1
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Gutgesell M, McCann K, O'Connor R, Kc K, Fraser EDG, Moore JC, McMeans B, Donohue I, Bieg C, Ward C, Pauli B, Scott A, Gillam W, Gedalof Z, Hanner RH, Tunney T, Rooney N. The productivity-stability trade-off in global food systems. Nat Ecol Evol 2024:10.1038/s41559-024-02529-y. [PMID: 39227681 DOI: 10.1038/s41559-024-02529-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2023] [Accepted: 07/29/2024] [Indexed: 09/05/2024]
Abstract
Historically, humans have managed food systems to maximize productivity. This pursuit has drastically modified terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems globally by reducing species diversity and body size while creating very productive, yet homogenized, environments. Such changes alter the structure and function of ecosystems in ways that ultimately erode their stability. This productivity-stability trade-off has largely been ignored in discussions around global food security. Here, we synthesize empirical and theoretical literature to demonstrate the existence of the productivity-stability trade-off and argue the need for its explicit incorporation in the sustainable management of food systems. We first explore the history of human management of food systems, its impacts on average body size within and across species and food web stability. We then demonstrate how reductions in body size are symptomatic of a broader biotic homogenization and rewiring of food webs. We show how this biotic homogenization decompartmentalizes interactions among energy channels and increases energy flux within the food web in ways that threaten their stability. We end by synthesizing large-scale ecological studies to demonstrate the prevalence of the productivity-stability trade-off. We conclude that management strategies promoting landscape heterogeneity and maintenance of key food web structures are critical to sustainable food production.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Krishna Kc
- University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada
| | | | - John C Moore
- Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | - Bailey McMeans
- University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada
| | | | | | | | - Brett Pauli
- University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada
| | - Alexa Scott
- University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada
| | | | | | | | - Tyler Tunney
- Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada
| | - Neil Rooney
- University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada
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2
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Negrín Dastis JO, McGuinness B, Tadiri CP, Yargeau V, Gonzalez A. Connectivity mediates the spatial ecological impacts of a glyphosate-based herbicide in experimental metaecosystems. Oecologia 2024; 205:709-723. [PMID: 39133237 PMCID: PMC11358246 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-024-05601-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2024] [Accepted: 07/25/2024] [Indexed: 08/13/2024]
Abstract
Metacommunity ecology has shown that connectivity is important for the persistence of a species locally and across connected ecosystems, however we do not know if ecological effects in freshwater ecosystems exposed to biocides leaking from agriculture depend on metaecosystem connectivity. We experimentally replicated metaecosystems in the laboratory using gradostats as a model system. We tested the effects of connectivity, in terms of node distance from the pollutant-source, flow rate, and a glyphosate-based herbicide, on phytoplankton productivity, diversity and stability. Gradostats were composed of interconnected equally spaced nodes where resources and phytoplankton move directionally along a gradient of increasing distance from the source of the polluting herbicide. We hypothesised that ecological effects would be stronger in the node situated closer to the point of herbicide input, but that flow would suppress phytoplankton populations in distant nodes. Overall, RoundUp impacted phytoplankton productivity and stability by reducing algal biomass and abundances. This occurred especially in the node closest to the diluted herbicide point-source and under high flow, where species abundances were heavily suppressed by the effects of the rapidly flowing herbicide. At low flow on the other hand, distant nodes where buffered from the effects of the slow-moving herbicide. No differences in beta and gamma diversity among replicate metaecosystems was found; however, a significant loss of alpha diversity in all metaecosystems occurred through time until the end of the experiment. Together, these results point to the importance of considering aquatic connectivity in management plans for monitoring and mitigating unintended ecological consequences of agrochemical runoff.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jorge Octavio Negrín Dastis
- Department of Biology, McGill University, 1205 Avenue Doctor Penfield, Montreal, QC, H3A 1B1, Canada.
- Quebec Center for Biodiversity Research Science (QCBS), Montreal, Canada.
- Fisheries and Oceans Canada, 200 Kent Street, Ottawa, ON, K1A 0E6, Canada.
| | - Brendon McGuinness
- Department of Biology, McGill University, 1205 Avenue Doctor Penfield, Montreal, QC, H3A 1B1, Canada
- Quebec Center for Biodiversity Research Science (QCBS), Montreal, Canada
| | - Christina P Tadiri
- Department of Biology, McGill University, 1205 Avenue Doctor Penfield, Montreal, QC, H3A 1B1, Canada
- Quebec Center for Biodiversity Research Science (QCBS), Montreal, Canada
- Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Basel, Vesalgasse 1, 4058, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Viviane Yargeau
- Department of Biochemistry, McGill University, 3649 Promenade Sir-William-Osler, Montreal, QC, H3A 1A3, Canada
| | - Andrew Gonzalez
- Department of Biology, McGill University, 1205 Avenue Doctor Penfield, Montreal, QC, H3A 1B1, Canada.
- Quebec Center for Biodiversity Research Science (QCBS), Montreal, Canada.
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3
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Martins LP, Garcia-Callejas D, Lai HR, Wootton KL, Tylianakis JM. The propagation of disturbances in ecological networks. Trends Ecol Evol 2024; 39:558-570. [PMID: 38402007 DOI: 10.1016/j.tree.2024.01.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2023] [Revised: 11/17/2023] [Accepted: 01/25/2024] [Indexed: 02/26/2024]
Abstract
Despite the development of network science, we lack clear heuristics for how far different disturbance types propagate within and across species interaction networks. We discuss the mechanisms of disturbance propagation in ecological networks, and propose that disturbances can be categorized into structural, functional, and transmission types according to their spread and effect on network structure and functioning. We describe the properties of species and their interaction networks and metanetworks that determine the indirect, spatial, and temporal extent of propagation. We argue that the sampling scale of ecological studies may have impeded predictions regarding the rate and extent that a disturbance spreads, and discuss directions to help ecologists to move towards a predictive understanding of the propagation of impacts across interacting communities and ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucas P Martins
- Centre for Integrative Ecology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Canterbury, Private Bag 4800, Christchurch 8140, Aotearoa New Zealand.
| | - David Garcia-Callejas
- Centre for Integrative Ecology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Canterbury, Private Bag 4800, Christchurch 8140, Aotearoa New Zealand
| | - Hao Ran Lai
- Centre for Integrative Ecology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Canterbury, Private Bag 4800, Christchurch 8140, Aotearoa New Zealand; Bioprotection Aotearoa, School of Biological Sciences, University of Canterbury, Private Bag 4800, Christchurch 8140, Aotearoa New Zealand
| | - Kate L Wootton
- Centre for Integrative Ecology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Canterbury, Private Bag 4800, Christchurch 8140, Aotearoa New Zealand
| | - Jason M Tylianakis
- Centre for Integrative Ecology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Canterbury, Private Bag 4800, Christchurch 8140, Aotearoa New Zealand; Bioprotection Aotearoa, School of Biological Sciences, University of Canterbury, Private Bag 4800, Christchurch 8140, Aotearoa New Zealand
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4
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Bas TG, Sáez ML, Sáez N. Sustainable Development versus Extractivist Deforestation in Tropical, Subtropical, and Boreal Forest Ecosystems: Repercussions and Controversies about the Mother Tree and the Mycorrhizal Network Hypothesis. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2024; 13:1231. [PMID: 38732447 PMCID: PMC11085170 DOI: 10.3390/plants13091231] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2024] [Revised: 04/23/2024] [Accepted: 04/28/2024] [Indexed: 05/13/2024]
Abstract
This research reviews the phenomenon of extractive deforestation as a possible trigger for cascade reactions that could affect part of the forest ecosystem and its biodiversity (surface, aerial, and underground) in tropical, subtropical, and boreal forests. The controversy and disparities in criteria generated in the international scientific community around the hypothesis of a possible link between "mother trees" and mycorrhizal networks in coopetition for nutrients, nitrogen, and carbon are analyzed. The objective is to promote awareness to generate more scientific knowledge about the eventual impacts of forest extraction. Public policies are emphasized as crucial mediators for balanced sustainable development. Currently, the effects of extractive deforestation on forest ecosystems are poorly understood, which requires caution and forest protection. Continued research to increase our knowledge in molecular biology is advocated to understand the adaptation of biological organisms to the new conditions of the ecosystem both in the face of extractive deforestation and reforestation. The environmental impacts of extractive deforestation, such as the loss of biodiversity, soil degradation, altered water cycles, and the contribution of climate change, remain largely unknown. Long-term and high-quality research is essential to ensure forest sustainability and the preservation of biodiversity for future generations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tomas Gabriel Bas
- Escuela de Ciencias Empresariales, Universidad Católica del Norte, Coquimbo 1780000, Chile;
| | - Mario Luis Sáez
- Facultad de Humanidades, La Serena University, Coquimbo 1700000, Chile;
| | - Nicolas Sáez
- Escuela de Ciencias Empresariales, Universidad Católica del Norte, Coquimbo 1780000, Chile;
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5
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Gonzalez A, Chase JM, O'Connor MI. A framework for the detection and attribution of biodiversity change. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2023; 378:20220182. [PMID: 37246383 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2022.0182] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2022] [Accepted: 01/31/2023] [Indexed: 05/30/2023] Open
Abstract
The causes of biodiversity change are of great scientific interest and central to policy efforts aimed at meeting biodiversity targets. Changes in species diversity and high rates of compositional turnover have been reported worldwide. In many cases, trends in biodiversity are detected, but these trends are rarely causally attributed to possible drivers. A formal framework and guidelines for the detection and attribution of biodiversity change is needed. We propose an inferential framework to guide detection and attribution analyses, which identifies five steps-causal modelling, observation, estimation, detection and attribution-for robust attribution. This workflow provides evidence of biodiversity change in relation to hypothesized impacts of multiple potential drivers and can eliminate putative drivers from contention. The framework encourages a formal and reproducible statement of confidence about the role of drivers after robust methods for trend detection and attribution have been deployed. Confidence in trend attribution requires that data and analyses used in all steps of the framework follow best practices reducing uncertainty at each step. We illustrate these steps with examples. This framework could strengthen the bridge between biodiversity science and policy and support effective actions to halt biodiversity loss and the impacts this has on ecosystems. This article is part of the theme issue 'Detecting and attributing the causes of biodiversity change: needs, gaps and solutions'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew Gonzalez
- Department of Biology, McGill University, Montreal, Canada H3A 1B1
- Quebec Centre for Biodiversity Science, Montreal, Canada H3A 1B1
| | - Jonathan M Chase
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Leipzig 04103, Germany
- Institute of Computer Science, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle (Saale) 06099, Germany
| | - Mary I O'Connor
- Department of Zoology and Biodiversity Research Centre, University of British Columbia, Vancouver V6T 1Z4, Canada
- Santa Fe Institute, Santa Fe, NM 87501, USA
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6
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Noble DT, MacDougall AS, Levison J. Impacts of soil, climate, and phenology on retention of dissolved agricultural nutrients by permanent-cover buffers. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 860:160532. [PMID: 36455728 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.160532] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2022] [Revised: 11/22/2022] [Accepted: 11/23/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Nutrient losses from farms affects environmental and human health, but retention by riparian buffers can vary by nutrient identity, flow path, soil texture, seasonality, and buffer width. On conventional farms with corn, we test the relationships between levels of dissolved nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) in downslope surface-water, and flow paths relating to porewater in soils (to 40 cm deep), groundwater of the saturated zone (to 2.5 m deep), soil nutrient pools, and changes in plant biomass and tissue quality by season. We found that the major drivers of surface-water nutrients were multi-factor and nutrient-specific, variously relating to soil, climate, vegetation uptake, and tiling on clay soils. N retention was best explained by soil type, with 10 times more surface-water N in the sand versus clay setting, despite identical fertilization rates on corn. P retention was best explained by precipitation and time of year. Vegetation uptake was strongest for shallow-soil porewater, and was greatest in buffers where root biomass was 20 times greater by weight. We were unable to detect any impact of vegetative uptake on groundwater nutrients. Overall, peak nutrient inputs to surface-water were in early summer, fall, and winter - all times when plant uptake is low. Buffers appear to be a necessary component of nutrient capture on farms, but insufficient unless partnered with measures that reduce nutrient flows at times when plants are inactive.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel T Noble
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Road East, Guelph N1G2W1, Ontario, Canada
| | - Andrew S MacDougall
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Road East, Guelph N1G2W1, Ontario, Canada.
| | - Jana Levison
- School of Engineering, Morwick G360 Groundwater Research Institute, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Road East, Guelph N1G2W1, Ontario, Canada
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7
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Li F, Qin S, Wang Z, Zhang Y, Yang Z. Environmental DNA metabarcoding reveals the impact of different land use on multitrophic biodiversity in riverine systems. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 855:158958. [PMID: 36152857 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.158958] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2022] [Revised: 08/25/2022] [Accepted: 09/19/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Human-induced changes in land use drive an alarming decline in river biodiversity and related ecosystem services worldwide. However, how different land use shapes aquatic multitrophic communities is still not well understood. Here, we used the biodiversity dataset from bacteria to fish captured by the environmental DNA (eDNA) approach in the four riverine systems with spatially different land use (i.e., Slightly disturbed group, Upstream disturbed group, Downstream disturbed group, and Strongly disturbed group) to reveal the changes in multitrophic biodiversity in relation to human land use. Firstly, our data showed that spatially different land use determined the pollutant loads of the riverine systems, most pollutants (e.g., TN and NH3-N) had significant differences among the four riverine systems. Secondly, taxonomic α diversity across multitrophic levels did not necessarily change significantly, yet the change in community structure can be considered as a more sensitive indicator to reflect different land use, because different land use shaped the unique structure of multitrophic communities, and the dissimilarity of community structure was closely associated with land use gradient (e.g., positive relationships in the Slightly disturbed group, negative relationships in the Strongly disturbed group). Thirdly, different land use induced the shifts of key taxa, resulting in the variation of community structure and the change of co-occurrence network. Overall, these findings suggest that spatially different land use plays a critical role in shaping aquatic multitrophic communities, and an in-depth understanding of the interdependences between biodiversity and land use is a critical prerequisite for formulating river management strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Feilong Li
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Water Quality Improvement and Ecological Restoration for Watersheds, School of Ecology, Environment and Resources, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China; Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), Guangzhou 511458, China
| | - Shan Qin
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Water Quality Improvement and Ecological Restoration for Watersheds, School of Ecology, Environment and Resources, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Zongyang Wang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Water Quality Improvement and Ecological Restoration for Watersheds, School of Ecology, Environment and Resources, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Yuan Zhang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Water Quality Improvement and Ecological Restoration for Watersheds, School of Ecology, Environment and Resources, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China.
| | - Zhifeng Yang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Water Quality Improvement and Ecological Restoration for Watersheds, School of Ecology, Environment and Resources, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China; Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), Guangzhou 511458, China
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8
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Peller T, Guichard F, Altermatt F. The significance of partial migration for food web and ecosystem dynamics. Ecol Lett 2023; 26:3-22. [PMID: 36443028 DOI: 10.1111/ele.14143] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2022] [Revised: 10/09/2022] [Accepted: 10/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Migration is ubiquitous and can strongly shape food webs and ecosystems. Less familiar, however, is that the majority of life cycle, seasonal and diel migrations in nature are partial migrations: only a fraction of the population migrates while the other individuals remain in their resident ecosystem. Here, we demonstrate different impacts of partial migration rendering it fundamental to our understanding of the significance of migration for food web and ecosystem dynamics. First, partial migration affects the spatiotemporal distribution of individuals and the food web and ecosystem-level processes they drive differently than expected under full migration. Second, whether an individual migrates or not is regularly correlated with morphological, physiological, and/or behavioural traits that shape its food-web and ecosystem-level impacts. Third, food web and ecosystem dynamics can drive the fraction of the population migrating, enabling the potential for feedbacks between the causes and consequences of migration within and across ecosystems. These impacts, individually and in combination, can yield unintuitive effects of migration and drive the dynamics, diversity and functions of ecosystems. By presenting the first full integration of partial migration and trophic (meta-)community and (meta-)ecosystem ecology, we provide a roadmap for studying how migration affects and is affected by ecosystem dynamics in a changing world.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tianna Peller
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland.,Eawag: Department of Aquatic Ecology, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, Dübendorf, Switzerland
| | | | - Florian Altermatt
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland.,Eawag: Department of Aquatic Ecology, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, Dübendorf, Switzerland
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9
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Ladouceur E, Blowes SA, Chase JM, Clark AT, Garbowski M, Alberti J, Arnillas CA, Bakker JD, Barrio IC, Bharath S, Borer ET, Brudvig LA, Cadotte MW, Chen Q, Collins SL, Dickman CR, Donohue I, Du G, Ebeling A, Eisenhauer N, Fay PA, Hagenah N, Hautier Y, Jentsch A, Jónsdóttir IS, Komatsu K, MacDougall A, Martina JP, Moore JL, Morgan JW, Peri PL, Power S, Ren Z, Risch AC, Roscher C, Schuchardt M, Seabloom EW, Stevens CJ, Veen G(C, Virtanen R, Wardle GM, Wilfahrt PA, Harpole WS. Linking changes in species composition and biomass in a globally distributed grassland experiment. Ecol Lett 2022; 25:2699-2712. [DOI: 10.1111/ele.14126] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2022] [Revised: 09/14/2022] [Accepted: 09/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Emma Ladouceur
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Leipzig‐Halle‐Jena Leipzig Germany
- Department of Physiological Diversity, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research – UFZ Leipzig Germany
- Department of Biology University of Leipzig Leipzig Germany
- Institute of Computer Science Martin Luther University Halle‐Wittenberg Halle (Saale) Germany
| | - Shane A. Blowes
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Leipzig‐Halle‐Jena Leipzig Germany
- Institute of Computer Science Martin Luther University Halle‐Wittenberg Halle (Saale) Germany
| | - Jonathan M. Chase
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Leipzig‐Halle‐Jena Leipzig Germany
- Institute of Computer Science Martin Luther University Halle‐Wittenberg Halle (Saale) Germany
| | - Adam T. Clark
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Leipzig‐Halle‐Jena Leipzig Germany
- Department of Physiological Diversity, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research – UFZ Leipzig Germany
- Institute of Biology Karl‐Franzens University of Graz Styria Austria
| | - Magda Garbowski
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Leipzig‐Halle‐Jena Leipzig Germany
- Department of Physiological Diversity, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research – UFZ Leipzig Germany
| | - Juan Alberti
- Laboratorio de Ecología, Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas y Costeras (IIMyC) Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET) Mar del Plata Argentina
| | - Carlos Alberto Arnillas
- Department of Physical and Environmental Sciences University of Toronto Scarborough Toronto Ontario Canada
| | - Jonathan D. Bakker
- School of Environmental and Forest Sciences University of Washington Seattle Washington USA
| | - Isabel C. Barrio
- Faculty of Environmental and Forest Sciences Agricultural University of Iceland Reykjavík Iceland
| | | | - Elizabeth T. Borer
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior University of Minnesota St. Paul Minnesota USA
| | - Lars A. Brudvig
- Department of Plant Biology and Program in Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior Michigan State University East Lansing Michigan USA
| | - Marc W. Cadotte
- Department of Biological Sciences University of Toronto Scarborough Toronto Ontario Canada
| | - Qingqing Chen
- Institute of Ecology, College of Urban and Environmental Science Peking University Beijing China
| | - Scott L. Collins
- Department of Biology University of New Mexico Albuquerque New Mexico USA
| | - Christopher R. Dickman
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences The University of Sydney Sydney New South Wales Australia
| | - Ian Donohue
- Department of Zoology Trinity College Dublin Dublin Ireland
| | - Guozhen Du
- School of Life Sciences Lanzhou University Gansu China
| | - Anne Ebeling
- Institute of Ecology and Evolution Friedrich‐Schiller University Jena Jena Germany
| | - Nico Eisenhauer
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Leipzig‐Halle‐Jena Leipzig Germany
- Institute of Biology Martin Luther University Halle—Wittenberg Halle (Saale) Germany
| | - Philip A. Fay
- USDA‐ARS Grassland Soil and Water Research Lab Temple Texas USA
| | - Nicole Hagenah
- Mammal Research Institute, Department of Zoology & Entomology University of Pretoria Pretoria South Africa
| | - Yann Hautier
- Ecology and Biodiversity Group, Department of Biology Utrecht University Utrecht The Netherlands
| | - Anke Jentsch
- Disturbance Ecology, Bayreuth Center of Ecology and Environmental Research University of Bayreuth Bayreuth Germany
| | | | - Kimberly Komatsu
- Smithsonian Environmental Research Center Edgewater Maryland USA
| | - Andrew MacDougall
- Dept of Integrative Biology University of Guelph Guelph Ontario Canada
| | - Jason P. Martina
- Department of Biology Texas State University San Marcos Texas USA
| | - Joslin L. Moore
- Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research Heidelberg Victoria Australia
- School of Biological Sciences Monash University Clayton Victoria Australia
| | - John W. Morgan
- Department of Ecology, Environment and Evolution La Trobe University Bundoora Victoria Australia
| | - Pablo L. Peri
- National Institute of Agricultural Research (INTA) Southern Patagonia National University (UNPA) CONICET Santa Cruz Argentina
| | - Sally A. Power
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment Western Sydney University Penrith New South Wales Australia
| | - Zhengwei Ren
- School of Life Sciences Lanzhou University Gansu China
| | - Anita C. Risch
- Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSL Community Ecology Birmensdorf Switzerland
| | - Christiane Roscher
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Leipzig‐Halle‐Jena Leipzig Germany
- Department of Physiological Diversity, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research – UFZ Leipzig Germany
| | - Max A. Schuchardt
- Disturbance Ecology, Bayreuth Center of Ecology and Environmental Research University of Bayreuth Bayreuth Germany
| | - Eric W. Seabloom
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior University of Minnesota St. Paul Minnesota USA
| | | | - G.F. (Ciska) Veen
- Department of Terrestrial Ecology Netherlands Institute of Ecology Wageningen the Netherlands
| | | | - Glenda M. Wardle
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences The University of Sydney Sydney New South Wales Australia
| | - Peter A. Wilfahrt
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior University of Minnesota St. Paul Minnesota USA
| | - W. Stanley Harpole
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Leipzig‐Halle‐Jena Leipzig Germany
- Department of Physiological Diversity, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research – UFZ Leipzig Germany
- Institute of Biology Martin Luther University Halle—Wittenberg Halle (Saale) Germany
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10
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Rober AR, McCann KS, Turetsky MR, Wyatt KH. Cascading effects of predators on algal size structure. JOURNAL OF PHYCOLOGY 2022; 58:308-317. [PMID: 35032342 DOI: 10.1111/jpy.13235] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2021] [Accepted: 12/29/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
The presence of edible and inedible prey species in a food web can influence the strength that nutrients (bottom-up) or herbivores (top-down) have on primary production. In boreal peatlands, wetter more nutrient-rich conditions associated with ongoing climate change are expanding consumer access to aquatic habitat and promoting sources of primary production (i.e., algae) that are susceptible to trophic regulation. Here, we used an in situ mesocosm experiment to evaluate the consequences of enhanced nutrient availability and food-web manipulation (herbivore and predator exclusion) on algal assemblage structure in an Alaskan fen. Owing to the potential for herbivores to selectively consume edible algae (small cells) in favor of more resistant forms, we predicted that the proportion of less-edible algae (large cells) would determine the strength of top-down or bottom-up effects. Consistent with these expectations, we observed an increase in algal-cell size in the presence of herbivores (2-tiered food web) that was absent in the presence of a trophic cascade (3-tiered food web), suggesting that predators indirectly prevented morphological changes in the algal assemblage by limiting herbivory. Increases in algal-cell size with herbivory were driven by a greater proportion of filamentous green algae and nitrogen-fixing cyanobacteria, whose size and morphological characteristics mechanically minimize consumption. While consumer-driven shifts in algal assemblage structure were significant, they did not prevent top-down regulation of biofilm development by herbivores. Our findings show that increasing wet periods in northern peatlands will provide new avenues for trophic regulation of algal production, including directly through consumption and indirectly via a trophic cascade.
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Affiliation(s)
- Allison R Rober
- Department of Biology, Ball State University, Muncie, Indiana, 47306, USA
| | - Kevin S McCann
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, NIG 2WI, Canada
| | - Merritt R Turetsky
- Institute of Arctic and Alpine Research and Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Department, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, Colorado, 80309, USA
| | - Kevin H Wyatt
- Department of Biology, Ball State University, Muncie, Indiana, 47306, USA
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11
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Carroll O, Batzer E, Bharath S, Borer ET, Campana S, Esch E, Hautier Y, Ohlert T, Seabloom EW, Adler PB, Bakker JD, Biederman L, Bugalho MN, Caldeira M, Chen Q, Davies KF, Fay PA, Knops JMH, Komatsu K, Martina JP, McCann KS, Moore JL, Morgan JW, Muraina TO, Osborne B, Risch AC, Stevens C, Wilfahrt PA, Yahdjian L, MacDougall AS. Nutrient identity modifies the destabilising effects of eutrophication in grasslands. Ecol Lett 2021; 25:754-765. [PMID: 34957674 DOI: 10.1111/ele.13946] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2021] [Revised: 11/09/2021] [Accepted: 11/28/2021] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
Abstract
Nutrient enrichment can simultaneously increase and destabilise plant biomass production, with co-limitation by multiple nutrients potentially intensifying these effects. Here, we test how factorial additions of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and potassium with essential nutrients (K+) affect the stability (mean/standard deviation) of aboveground biomass in 34 grasslands over 7 years. Destabilisation with fertilisation was prevalent but was driven by single nutrients, not synergistic nutrient interactions. On average, N-based treatments increased mean biomass production by 21-51% but increased its standard deviation by 40-68% and so consistently reduced stability. Adding P increased interannual variability and reduced stability without altering mean biomass, while K+ had no general effects. Declines in stability were largest in the most nutrient-limited grasslands, or where nutrients reduced species richness or intensified species synchrony. We show that nutrients can differentially impact the stability of biomass production, with N and P in particular disproportionately increasing its interannual variability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oliver Carroll
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada
| | - Evan Batzer
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of California, Davis, California, USA
| | - Siddharth Bharath
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, Minnesota, USA
| | - Elizabeth T Borer
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, Minnesota, USA
| | - Sofía Campana
- Facultad de Agronomía, IFEVA, Universidad de Buenos Aires, CONICET, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Ellen Esch
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada
| | - Yann Hautier
- Ecology and Biodiversity Group, Department of Biology, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Timothy Ohlert
- Department of Biology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
| | - Eric W Seabloom
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, Minnesota, USA
| | - Peter B Adler
- Department of Wildland Resources and the Ecology Center, Utah State University, Logan, Utah, USA
| | - Jonathan D Bakker
- School of Environmental and Forest Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Lori Biederman
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa, USA
| | - Miguel N Bugalho
- Centre for Applied Ecology "Prof. Baeta Neves" (CEABN-InBIO), School of Agriculture, University of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Maria Caldeira
- Forest Research Centre, School of Agriculture, University of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Qingqing Chen
- Institute of Ecology, College of Urban and Environmental Science, and Key Laboratory for Earth Surface Processes of the Ministry of Education, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Kendi F Davies
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado, USA
| | - Philip A Fay
- USDA-ARS Grassland Soil and Water Research Lab, Temple, Texas, USA
| | - Johannes M H Knops
- Department of health and Environmental Sciences, Xián Jiaotong-Liverpool University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Kimberly Komatsu
- Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, Edgewater, Maryland, USA
| | - Jason P Martina
- Department of Biology, Texas State University, San Marcos, Texas, USA
| | - Kevin S McCann
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada
| | - Joslin L Moore
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - John W Morgan
- Department of Ecology, Environment and Evolution, La Trobe University, Bundoora, Victoria, Australia
| | - Taofeek O Muraina
- Department of Animal Health & Production, Oyo State College of Agriculture and Technology, Igbo-Ora, Nigeria
| | - Brooke Osborne
- U.S. Geological Survey, Southwest Biological Science Center, Moab, Utah, USA
| | - Anita C Risch
- Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSL, Birmensdorf, Switzerland
| | - Carly Stevens
- Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University, Lancaster, UK
| | - Peter A Wilfahrt
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, Minnesota, USA
| | - Laura Yahdjian
- Facultad de Agronomía, IFEVA, Universidad de Buenos Aires, CONICET, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Andrew S MacDougall
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada
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12
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Burdon FJ. Understanding the connectivity of ecosystems in the Anthropocene. J Anim Ecol 2021; 90:1600-1604. [PMID: 34236087 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.13550] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2021] [Accepted: 05/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
In focus: Nash, L. N., Antiqueira, P. A. P., Romero, G. Q., de Omena, P. M., and Kratina, P. (2021). Warming of aquatic ecosystems disrupts aquatic-terrestrial linkages in the tropics. Journal of Animal Ecology. Meta-ecosystem ecology offers a holistic framework linking populations, communities and ecosystems in heterogeneous landscapes. This perspective is particularly relevant as anthropogenic drivers of environmental change proliferate, with the potential for impacts to propagate to spatially connected habitats. In aquatic ecosystems, reciprocal exchanges of energy, materials and organisms that form strong connections with adjacent terrestrial habitats can be disrupted by human impacts. Nash et al. (2021) demonstrate how a warming environment alters aquatic-terrestrial linkages by measuring rates of aquatic insect emergence and decomposition in a tropical context. While decomposition predictably increased with warming, insect emergence was greatly reduced. Using metabolic theory, I highlight how these results deviate from previous studies and help underscore the need for comparative research in different biomes. I conclude by exploring where progress can be made in quantifying, predicting and utilising the connectivity of ecosystems to fully realise the potential of a meta-ecosystem perspective and help address the dual crises of biodiversity loss and climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francis J Burdon
- Department of Aquatic Sciences and Assessment, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden
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13
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Lapointe BE, Brewton RA, Herren LW, Wang M, Hu C, McGillicuddy DJ, Lindell S, Hernandez FJ, Morton PL. Nutrient content and stoichiometry of pelagic Sargassum reflects increasing nitrogen availability in the Atlantic Basin. Nat Commun 2021; 12:3060. [PMID: 34031385 PMCID: PMC8144625 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-23135-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2020] [Accepted: 04/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
The pelagic brown macroalgae Sargassum spp. have grown for centuries in oligotrophic waters of the North Atlantic Ocean supported by natural nutrient sources, such as excretions from associated fishes and invertebrates, upwelling, and N2 fixation. Using a unique historical baseline, we show that since the 1980s the tissue %N of Sargassum spp. has increased by 35%, while %P has decreased by 44%, resulting in a 111% increase in the N:P ratio (13:1 to 28:1) and increased P limitation. The highest %N and δ15N values occurred in coastal waters influenced by N-rich terrestrial runoff, while lower C:N and C:P ratios occurred in winter and spring during peak river discharges. These findings suggest that increased N availability is supporting blooms of Sargassum and turning a critical nursery habitat into harmful algal blooms with catastrophic impacts on coastal ecosystems, economies, and human health.
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Affiliation(s)
- B E Lapointe
- Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute, Florida Atlantic University, Fort Pierce, FL, USA.
| | - R A Brewton
- Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute, Florida Atlantic University, Fort Pierce, FL, USA
| | - L W Herren
- Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute, Florida Atlantic University, Fort Pierce, FL, USA
| | - M Wang
- College of Marine Science, University of South Florida, St. Petersburg, FL, USA
| | - C Hu
- College of Marine Science, University of South Florida, St. Petersburg, FL, USA
| | | | - S Lindell
- Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, MA, USA
| | - F J Hernandez
- Division of Coastal Sciences, University of Southern Mississippi, Ocean Springs, MS, USA
| | - P L Morton
- Florida State University/National High Magnetic Field Lab, Tallahassee, FL, USA
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14
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Wyatt KH, McCann KS, Rober AR, Turetsky MR. Letter: Trophic interactions regulate peatland carbon cycling. Ecol Lett 2021; 24:781-790. [PMID: 33554469 DOI: 10.1111/ele.13697] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2020] [Revised: 12/28/2020] [Accepted: 01/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
Peatlands are the most efficient natural ecosystems for long-term storage of atmospheric carbon. Our understanding of peatland carbon cycling is based entirely on bottom-up controls regulated by low nutrient availability. Recent studies have shown that top-down controls through predator-prey dynamics can influence ecosystem function, yet this has not been evaluated in peatlands to date. Here, we used a combination of nutrient enrichment and trophic-level manipulation to test the hypothesis that interactions between nutrient availability (bottom-up) and predation (top-down) influence peatland carbon fluxes. Elevated nutrients stimulated bacterial biomass and organic matter decomposition. In the absence of top-down regulation, carbon dioxide (CO2 ) respiration driven by greater decomposition was offset by elevated algal productivity. Herbivores accelerated CO2 emissions by removing algal biomass, while predators indirectly reduced CO2 emissions by muting herbivory in a trophic cascade. This study demonstrates that trophic interactions can mitigate CO2 emissions associated with elevated nutrient levels in northern peatlands.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin H Wyatt
- Department of Biology, Ball State University, Muncie, IN, 47306, USA
| | - Kevin S McCann
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, NIG2WI, Canada
| | - Allison R Rober
- Department of Biology, Ball State University, Muncie, IN, 47306, USA
| | - Merritt R Turetsky
- Institute of Arctic and Alpine Research and Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Department, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, 80309, USA
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15
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Firkowski CR, Schwantes AM, Fortin MJ, Gonzalez A. Monitoring social–ecological networks for biodiversity and ecosystem services in human-dominated landscapes. Facets (Ott) 2021. [DOI: 10.1139/facets-2020-0114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The demand the human population is placing on the environment has triggered accelerated rates of biodiversity change and created trade-offs among the ecosystem services we depend upon. Decisions designed to reverse these trends require the best possible information obtained by monitoring ecological and social dimensions of change. Here, we conceptualize a network framework to monitor change in social–ecological systems. We contextualize our framework within Ostrom’s social–ecological system framework and use it to discuss the challenges of monitoring biodiversity and ecosystem services across spatial and temporal scales. We propose that spatially explicit multilayer and multiscale monitoring can help estimate the range of variability seen in social–ecological systems with varying levels of human modification across the landscape. We illustrate our framework using a conceptual case study on the ecosystem service of maple syrup production. We argue for the use of analytical tools capable of integrating qualitative and quantitative knowledge of social–ecological systems to provide a causal understanding of change across a network. Altogether, our conceptual framework provides a foundation for establishing monitoring systems. Operationalizing our framework will allow for the detection of ecosystem service change and assessment of its drivers across several scales, informing the long-term sustainability of biodiversity and ecosystem services.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carina Rauen Firkowski
- Department of Biology, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 1B1, Canada
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 3B2, Canada
| | - Amanda M. Schwantes
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 3B2, Canada
| | - Marie-Josée Fortin
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 3B2, Canada
| | - Andrew Gonzalez
- Department of Biology, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 1B1, Canada
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