| Prey diversity is associated with weaker consumer effects in a meta-analysis of benthic marine experiments. | |
| | |
MedLine Citation:
|
PMID: 20050865 Owner: NLM Status: MEDLINE |
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
|
A rapidly accumulating body of research has shown that species diversity consistently affects the functioning of ecosystems. The incorporation of trophic complexity and the extension of this research to larger scales and natural ranges in species diversity remain as important challenges for understanding the true magnitude of these effects in natural systems. Here, we test whether the diversity of prey communities affects the magnitude of aggregate consumer effects. We conducted a meta-analysis of 57 consumer removal field experiments from a range of intertidal and subtidal hard substrate marine communities. We found that the richness of the prey community was the strongest predictor of the magnitude of consumer effects while controlling for habitat type, taxonomic composition, and other variables. Consumer removal increased aggregate prey abundance on average by 1200% at the lower limit of prey diversity (two species), but only 200% at the upper limit of 37 species. Importantly, compositional change was substantial at both high and low prey diversity, suggesting predation intensity did not vary with prey richness. Rather diverse prey communities appear to be more capable of maintaining abundance via compensatory responses, by containing prey species that are resistant to (or tolerant of) predators. These results suggest that the effects of species diversity on trophic interactions may scale consistently from small-scale manipulations to cross-community comparisons. |
| | |
Authors:
|
Kyle F Edwards; Kristin M Aquilino; Rebecca J Best; Kirsten L Sellheim; John J Stachowicz |
Related Documents
:
|
20586775 - Soil fertility controls the size-specific distribution of eukaryotes. 17578635 - Mesophilic actinomycetes in the natural and reconstructed sand dune vegetation zones of... 17799665 - Herbivory in rocks and the weathering of a desert. 17796675 - Recent biogenic phosphorite: concretions in mollusk kidneys. 16785165 - Estimation of efficiency of processing soil samples for pesticide residues analysis. 8491625 - 137cs levels in deer following the three mile island accident. |
Publication Detail:
|
Type: Journal Article; Meta-Analysis; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't; Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S. Date: 2009-12-29 |
Journal Detail:
|
Title: Ecology letters Volume: 13 ISSN: 1461-0248 ISO Abbreviation: Ecol. Lett. Publication Date: 2010 Feb |
Date Detail:
|
Created Date: 2010-01-27 Completed Date: 2010-04-01 Revised Date: - |
Medline Journal Info:
|
Nlm Unique ID: 101121949 Medline TA: Ecol Lett Country: England |
Other Details:
|
Languages: eng Pagination: 194-201 Citation Subset: IM |
Affiliation:
|
Center for Population Biology, University of California Davis, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616, USA. kedwards@ucdavis.edu |
Export Citation:
|
APA/MLA Format Download EndNote Download BibTex |
| MeSH Terms | |
Descriptor/Qualifier:
|
Animals Biodiversity* Food Chain* Predatory Behavior |
From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine
Previous Document: The second lineage of heart forming region provides new understanding of conotruncal heart defects.
Next Document: A simultaneous test of trophic interaction models: which vegetation characteristic explains herbivor...