1
|
Merging theory and experiments to predict and understand coextinctions. Trends Ecol Evol 2022; 37:886-898. [DOI: 10.1016/j.tree.2022.06.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2022] [Revised: 06/06/2022] [Accepted: 06/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
|
2
|
Tekwa EW, Watson JR, Pinsky ML. Body size and food-web interactions mediate species range shifts under warming. Proc Biol Sci 2022; 289:20212755. [PMID: 35414233 PMCID: PMC9006017 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2021.2755] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Species ranges are shifting in response to climate change, but most predictions disregard food-web interactions and, in particular, if and how such interactions change through time. Predator-prey interactions could speed up species range shifts through enemy release or create lags through biotic resistance. Here, we developed a spatially explicit model of interacting species, each with a thermal niche and embedded in a size-structured food-web across a temperature gradient that was then exposed to warming. We also created counterfactual single species models to contrast and highlight the effect of trophic interactions on range shifts. We found that dynamic trophic interactions hampered species range shifts across 450 simulated food-webs with up to 200 species each over 200 years of warming. All species experiencing dynamic trophic interactions shifted more slowly than single-species models would predict. In addition, the trailing edges of larger bodied species ranges shifted especially slowly because of ecological subsidies from small shifting prey. Trophic interactions also reduced the numbers of locally novel species, novel interactions and productive species, thus maintaining historical community compositions for longer. Current forecasts ignoring dynamic food-web interactions and allometry may overestimate species' tendency to track climate change.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- E W Tekwa
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Natural Resources, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ, USA.,Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA.,Department of Zoology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - James R Watson
- College of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, USA
| | - Malin L Pinsky
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Natural Resources, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Häussler J, Barabás G, Eklöf A. A Bayesian network approach to trophic metacommunities shows that habitat loss accelerates top species extinctions. Ecol Lett 2020; 23:1849-1861. [PMID: 32981202 PMCID: PMC7702078 DOI: 10.1111/ele.13607] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2020] [Revised: 04/09/2020] [Accepted: 08/14/2020] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
We develop a novel approach to analyse trophic metacommunities, which allows us to explore how progressive habitat loss affects food webs. Our method combines classic metapopulation models on fragmented landscapes with a Bayesian network representation of trophic interactions for calculating local extinction rates. This means that we can repurpose known results from classic metapopulation theory for trophic metacommunities, such as ranking the habitat patches of the landscape with respect to their importance to the persistence of the metacommunity as a whole. We use this to study the effects of habitat loss, both on model communities and the plant‐mammal Serengeti food web dataset as a case study. Combining straightforward parameterisability with computational efficiency, our method permits the analysis of species‐rich food webs over large landscapes, with hundreds or even thousands of species and habitat patches, while still retaining much of the flexibility of explicit dynamical models.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Johanna Häussler
- EcoNetLab, German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Deutscher Platz 5e, Leipzig, 04103, Germany.,Institute of Biodiversity, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Dornburger-Str. 159, Jena, 07743, Germany
| | - György Barabás
- Linköping University, Linköping, SE-58183, Sweden.,MTA-ELTE Theoretical Biology and Evolutionary Ecology Research Group, Pázmány Péter sétány, Budapest, H-1117, Hungary
| | - Anna Eklöf
- Linköping University, Linköping, SE-58183, Sweden
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Cosset CCP, Gilroy JJ, Srinivasan U, Hethcoat MG, Edwards DP. Mass-abundance scaling in avian communities is maintained after tropical selective logging. Ecol Evol 2020; 10:2803-2812. [PMID: 32211157 PMCID: PMC7083669 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.6066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2019] [Revised: 01/07/2020] [Accepted: 01/09/2020] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Selective logging dominates forested landscapes across the tropics. Despite the structural damage incurred, selectively logged forests typically retain more biodiversity than other forest disturbances. Most logging impact studies consider conventional metrics, like species richness, but these can conceal subtle biodiversity impacts. The mass-abundance relationship is an integral feature of ecological communities, describing the negative relationship between body mass and population abundance, where, in a system without anthropogenic influence, larger species are less abundant due to higher energy requirements. Changes in this relationship can indicate community structure and function changes.We investigated the impacts of selective logging on the mass-abundance scaling of avian communities by conducting a meta-analysis to examine its pantropical trend. We divide our analysis between studies using mist netting, sampling the understory avian community, and point counts, sampling the entire community.Across 19 mist-netting studies, we found no consistent effects of selective logging on mass-abundance scaling relative to primary forests, except for the omnivore guild where there were fewer larger-bodied species after logging. In eleven point-count studies, we found a more negative relationship in the whole community after logging, likely driven by the frugivore guild, showing a similar pattern.Limited effects of logging on mass-abundance scaling may suggest high species turnover in logged communities, with like-for-like replacement of lost species with similar-sized species. The increased negative mass-abundance relationship found in some logged communities could result from resource depletion, density compensation, or increased hunting; potentially indicating downstream impacts on ecosystem functions. Synthesis and applications. Our results suggest that size distributions of avian communities in logged forests are relatively robust to disturbance, potentially maintaining ecosystem processes in these forests, thus underscoring the high conservation value of logged tropical forests, indicating an urgent need to focus on their protection from further degradation and deforestation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Cindy C P Cosset
- Department of Animal and Plant Sciences University of Sheffield Sheffield UK
| | - James J Gilroy
- School of Environmental Sciences University of East Anglia Norwich UK
| | - Umesh Srinivasan
- Program in Science, Technology and Environmental Policy Woodrow Wilson School for Public and International Affairs Princeton University Princeton NJ USA
| | - Matthew G Hethcoat
- Department of Animal and Plant Sciences University of Sheffield Sheffield UK
- School of Mathematics and Statistics University of Sheffield Sheffield UK
- Grantham Centre for Sustainable Futures University of Sheffield Sheffield UK
| | - David P Edwards
- Department of Animal and Plant Sciences University of Sheffield Sheffield UK
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Reczuga MK, Lamentowicz M, Mulot M, Mitchell EAD, Buttler A, Chojnicki B, Słowiński M, Binet P, Chiapusio G, Gilbert D, Słowińska S, Jassey VEJ. Predator-prey mass ratio drives microbial activity under dry conditions in Sphagnum peatlands. Ecol Evol 2018; 8:5752-5764. [PMID: 29938090 PMCID: PMC6010735 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.4114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2017] [Revised: 02/13/2018] [Accepted: 03/29/2018] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Mid- to high-latitude peatlands are a major terrestrial carbon stock but become carbon sources during droughts, which are increasingly frequent as a result of climate warming. A critical question within this context is the sensitivity to drought of peatland microbial food webs. Microbiota drive key ecological and biogeochemical processes, but their response to drought is likely to impact these processes. Peatland food webs have, however, been little studied, especially the response of microbial predators. We studied the response of microbial predators (testate amoebae, ciliates, rotifers, and nematodes) living in Sphagnum moss carpet to droughts, and their influence on lower trophic levels and on related microbial enzyme activity. We assessed the impact of reduced water availability on microbial predators in two peatlands using experimental (Linje mire, Poland) and natural (Forbonnet mire, France) water level gradients, reflecting a sudden change in moisture regime (Linje), and a typically drier environment (Forbonnet). The sensitivity of different microbial groups to drought was size dependent; large sized microbiota such as testate amoebae declined most under dry conditions (-41% in Forbonnet and -80% in Linje). These shifts caused a decrease in the predator-prey mass ratio (PPMR). We related microbial enzymatic activity to PPMR; we found that a decrease in PPMR can have divergent effects on microbial enzymatic activity. In a community adapted to drier conditions, decreasing PPMR stimulated microbial enzyme activity, while in extreme drought experiment, it reduced microbial activity. These results suggest that microbial enzymatic activity resulting from food web structure is optimal only within a certain range of PPMR, and that different trophic mechanisms are involved in the response of peatlands to droughts. Our findings confirm the importance of large microbial consumers living at the surface of peatlands on the functioning of peatlands, and illustrate their value as early warning indicators of change.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Monika K. Reczuga
- Laboratory of Wetland Ecology and MonitoringFaculty of Geographical and Geological SciencesAdam Mickiewicz UniversityPoznańPoland
- Department of Biogeography and PalaeoecologyFaculty of Geographical and Geological SciencesAdam Mickiewicz UniversityPoznańPoland
- Faculty of BiologyAdam Mickiewicz UniversityPoznańPoland
| | - Mariusz Lamentowicz
- Laboratory of Wetland Ecology and MonitoringFaculty of Geographical and Geological SciencesAdam Mickiewicz UniversityPoznańPoland
- Department of Biogeography and PalaeoecologyFaculty of Geographical and Geological SciencesAdam Mickiewicz UniversityPoznańPoland
| | - Matthieu Mulot
- Laboratory of Soil BiodiversityUniversity of NeuchatelNeuchatelSwitzerland
| | - Edward A. D. Mitchell
- Laboratory of Soil BiodiversityUniversity of NeuchatelNeuchatelSwitzerland
- Jardin Botanique de NeuchâtelNeuchatelSwitzerland
| | - Alexandre Buttler
- Laboratory of Wetland Ecology and MonitoringFaculty of Geographical and Geological SciencesAdam Mickiewicz UniversityPoznańPoland
- Swiss Federal Research InstituteWSL Site LausanneLausanneSwitzerland
- Laboratoire des Systèmes ÉcologiquesSchool of Architecture, Civil and Environmental EngineeringÉcole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL)LausanneSwitzerland
- Laboratoire de Chrono‐EnvironnementUMR CNRS 6249UFR des Sciences et TechniquesUniversité de Franche‐ComtéBesançonFrance
| | - Bogdan Chojnicki
- Department of MeteorologyFaculty of Environmental Engineering and Spatial ManagementPoznan University of Life Sciences60‐649 PoznańPoland
| | - Michał Słowiński
- Department of Environmental Resources and GeohazardPolish Academy of SciencesInstitute of Geography and Spatial OrganizationWarszawaPoland
| | - Philippe Binet
- Laboratoire de Chrono‐EnvironnementUMR CNRS 6249UFR des Sciences et TechniquesUniversité de Franche‐ComtéBesançonFrance
| | - Geneviève Chiapusio
- Laboratoire de Chrono‐EnvironnementUMR CNRS 6249UFR des Sciences et TechniquesUniversité de Franche‐ComtéBesançonFrance
- UMR CARRTEL INRA 042 University of Savoie Mont‐BlancFR‐ 73376 Le Bourget du lacFrance
| | - Daniel Gilbert
- Laboratoire de Chrono‐EnvironnementUMR CNRS 6249UFR des Sciences et TechniquesUniversité de Franche‐ComtéBesançonFrance
| | - Sandra Słowińska
- Department of Geoecology and ClimatologyPolish Academy of SciencesInstitute of Geography and Spatial OrganizationWarsawPoland
| | - Vincent E. J. Jassey
- Swiss Federal Research InstituteWSL Site LausanneLausanneSwitzerland
- Laboratoire des Systèmes ÉcologiquesSchool of Architecture, Civil and Environmental EngineeringÉcole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL)LausanneSwitzerland
- Laboratoire d'Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Environnement (Ecolab)INPT, UPS, CNRSUniversité de ToulouseToulouse CedexFrance
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Eitzinger B, Rall BC, Traugott M, Scheu S. Testing the validity of functional response models using molecular gut content analysis for prey choice in soil predators. OIKOS 2018. [DOI: 10.1111/oik.04885] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Bernhard Eitzinger
- J. F. Blumenbach Inst. of Zoology and Anthropology; Univ. of Göttingen; Untere Karspüle 2 DE-37073 Göttingen Germany
- Dept of Agricultural Sciences; Univ. of Helsinki; Helsinki Finland
| | - Björn C. Rall
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig; Leipzig Germany
- Inst. of Biodiversity, Friedrich Schiller Univ. Jena; Jena Germany
| | - Michael Traugott
- Mountain Agriculture Research Unit; Inst. of Ecology, Univ. of Innsbruck; Innsbruck Austria
| | - Stefan Scheu
- J. F. Blumenbach Inst. of Zoology and Anthropology; Univ. of Göttingen; Untere Karspüle 2 DE-37073 Göttingen Germany
- Centre of Biodiversity and Sustainable Land Use; Univ. of Göttingen; Göttingen Germany
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
García-Callejas D, Molowny-Horas R, Araújo MB. Multiple interactions networks: towards more realistic descriptions of the web of life. OIKOS 2017. [DOI: 10.1111/oik.04428] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Miguel B. Araújo
- Depto de Biogeografía y Cambio Global; Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC); Madrid Spain
- InBio/Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos (CIBIO), Univ. de Évora, Largo dos Colegiais; Évora Portugal
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Brose U, Blanchard JL, Eklöf A, Galiana N, Hartvig M, R Hirt M, Kalinkat G, Nordström MC, O'Gorman EJ, Rall BC, Schneider FD, Thébault E, Jacob U. Predicting the consequences of species loss using size-structured biodiversity approaches. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2016; 92:684-697. [PMID: 26756137 DOI: 10.1111/brv.12250] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2014] [Revised: 12/03/2015] [Accepted: 12/14/2015] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Understanding the consequences of species loss in complex ecological communities is one of the great challenges in current biodiversity research. For a long time, this topic has been addressed by traditional biodiversity experiments. Most of these approaches treat species as trait-free, taxonomic units characterizing communities only by species number without accounting for species traits. However, extinctions do not occur at random as there is a clear correlation between extinction risk and species traits. In this review, we assume that large species will be most threatened by extinction and use novel allometric and size-spectrum concepts that include body mass as a primary species trait at the levels of populations and individuals, respectively, to re-assess three classic debates on the relationships between biodiversity and (i) food-web structural complexity, (ii) community dynamic stability, and (iii) ecosystem functioning. Contrasting current expectations, size-structured approaches suggest that the loss of large species, that typically exploit most resource species, may lead to future food webs that are less interwoven and more structured by chains of interactions and compartments. The disruption of natural body-mass distributions maintaining food-web stability may trigger avalanches of secondary extinctions and strong trophic cascades with expected knock-on effects on the functionality of the ecosystems. Therefore, we argue that it is crucial to take into account body size as a species trait when analysing the consequences of biodiversity loss for natural ecosystems. Applying size-structured approaches provides an integrative ecological concept that enables a better understanding of each species' unique role across communities and the causes and consequences of biodiversity loss.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ulrich Brose
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, 04103, Leipzig, Germany.,Faculty of Biology and Pharmacy, Institute of Ecology, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, 07743, Jena, Germany
| | - Julia L Blanchard
- Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies and Centre for Marine Socioecology, University of Tasmania, 20 Castray Esplanade, Battery Point TAS 7004, Australia
| | - Anna Eklöf
- Theoretical Biology, Department of Physics, Chemistry and Biology, Linköping University, SE-581 83, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Nuria Galiana
- Ecological Networks and Global Change Group, Experimental Ecology Station, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, 09200, Moulis, France
| | - Martin Hartvig
- Center for Macroecology, Evolution and Climate, Natural History Museum of Denmark, University of Copenhagen, DK-2100, Copenhagen, Denmark.,National Institute of Aquatic Resources, Technical University of Denmark, DK-2920, Charlottenlund, Denmark.,Systemic Conservation Biology Group, J.F. Blumenbach Institute of Zoology and Anthropology, Georg-August University of Göttingen, 37073, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Myriam R Hirt
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, 04103, Leipzig, Germany.,Faculty of Biology and Pharmacy, Institute of Ecology, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, 07743, Jena, Germany
| | - Gregor Kalinkat
- Department of Biology and Ecology of Fishes, Leibniz-Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries, 12587, Berlin, Germany.,Department of Fish Ecology and Evolution, Eawag, 6047, Kastanienbaum, Switzerland
| | - Marie C Nordström
- Environmental and Marine Biology, Åbo Akademi University, FI-20520, Åbo, Finland
| | - Eoin J O'Gorman
- Imperial College London, Silwood Park Campus, Buckhurst Road, Ascot, Berkshire, SL5 7PY, UK
| | - Björn C Rall
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, 04103, Leipzig, Germany.,Faculty of Biology and Pharmacy, Institute of Ecology, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, 07743, Jena, Germany
| | - Florian D Schneider
- Institut des Sciences de l'Evolution, Université Montpellier, CNRS, IRD, EPHE, CC065, 34095, Montpellier Cedex 05, France
| | - Elisa Thébault
- Institute of Ecology and Environmental Sciences - Paris, UMR 7618 (UPMC, CNRS, IRD, INRA, UPEC, Paris Diderot), Université Pierre et Marie Curie, 75005, Paris, France
| | - Ute Jacob
- Department of Biology, Institute for Hydrobiology and Fisheries Science, Center for Earth System Research and Sustainability (CEN), KlimaCampus, University of Hamburg, 22767, Hamburg, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Evolutionary food web model based on body masses gives realistic networks with permanent species turnover. Sci Rep 2015; 5:10955. [PMID: 26042870 PMCID: PMC4455292 DOI: 10.1038/srep10955] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2014] [Accepted: 05/12/2015] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
The networks of predator-prey interactions in ecological systems are remarkably complex, but nevertheless surprisingly stable in terms of long term persistence of the system as a whole. In order to understand the mechanism driving the complexity and stability of such food webs, we developed an eco-evolutionary model in which new species emerge as modifications of existing ones and dynamic ecological interactions determine which species are viable. The food-web structure thereby emerges from the dynamical interplay between speciation and trophic interactions. The proposed model is less abstract than earlier evolutionary food web models in the sense that all three evolving traits have a clear biological meaning, namely the average body mass of the individuals, the preferred prey body mass, and the width of their potential prey body mass spectrum. We observed networks with a wide range of sizes and structures and high similarity to natural food webs. The model networks exhibit a continuous species turnover, but massive extinction waves that affect more than 50% of the network are not observed.
Collapse
|
10
|
Berg S, Pimenov A, Palmer C, Emmerson M, Jonsson T. Ecological communities are vulnerable to realistic extinction sequences. OIKOS 2014. [DOI: 10.1111/oik.01279] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Sofia Berg
- Dept of Physics, Chemistry and Biology, Div. of Theoretical Biology; Linköping Univ.; SE-58183 Linköping Sweden
- Research Centre for Systems Biology, Univ. of Skövde; PO Box 408, SE-541 28 Skövde Sweden
| | - Alexander Pimenov
- Weierstrass Inst.; Mohrenstr. 39 DE-10117 Berlin Germany
- Environmental Research Inst., Univ. College Cork; Lee Road Cork Ireland
| | | | - Mark Emmerson
- School of Biological Sciences, Queen's Univ. Belfast; 97 Lisburn Road Belfast BT9 7BL UK
| | - Tomas Jonsson
- Research Centre for Systems Biology, Univ. of Skövde; PO Box 408, SE-541 28 Skövde Sweden
- Dept of Ecology; Swedish Univ. of Agricultural Sciences; Box 7044, SE-750 07 Uppsala Sweden
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
|
12
|
Digel C, Curtsdotter A, Riede J, Klarner B, Brose U. Unravelling the complex structure of forest soil food webs: higher omnivory and more trophic levels. OIKOS 2014. [DOI: 10.1111/oik.00865] [Citation(s) in RCA: 119] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Christoph Digel
- J. F. Blumenbach Inst. of Zoology and Anthropology, Georg-August Univ.; DE-37073 Göttingen Germany
| | - Alva Curtsdotter
- Div. of Theoretical Biology, Dept of Physics, Chemistry and Biology; Linköping Univ.; SE-58183 Linköping Sweden
| | - Jens Riede
- Nationale Klimaüberwachung, Deutscher Wetterdienst DE-63067 Offenbach Germany
| | - Bernhard Klarner
- J. F. Blumenbach Inst. of Zoology and Anthropology, Georg-August Univ.; DE-37073 Göttingen Germany
| | - Ulrich Brose
- J. F. Blumenbach Inst. of Zoology and Anthropology, Georg-August Univ.; DE-37073 Göttingen Germany
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Eklöf A, Tang S, Allesina S. Secondary extinctions in food webs: a Bayesian network approach. Methods Ecol Evol 2013. [DOI: 10.1111/2041-210x.12062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Anna Eklöf
- Department of Ecology & Evolution; University of Chicago; Chicago; IL; USA
| | - Si Tang
- Department of Ecology & Evolution; University of Chicago; Chicago; IL; USA
| | | |
Collapse
|
14
|
Brose U, Dunne JA, Montoya JM, Petchey OL, Schneider FD, Jacob U. Climate change in size-structured ecosystems. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2013; 367:2903-12. [PMID: 23007078 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2012.0232] [Citation(s) in RCA: 97] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
One important aspect of climate change is the increase in average temperature, which will not only have direct physiological effects on all species but also indirectly modifies abundances, interaction strengths, food-web topologies, community stability and functioning. In this theme issue, we highlight a novel pathway through which warming indirectly affects ecological communities: by changing their size structure (i.e. the body-size distributions). Warming can shift these distributions towards dominance of small- over large-bodied species. The conceptual, theoretical and empirical research described in this issue, in sum, suggests that effects of temperature may be dominated by changes in size structure, with relatively weak direct effects. For example, temperature effects via size structure have implications for top-down and bottom-up control in ecosystems and may ultimately yield novel communities. Moreover, scaling up effects of temperature and body size from physiology to the levels of populations, communities and ecosystems may provide a crucially important mechanistic approach for forecasting future consequences of global warming.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ulrich Brose
- J. F. Blumenbach Institute of Zoology and Anthropology, University of Göttingen, , Berliner Strasse 28, 37073 Göttingen, Germany.
| | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
15
|
Eklöf A, Kaneryd L, Münger P. Climate change in metacommunities: dispersal gives double-sided effects on persistence. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2013; 367:2945-54. [PMID: 23007082 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2012.0234] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Climate change is increasingly affecting the structure and dynamics of ecological communities both at local and at regional scales, and this can be expected to have important consequences for their robustness and long-term persistence. The aim of the present work is to analyse how the spatial structure of the landscape and dispersal patterns of species (dispersal rate and average dispersal distance) affects metacommunity response to two disturbances: (i) increased mortality during dispersal and (ii) local species extinction. We analyse the disturbances both in isolation and in combination. Using a spatially and dynamically explicit metacommunity model, we find that the effect of dispersal on metacommunity persistence is two-sided: on the one hand, high dispersal significantly reduces the risk of bottom-up extinction cascades following the local removal of a species; on the other hand, when dispersal imposes a risk to the dispersing individuals, high dispersal increases extinction risks, especially when dispersal is global. Large-bodied species with long generation times at the highest trophic level are particularly vulnerable to extinction when dispersal involves a risk. This suggests that decreasing the mortality risk of dispersing individuals by improving the quality of the habitat matrix may greatly increase the robustness of metacommunities.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Anna Eklöf
- IFM, Theory and Modeling, Division of Theoretical Biology, Linköping University, 581 83 Linköping, Sweden.
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
16
|
Garay-Narváez L, Arim M, Flores JD, Ramos-Jiliberto R. The more polluted the environment, the more important biodiversity is for food web stability. OIKOS 2013. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1600-0706.2012.00218.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
|
17
|
Robustness to secondary extinctions: Comparing trait-based sequential deletions in static and dynamic food webs. Basic Appl Ecol 2011. [DOI: 10.1016/j.baae.2011.09.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 68] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
|