Floating aquatic weed infestations have negative socio-economic and environmental consequences to the ecosystems they invade. Despite the long history of invasion by macrophytes, only a few studies focus on their impacts on biodiversity, while the ecological benefits of biological control programmes against these species have been poorly quantified. We investigated the process of biotic homogenization following invasion by Pistia stratiotes on aquatic biodiversity, and recovery provided by biological control of this weed. Biotic homogenization is the increased similarity of biota as a result of introductions of non-native species. The study quantified the effect of P. stratiotes, and its biological control through the introduction of the weevil, Neohydronomus affinis on recruitment of benthic macroinvertebrates to artificial substrates. Mats of P. stratiotes altered the community composition and reduced diversity of benthic macroinvertebrates in comparison to an uninvaded control. However, reduction in percentage cover of the weed through biological control resulted in a significant increase in dissolved oxygen, and recovery of the benthic macroinvertebrate community that was comparable to the uninvaded state. This highlights the process of homogenization by an invasive macrophyte, providing a justification for sustained ecological and restoration efforts in the biological control of P. stratiotes where this plant is problematic.

中文翻译：

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水生菜 Pistiastratiotes L. 的生物控制促进大型无脊椎动物的生物多样性恢复：中观研究

漂浮的水草侵扰对它们侵入的生态系统具有负面的社会经济和环境影响。尽管大型植物入侵的历史悠久，但只有少数研究关注它们对生物多样性的影响，而对这些物种的生物控制计划的生态效益却没有得到很好的量化。我们研究了 Pistia striotes 入侵水生生物多样性后的生物均质化过程，以及通过生物控制这种杂草提供的恢复。生物同质化是由于引入非本地物种而增加的生物群相似性。该研究通过引入象鼻虫 Neohydronomus affinis 对底栖大型无脊椎动物募集到人工基质中，量化了 P.stratiotes 及其生物控制。P的垫子。与未入侵的对照相比，层生动物改变了群落组成并降低了底栖大型无脊椎动物的多样性。然而，通过生物控制降低杂草覆盖率导致溶解氧显着增加，底栖大型无脊椎动物群落的恢复与未入侵状态相当。这突出了侵入性大型植物的同质化过程，为在这种植物存在问题的 P. striotes 的生物控制中进行持续的生态和恢复工作提供了理由。通过生物控制降低杂草覆盖率导致溶解氧显着增加，底栖大型无脊椎动物群落的恢复与未入侵状态相当。这突出了侵入性大型植物的同质化过程，为在这种植物存在问题的 P. striotes 的生物控制中进行持续的生态和恢复工作提供了理由。通过生物控制降低杂草覆盖率导致溶解氧显着增加，底栖大型无脊椎动物群落的恢复与未入侵状态相当。这突出了侵入性大型植物的同质化过程，为在这种植物存在问题的 P. striotes 的生物控制中进行持续的生态和恢复工作提供了理由。