Data from:Artificial light at night and an invasive snail synergistically enhance the invasion of a non-native macrophyte

We conducted three experiments using an invasive macrophyte Myriophyllum aquaticum, a native macrophyte community comprising Vallisneria natans, Hydrilla verticillata, M. spicatum, an invasive snail Pomacea canaliculata, and a native snail Cipangopaludina chinensis, in our study area, to test the combined effects of ALAN and herbivory on non-native macrophyte invasions.

In the absence of grazing, ALAN increased M. aquaticum height and total biomass, but had no effect on native species. In 4-day feeding assays, P. canaliculata consumed all native species but consistently avoided M. aquaticum under both light treatments. In community mesocosms, the invasive snail reduced native macrophyte biomass by 48.0% under No-ALAN and by 87.2% under ALAN without affecting M. aquaticum, thereby increasing proportional biomass of M. aquaticum within the community, with a stronger effect under ALAN.