchical organization via a facilitation cascade in intertidal cordgrass bed communities. American Naturalist 169: 195-206.
Altieri, A.H. (2015) Ecosystem Engineers. Oxford Bibliographies. Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK.
Altieri, A.H. and J. Van De Koppel (2013) Foundation species in marine ecosystems. Pages 37-56 in M. D. Bertness, J. F. Bruno, B. R. Silliman, and J. J. Stachowicz, editors. Marine Community Ecology and Conservation. Sinauer Associates, Sunderland, MA.
McCoy, M.W., A.H. Altieri, C. Holdredge, M.S. Thomsen, and B.R. Silliman (2012) Facilitation. Pages 276-279 in A. Hastings and L.J. Gross editors. Encyclopedia of Theoretical Ecology. University of California Press.
Thomsen, M.S., A.H. Altieri, C. Angelini, M.J. Bishop, F. Bulleri, R. Farhan, V.M.M. Fruhling, P.E. Gribben, S.B. Harrison, Q. He, M. Klinghardt, J. Langeneck, B.S. Lanham, L. Mondardini, Y. Mulders, S. Oleksyn, A.P. Ramus, D.R. Schiel, T. Schneider, A. Siciliano, B.R. Silliman, D.A. Smale, P.M. South, T. Wernberg, S. Zhang, and G. Zotz (2022). Heterogeneity within and among co-occurring foundation species increases biodiversity. Nature Communications 13: 581.
Gribben, P.E., C. Angelini, A.H. Altieri, M.J. Bishop, M.S. Thomsen, and F. Bulleri (2019) Facilitation cascades in marine ecosystems: A synthesis and future directions. Oceanography and Marine Biology - An Annual Review: 57:127-168.
Thomsen, M.S., A.H. Altieri, C. Angelini, M.J. Bishop, P.E. Gribben, G. Lear, Q. He, D.R. Schiel, B.R. Silliman, P.M. South, D.M. Watson, T. Wernberg, G. Zotz (2018) Secondary foundation species enhance biodiversity. Nature Ecology and Evolution 2: 634-639.
Altieri, A.H. and A.D. Irving (2017) Species coexistence and the superior ability of an invasive species to exploit a facilitation cascade habitat. PeerJ 5:e2848.
Van der Zee, E., C. Angelini, L. L. Govers, M. J. A. Christianen, A. H. Altieri, K. J. van der Reijden, B. R. Silliman, J. van De Koppel, M. van der Geest, J. A. van Gils, H. W. van der Veer, T. Piersma, P. C. de Ruiter, H. Olff, and T. van der Heide (2016) How habitat-modifying organisms structure the food web of two coastal ecosystems. Proceedings of the Royal Society B-Biological Sciences 283:20152326.
Van de Koppel, J., T. van der Heide, A.H. Altieri, B.K. Eriksson, T.J. Bouma, H. Olff, B.R. Silliman (2015) Long-distance interactions regulate the structure and resilience of coastal ecosystems. Annual Review of Marine Science 7: 139-158.
Angelini, C., A.H. Altieri, B.R. Silliman, and M.D. Bertness (2011) Interactions among foundation species and their consequences for community organization, biodiversity, and conservation. BioScience 61: 782-789.
Thomsen, M.S., T. Wernberg, A. H. Altieri, F. Tuya, D. Gulbransen, K. McGlathery, M. Holmer, B.R. Silliman (2010) Habitat cascades: the conceptual context and global relevance of indirect positive effects. Integrative and Comparative Biology 50: 158-175.
Altieri, A.H., B.K. van Wesenbeeck, M.D. Bertness, B.R. Silliman (2010) Facilitation cascade explains positive relationship between native biodiversity and invasion success. Ecology 91: 1269-1275.
Altieri, A.H., B.R. Silliman, M.D. Bertness (2007) Hierarchical organization via a facilitation cascade in intertidal cordgrass bed communities. American Naturalist 169: 195-206.
Altieri, A.H. (2015) Ecosystem Engineers. Oxford Bibliographies. Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK.
Altieri, A.H. and J. Van De Koppel (2013) Foundation species in marine ecosystems. Pages 37-56 in M. D. Bertness, J. F. Bruno, B. R. Silliman, and J. J. Stachowicz, editors. Marine Community Ecology and Conservation. Sinauer Associates, Sunderland, MA.
McCoy, M.W., A.H. Altieri, C. Holdredge, M.S. Thomsen, and B.R. Silliman (2012) Facilitation. Pages 276-279 in A. Hastings and L.J. Gross editors. Encyclopedia of Theoretical Ecology. University of California Press.