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Twining CW, Blanco A, Dutton C, Kainz MJ, Harvey E, Kowarik C, Kraus JM, Martin-Creuzburg D, Parmar TP, Razavi NR, Richoux N, Saboret G, Sarran C, Schmidt TS, Shipley JR, Subalusky AL. Integrating the Bright and Dark Sides of Aquatic Resource Subsidies-A Synthesis. Ecol Lett 2025; 28:e70109. [PMID: 40197707 DOI: 10.1111/ele.70109] [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: 01/06/2025] [Revised: 03/07/2025] [Accepted: 03/12/2025] [Indexed: 04/10/2025]
Abstract
Aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems are linked through the reciprocal exchange of materials and organisms. Aquatic-to-terrestrial subsidies are relatively small in most terrestrial ecosystems, but they can provide high contents of limiting resources that increase consumer fitness and ecosystem production. However, they also may carry significant contaminant loads, particularly in anthropogenically impacted watersheds. Global change processes, including land use change, climate change and biodiversity declines, are altering the quantity and quality of aquatic subsidies, potentially shifting the balance of costs and benefits of aquatic subsidies for terrestrial consumers. Many global change processes interact and impact both the bright and dark sides of aquatic subsidies simultaneously, highlighting the need for future integrative research that bridges ecosystem as well as disciplinary boundaries. We identify key research priorities, including increased quantification of the spatiotemporal variability in aquatic subsidies across a range of ecosystems, greater understanding of the landscape-scale extent of aquatic subsidy impacts and deeper exploration of the relative costs and benefits of aquatic subsidies for consumers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cornelia W Twining
- Department of Fish Ecology and Evolution, EAWAG, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, Kastanienbaum, Switzerland
- Department of Environmental Systems Science, ETH Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Andreu Blanco
- Centro de Investigación Mariña - Future Oceans Lab, Universidade de Vigo, Vigo, Spain
| | | | - Martin J Kainz
- Research Lab for Aquatic Ecosystem Research and Health, Danube University Krems, Krems an der Donau, Austria
- WasserCluster Lunz-Biological Station, Lunz am See, Austria
| | - Eric Harvey
- Centre de Recherche Sur les Interactions Bassins Versants-Écosystèmes Aquatiques, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, Trois-Rivieres, Canada
| | - Carmen Kowarik
- Department of Aquatic Ecology, EAWAG, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, Dubendorf, Switzerland
| | - Johanna M Kraus
- U.S. Geological Survey, Columbia Environmental Research Center, Columbia, Missouri, USA
| | - Dominik Martin-Creuzburg
- Department of Aquatic Ecology, Brandenburg University of Technology, Cottbus-Senftenberg, Germany
| | - Tarn Preet Parmar
- Department of Aquatic Ecology, Brandenburg University of Technology, Cottbus-Senftenberg, Germany
| | - N Roxanna Razavi
- Department of Environmental Biology, State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry, New York City, New York, USA
| | - Nicole Richoux
- Department of Zoology and Entomology, Rhodes University, Makhanda, South Africa
| | - Gregoire Saboret
- Department of Surface Waters, EAWAG, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, Kastanienbaum, Switzerland
| | - Charlie Sarran
- Centre de Recherche Sur les Interactions Bassins Versants-Écosystèmes Aquatiques, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, Trois-Rivieres, Canada
| | - Travis S Schmidt
- U.S. Geological Survey, Wyoming-Montana Water Science Center, Helena, Montana, USA
| | - J Ryan Shipley
- WSL Swiss Federal Institute of Forest, Snow, and Landscape Research, Birmensdorf, Switzerland
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2
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Fedyń I, Sobociński W, Czyżowicz S, Wyka J, Ciach M. Ecosystem engineers cause biodiversity spill-over: Beavers are associated with breeding bird assemblages on both wetlands and adjacent terrestrial habitats. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 950:175166. [PMID: 39094639 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.175166] [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: 05/07/2024] [Revised: 06/30/2024] [Accepted: 07/29/2024] [Indexed: 08/04/2024]
Abstract
The influence of ecosystem engineers on habitats and communities is commonly acknowledged in a site-bounded context, i.e. in places directly affected by the presence of the focal species. However, the spatial extent of the effects of such engineering is poorly understood, raising the question as to what impact they have on ecosystems situated beyond the species' direct influence. Beavers Castor spp., iconic ecosystem engineers, are capable of significantly transforming aquatic ecosystems. Their presence boosts biodiversity in adjacent aquatic and riparian habitats, but as a result of cascading processes, beavers may affect terrestrial habitats situated beyond the range of their immediate activity. Our study investigates the breeding bird assemblage along a spatial gradient from the water to the forest interior on central European watercourses modified and unmodified by beavers. The results show that beaver sites are characterized by a higher species richness and abundance of breeding birds than unmodified watercourses. Such sites also host a different species pool, as 27 % of the recorded bird species occurred exclusively on the beaver sites. The effect of the beaver's presence on the bird assemblage extended to adjacent terrestrial habitats located up to 100 m from the water's edge, where the species richness and abundance was higher and the species composition was substantially modified. We also found a positive correlation between the total area of beaver wetland and the numbers of bird species and individuals recorded. Our study adds to the general understanding of the spatial context of the ecosystem engineering concept, as the changes brought about by engineers have an influence beyond the area of their immediate occurrence. Our work also has implications for landscape planning and management, where existing beaver sites with terrestrial buffer zones may constitute a network of biodiversity hotspots.
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Affiliation(s)
- Izabela Fedyń
- Department of Forest Biodiversity, Faculty of Forestry, University of Agriculture, al. 29 Listopada 46, 31-425 Kraków, Poland
| | - Wojciech Sobociński
- Institute of Biology, University of Bialystok, ul. Ciołkowskiego 1J, 15-245 Białystok, Poland
| | - Sławomir Czyżowicz
- Department of Forest Biodiversity, Faculty of Forestry, University of Agriculture, al. 29 Listopada 46, 31-425 Kraków, Poland
| | - Jakub Wyka
- Department of Forest Biodiversity, Faculty of Forestry, University of Agriculture, al. 29 Listopada 46, 31-425 Kraków, Poland
| | - Michał Ciach
- Department of Forest Biodiversity, Faculty of Forestry, University of Agriculture, al. 29 Listopada 46, 31-425 Kraków, Poland.
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3
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Peller T, Altermatt F. Invasive species drive cross-ecosystem effects worldwide. Nat Ecol Evol 2024; 8:1087-1097. [PMID: 38503866 DOI: 10.1038/s41559-024-02380-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2023] [Accepted: 02/13/2024] [Indexed: 03/21/2024]
Abstract
Invasive species are pervasive around the world and have profound impacts on the ecosystem they invade. Invasive species, however, can also have impacts beyond the ecosystem they invade by altering the flow of non-living materials (for example, nutrients or chemicals) or movement of organisms across the boundaries of the invaded ecosystem. Cross-ecosystem interactions via spatial flows are ubiquitous in nature, for example, connecting forests and lakes, grasslands and rivers, and coral reefs and the deep ocean. Yet, we have a limited understanding of the cross-ecosystem impacts invasive species have relative to their local effects. By synthesizing emerging evidence, here we demonstrate the cross-ecosystem impacts of invasive species as a ubiquitous phenomenon that influences biodiversity and ecosystem functioning around the world. We identify three primary ways by which invasive species have cross-ecosystem effects: first, by altering the magnitude of spatial flows across ecosystem boundaries; second, by altering the quality of spatial flows; and third, by introducing novel spatial flows. Ultimately, the strong impacts invasive species can drive across ecosystem boundaries suggests the need for a paradigm shift in how we study and manage invasive species around the world, expanding from a local to a cross-ecosystem perspective.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tianna Peller
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland.
- Department of Aquatic Ecology, Eawag: Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, Dübendorf, Switzerland.
| | - Florian Altermatt
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland.
- Department of Aquatic Ecology, Eawag: Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, Dübendorf, Switzerland.
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4
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Britton JR. Contemporary perspectives on the ecological impacts of invasive freshwater fishes. JOURNAL OF FISH BIOLOGY 2023; 103:752-764. [PMID: 36207758 DOI: 10.1111/jfb.15240] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2022] [Accepted: 10/05/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Introductions of non-native freshwater fish continue to increase globally, although only a small proportion of these introductions will result in an invasion. These invasive populations can cause ecological impacts in the receiving ecosystem through processes including increased competition and predation pressure, genetic introgression and the transmission of non-native pathogens. Definitions of ecological impact emphasize that shifts in the strength of these processes are insufficient for characterizing impact alone and, instead, must be associated with a quantifiable decline of biological and/or genetic diversity and lead to a measurable loss of diversity or change in ecosystem functioning. Assessments of ecological impact should thus consider the multiple processes and effects that potentially occur from invasive fish populations where, for example, impacts of invasive common carp Cyprinus carpio populations are through a combination of bottom-up and top-down processes that, in entirety, cause shifts in lake stable states and decreased species richness and/or abundances in the biotic communities. Such far-reaching ecological impacts also align to contemporary definitions of ecosystem collapse, given they involve substantial and persistent declines in biodiversity and ecosystem functions that cannot be recovered unaided. Thus, while not all introduced freshwater fishes will become invasive, those species that do develop invasive populations can cause substantial ecological impacts, where some of the impacts on biodiversity and ecosystem functioning might be sufficiently harmful to be considered as contributing to ecosystem collapse.
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Affiliation(s)
- John Robert Britton
- Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Science and Technology, Bournemouth University, Poole, UK
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5
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Schmeller DS, Urbach D, Bates K, Catalan J, Cogălniceanu D, Fisher MC, Friesen J, Füreder L, Gaube V, Haver M, Jacobsen D, Le Roux G, Lin YP, Loyau A, Machate O, Mayer A, Palomo I, Plutzar C, Sentenac H, Sommaruga R, Tiberti R, Ripple WJ. Scientists' warning of threats to mountains. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 853:158611. [PMID: 36087665 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.158611] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2022] [Revised: 09/04/2022] [Accepted: 09/04/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Mountains are an essential component of the global life-support system. They are characterized by a rugged, heterogenous landscape with rapidly changing environmental conditions providing myriad ecological niches over relatively small spatial scales. Although montane species are well adapted to life at extremes, they are highly vulnerable to human derived ecosystem threats. Here we build on the manifesto 'World Scientists' Warning to Humanity', issued by the Alliance of World Scientists, to outline the major threats to mountain ecosystems. We highlight climate change as the greatest threat to mountain ecosystems, which are more impacted than their lowland counterparts. We further discuss the cascade of "knock-on" effects of climate change such as increased UV radiation, altered hydrological cycles, and altered pollution profiles; highlighting the biological and socio-economic consequences. Finally, we present how intensified use of mountains leads to overexploitation and abstraction of water, driving changes in carbon stock, reducing biodiversity, and impacting ecosystem functioning. These perturbations can provide opportunities for invasive species, parasites and pathogens to colonize these fragile habitats, driving further changes and losses of micro- and macro-biodiversity, as well further impacting ecosystem services. Ultimately, imbalances in the normal functioning of mountain ecosystems will lead to changes in vital biological, biochemical, and chemical processes, critically reducing ecosystem health with widespread repercussions for animal and human wellbeing. Developing tools in species/habitat conservation and future restoration is therefore essential if we are to effectively mitigate against the declining health of mountains.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Davnah Urbach
- Global Mountain Biodiversity Assessment, Institute of Plant Sciences, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.
| | - Kieran Bates
- Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, 11a Mansfield Road, Oxford OX1 3SZ, UK; MRC Centre for GlobaI Infectious Disease Analysis, Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, London W2 1PG, UK; Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London, Regent's Park, London NW1 4RY, UK.
| | - Jordi Catalan
- CREAF Campus UAB, Edifici C, Cerdanyola Del Valles, Spain; CSIC, Campus UAB, Cerdanyola Del Valles, Spain.
| | - Dan Cogălniceanu
- Ovidius University Constanţa, Faculty of Natural Sciences and Agricultural Sciences, Al. Universităţii 1, 900470 Constanţa, Romania
| | - Matthew C Fisher
- MRC Centre for GlobaI Infectious Disease Analysis, Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, London W2 1PG, UK.
| | - Jan Friesen
- Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ, Leipzig, Germany.
| | - Leopold Füreder
- Department of Ecology, University of Innsbruck, Technikerstr. 25, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria.
| | - Veronika Gaube
- University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Department of Economics and Social Sciences, Institute of Social Ecology (SEC), Schottenfeldgasse 29, Austria.
| | - Marilen Haver
- LEFE, Université de Toulouse, INPT, UPS, Toulouse, France.
| | - Dean Jacobsen
- Freshwater Biological Section, Dept. Biology, University of Copenhagen, Denmark.
| | - Gael Le Roux
- LEFE, Université de Toulouse, INPT, UPS, Toulouse, France.
| | - Yu-Pin Lin
- Department of Bioenvironmental Systems Engineering, National Taiwan University, Taiwan.
| | - Adeline Loyau
- LEFE, Université de Toulouse, INPT, UPS, Toulouse, France.
| | - Oliver Machate
- Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Andreas Mayer
- University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Department of Economics and Social Sciences, Institute of Social Ecology (SEC), Schottenfeldgasse 29, Austria.
| | - Ignacio Palomo
- Univ. Grenoble-Alpes, IRD, CNRS, Grenoble INP*, IGE, 38000 Grenoble, France.
| | - Christoph Plutzar
- University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Department of Economics and Social Sciences, Institute of Social Ecology (SEC), Schottenfeldgasse 29, Austria.
| | - Hugo Sentenac
- LEFE, Université de Toulouse, INPT, UPS, Toulouse, France.
| | - Ruben Sommaruga
- Department of Ecology, University of Innsbruck, Technikerstr. 25, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria.
| | - Rocco Tiberti
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences - DSTA, University of Pavia, Via Ferrata 9, 27100 Pavia, Italy.
| | - William J Ripple
- Department of Forest Ecosystems and Society, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, USA.
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6
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Lepori F. Stream pollution causes aggregation of wintering insectivorous birds through increased aquatic emergence. Front Ecol Evol 2022. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2022.926529] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Cross-boundary prey subsidies can propagate the effects of human impacts from streams to terrestrial ecosystems, but effects during winter are poorly known. Here I focused on this season and investigated the effects of pollution due to a sewage treatment plant (STP) on aquatic insect emergence and wintering insectivorous birds in a Swiss stream. At sites downstream of the STP, a combination of nutrient (phosphorus), organic (biochemical oxygen demand), and thermal pollution led to higher aquatic emergence compared to upstream sites (6× higher). In turn, the higher emergence led to a strong aggregational response by wintering insectivorous birds (8× higher linear densities compared to upstream sites). Polluted sites also had a different bird assemblage, which included rare wintering species that forage largely on aerial insects. A comparison between the polluted (downstream) sites and a nearby unpolluted stream produced similar differences. The magnitude and consistency of the effects illustrate how strongly stream alterations can propagate to birds through changes in aquatic emergence. Moreover, the results provide insights into the responses of linked stream-terrestrial food webs to other environmental issues that cause warming and/or pollution, including urbanization and climate change.
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7
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Kuechle KJ, Webb EB, Mengel D, Main AR. Seed treatments containing neonicotinoids and fungicides reduce aquatic insect richness and abundance in midwestern USA-managed floodplain wetlands. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2022; 29:45261-45275. [PMID: 35143002 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-022-18991-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2021] [Accepted: 01/27/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Agrochemicals including neonicotinoid insecticides and fungicides are frequently applied as seed treatments on corn, soybeans, and other common row crops. Crops grown from pesticide-treated seed are often directly planted in managed floodplain wetlands and used as a soil disturbance or food resource for wildlife. We quantified invertebrate communities within mid-latitude floodplain wetlands and assessed their response to use of pesticide-treated seeds within the floodplain. We collected and tested aqueous and sediment samples for pesticides in addition to sampling aquatic invertebrates from 22 paired wetlands. Samples were collected twice in 2016 (spring [pre-water level drawdown] and autumn [post-water level flood-up]) followed by a third sampling period (spring 2017). Meanwhile, during the summer of 2016, a portion of study wetlands were planted with either pesticide-treated or untreated corn seed. Neonicotinoid toxic equivalencies (NI-EQs) for sediment (X̅ = 0.58 μg/kg), water (X̅ = 0.02 μg/L), and sediment fungicide concentrations (X̅ = 0.10 μg/kg) were used to assess potential effects on wetland invertebrates. An overall decrease in aquatic insect richness and abundance was associated with greater NI-EQs in wetland water and sediments, as well as with sediment fungicide concentration. Post-treatment, treated wetlands displayed a decrease in insect taxa-richness and abundance before recovering by the spring of 2017. Information on timing and magnitude of aquatic insect declines will be useful when considering the use of seed treatments for wildlife management. More broadly, this study brings attention to how agriculture is used in wetland management and conservation planning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kyle J Kuechle
- Missouri Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, School of Natural Resources, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, 65211, USA.
- Great Plains Regional Office, Ducks Unlimited, Inc, 2525 River Road, Bismarck, ND, 58503, USA.
| | - Elisabeth B Webb
- Missouri Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, School of Natural Resources, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, 65211, USA
- U.S. Geological Survey, Missouri Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, Columbia, MO, 65211, USA
| | - Doreen Mengel
- Missouri Department of Conservation, Science Branch, Columbia, MO, 65201, USA
| | - Anson R Main
- Missouri Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, School of Natural Resources, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, 65211, USA
- Department of Pesticide Regulation, California Environmental Protection Agency, Sacramento, CA, 95812, USA
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8
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Milardi M, Green AJ, Mancini M, Trotti P, Kiljunen M, Torniainen J, Castaldelli G. Invasive catfish in northern Italy and their impacts on waterbirds. NEOBIOTA 2022. [DOI: 10.3897/neobiota.72.80500] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
Predatory fish have occasionally been observed preying on birds, sometimes repeatedly, but few studies were able to unravel the overall significance of avian prey in fish diet and the predation impacts on bird populations. We used a control/impact study setup, using a Nature Reserve in northern Italy and a nearby control area, to determine: 1) the contribution of waterbirds to wels catfish diet in the Reserve, 2) the population density of wels catfish in the Reserve and control area and 3) the potential impacts of waterbird depredation by wels catfish on waterbird population trends. Our stable isotope Bayesian mixing model indicated that birds contributed 12.2% (5–27.9%, 50% confidence interval) of the diet of large wels catfish (> 98 cm in total length). Large individuals constituted the majority of the population in the shoreline areas of the reserve in 2013–2019, where the population was stable despite control efforts. Numbers were below detectable levels in the control area. Large wels catfish consumed an average of 224, 148 and 187 kg of birds during the 2019 chick growing period, as estimated through three different bioenergetic models. Compared to the control area, mallard reproductive success was diminished in the Reserve, likely due to higher rates of fish predation, although effects were variable in different years. Overall, our data suggest that high densities of invasive wels catfish might impact waterbird reproductive success through predation on bird chicks, but further studies would be needed to reduce uncertainties related to the intrinsic variability of field ecology data. Our study constitutes a preliminary attempt to assess the potential of introduced wels catfish to affect the conservation value of waterbird protection areas, and should be repeated at broader spatial and temporal scales.
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9
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O’Gorman EJ, Chemshirova I, McLaughlin ÓB, Stewart RIA. Impacts of Warming on Reciprocal Subsidies Between Aquatic and Terrestrial Ecosystems. Front Ecol Evol 2021. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2021.795603] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Cross-ecosystem subsidies are important as their recipients often rely on them to supplement in situ resource availability. Global warming has the potential to alter the quality and quantity of these subsidies, but our knowledge of these effects is currently limited. Here, we quantified the biomass and diversity of the invertebrates exchanged between freshwater streams and terrestrial grasslands in a natural warming experiment in Iceland. We sampled invertebrates emerging from the streams, those landing on the water surface, ground-dwelling invertebrates falling into the streams, and those drifting through the streams. Emerging invertebrate biomass or diversity did not change with increasing temperature, suggesting no effect of warming on aquatic subsidies to the terrestrial environment over the 1-month duration of the study. The biomass and diversity of aerial invertebrates of terrestrial origin landing on the streams increased with temperature, underpinned by increasing abundance and species richness, indicating that the greater productivity of the warmer streams may attract more foraging insects. The biomass of ground-dwelling invertebrates falling into the streams also increased with temperature, underpinned by increasing body mass and species evenness, suggesting that soil warming leads to terrestrial communities dominated by larger, more mobile organisms, and thus more in-fall to the streams. The biomass and diversity of terrestrial invertebrates in the drift decreased with temperature, however, underpinned by decreasing abundance and species richness, reflecting upstream consumption due to the higher energetic demands of aquatic consumers in warmer environments. These results highlight the potential for asynchronous responses to warming for reciprocal subsidies between aquatic and terrestrial environments and the importance of further research on warming impacts at the interface of these interdependent ecosystems.
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10
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Schmidt BR, BĂncilĂ RI, Hartel T, Grossenbacher K, Schaub M. Shifts in amphibian population dynamics in response to a change in the predator community. Ecosphere 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.3528] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Benedikt R. Schmidt
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies University of Zurich Winterthurerstrasse 190 ZurichCH‐8057Switzerland
- Info fauna karch UniMail, Bâtiment G, Bellevaux 51 NeuchatelCH‐2000Switzerland
| | - Raluca I. BĂncilĂ
- “Emil Racoviţă” Institute of Speleology of Romanian Academy 13 Sptembrie Road, No. 13 Bucharest050711Romania
- Hungarian Department of Biology and Ecology and Center of Systems Biology, Biodiversity and Bioresources Babes‐Bolyai University Cluj‐Napoca Romania
| | - Tibor Hartel
- Hungarian Department of Biology and Ecology and Center of Systems Biology, Biodiversity and Bioresources Babes‐Bolyai University Cluj‐Napoca Romania
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11
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Tiberti R, Buchaca T, Boiano D, Knapp RA, Pou Rovira Q, Tavecchia G, Ventura M, Tenan S. Alien fish eradication from high mountain lakes by multiple removal methods: Estimating residual abundance and eradication probability in open populations. J Appl Ecol 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2664.13857] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Rocco Tiberti
- Water Research Institute ‐ National Research Council (IRSA‐CNR) Verbania Italy
| | - Teresa Buchaca
- Integrative Freshwater Ecology GroupCentre for Advanced Studies of Blanes (CEAB‐CSIC) Blanes Spain
| | - Daniel Boiano
- National Park Service Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks Three Rivers CA USA
| | - Roland A. Knapp
- Sierra Nevada Aquatic Research Laboratory University of California Mammoth Lakes CA USA
| | - Quim Pou Rovira
- SorellóEstudis al Medi AquàticParc Científic i Tecnològic de la Universitat de Girona 17003 Girona Spain
| | - Giacomo Tavecchia
- Animal Demography and Ecology Unit (GEDA) IMEDEA (CSIC‐UIB) Esporles Spain
| | - Marc Ventura
- Integrative Freshwater Ecology GroupCentre for Advanced Studies of Blanes (CEAB‐CSIC) Blanes Spain
| | - Simone Tenan
- Institute of Marine Sciences National Research Council (CNR‐ISMAR) Venezia Italy
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12
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Banting ALK, Taylor MK, Vinebrooke RD, Carli CM, Poesch MS. Assisted colonization of a regionally native predator impacts benthic invertebrates in fishless mountain lakes. CONSERVATION SCIENCE AND PRACTICE 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/csp2.344] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Allison L. K. Banting
- Parks Canada Agency Banff National Park Alberta Canada
- Department of Renewable Resources University of Alberta Edmonton Alberta Canada
| | - Mark K. Taylor
- Parks Canada Agency Banff National Park Alberta Canada
- Department of Renewable Resources University of Alberta Edmonton Alberta Canada
| | - Rolf D. Vinebrooke
- Department of Biological Sciences University of Alberta Edmonton Alberta Canada
| | | | - Mark S. Poesch
- Department of Renewable Resources University of Alberta Edmonton Alberta Canada
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13
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Parkinson E, Lawson J, Tiegs SD. Artificial light at night at the terrestrial-aquatic interface: Effects on predators and fluxes of insect prey. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0240138. [PMID: 33031444 PMCID: PMC7544032 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0240138] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2020] [Accepted: 09/21/2020] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
The outcomes of species interactions–such as those between predators and prey–increasingly depend on environmental conditions that are modified by human activities. Light is among the most fundamental environmental parameters, and humans have dramatically altered natural light regimes across much of the globe through the addition of artificial light at night (ALAN). The consequences for species interactions, communities and ecosystems are just beginning to be understood. Here we present findings from a replicated field experiment that simulated over-the-water lighting in the littoral zone of a small lake. We evaluated responses by emergent aquatic insects and terrestrial invertebrate communities, and riparian predators (tetragnathid spiders). On average ALAN plots had 51% more spiders than control plots that were not illuminated. Mean individual spider body mass was greater in ALAN plots relative to controls, an effect that was strongly sex-dependent; mean male body mass was 34% greater in ALAN plots while female body mass was 176% greater. The average number of prey items captured in spider webs was 139% greater on ALAN mesocosms, an effect attributed to emergent aquatic insects. Non-metric multidimensional scaling and a multiple response permutation procedure revealed significantly different invertebrate communities captured in pan traps positioned in ALAN plots and controls. Control plots had taxonomic-diversity values (as H’) that were 58% greater than ALAN plots, and communities that were 83% more-even. We attribute these differences to the aquatic family Caenidae which was the dominant family across both light treatments, but was 818% more abundant in ALAN plots. Our findings show that when ALAN is located in close proximity to freshwater it can concentrate fluxes of emergent aquatic insects, and that terrestrial predators in the littoral zone can compound this effect and intercept resource flows, preventing them from entering the terrestrial realm.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth Parkinson
- Department of Biological Sciences, Oakland University, Rochester, Michigan, United States of America
| | - Justine Lawson
- Department of Biological Sciences, Oakland University, Rochester, Michigan, United States of America
| | - Scott D. Tiegs
- Department of Biological Sciences, Oakland University, Rochester, Michigan, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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Hotaling S, Kelley JL, Frandsen PB. Aquatic Insects Are Dramatically Underrepresented in Genomic Research. INSECTS 2020; 11:E601. [PMID: 32899516 PMCID: PMC7563230 DOI: 10.3390/insects11090601] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2020] [Revised: 09/01/2020] [Accepted: 09/03/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Aquatic insects comprise 10% of all insect diversity, can be found on every continent except Antarctica, and are key components of freshwater ecosystems. However, aquatic insect genome biology lags dramatically behind that of terrestrial insects. If genomic effort was spread evenly, one aquatic insect genome would be sequenced for every ~9 terrestrial insect genomes. Instead, ~24 terrestrial insect genomes have been sequenced for every aquatic insect genome. This discrepancy is even more dramatic if the quality of genomic resources is considered; for instance, while no aquatic insect genome has been assembled to the chromosome level, 29 terrestrial insect genomes spanning four orders have. We argue that a lack of aquatic insect genomes is not due to any underlying difficulty (e.g., small body sizes or unusually large genomes), yet it is severely hampering aquatic insect research at both fundamental and applied scales. By expanding the availability of aquatic insect genomes, we will gain key insight into insect diversification and empower future research for a globally important taxonomic group.
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Affiliation(s)
- Scott Hotaling
- School of Biological Sciences, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164, USA;
| | - Joanna L. Kelley
- School of Biological Sciences, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164, USA;
| | - Paul B. Frandsen
- Department of Plant and Wildlife Sciences, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT 84062, USA
- Data Science Lab, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC 20002, USA
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15
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Burpee BT, Saros JE. Cross-ecosystem nutrient subsidies in Arctic and alpine lakes: implications of global change for remote lakes. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE. PROCESSES & IMPACTS 2020; 22:1166-1189. [PMID: 32159183 DOI: 10.1039/c9em00528e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Environmental change is continuing to affect the flow of nutrients, material and organisms across ecosystem boundaries. These cross-system flows are termed ecosystem subsidies. Here, we synthesize current knowledge of cross-ecosystem nutrient subsidies between remote lakes and their surrounding terrain, cryosphere, and atmosphere. Remote Arctic and alpine lakes are ideal systems to study the effects of cross ecosystem subsidies because (a) they are positioned in locations experiencing rapid environmental changes, (b) they are ecologically sensitive to even small subsidy changes, (c) they have easily defined ecosystem boundaries, and (d) a variety of standard methods exist that allow for quantification of lake subsidies and their impacts on ecological communities and ecosystem functions. We highlight similarities and differences between Arctic and alpine systems and identify current knowledge gaps to be addressed with future work. It is important to understand the dynamics of nutrient and material flows between lakes and their environments in order to improve our ability to predict ecosystem responses to continued environmental change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin T Burpee
- Climate Change Institute and School of Biology and Ecology, University of Maine, Orono, ME, USA.
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16
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Hotaling S, Wimberger PH, Kelley JL, Watts HE. Macroinvertebrates on glaciers: a key resource for terrestrial food webs? Ecology 2020; 101:e02947. [DOI: 10.1002/ecy.2947] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2019] [Accepted: 11/11/2019] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Scott Hotaling
- School of Biological Sciences Washington State University Pullman Washington 99164 USA
| | - Peter H. Wimberger
- Biology Department Slater Museum of Natural History University of Puget Sound Tacoma Washington 98416 USA
| | - Joanna L. Kelley
- School of Biological Sciences Washington State University Pullman Washington 99164 USA
| | - Heather E. Watts
- School of Biological Sciences Washington State University Pullman Washington 99164 USA
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17
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Nanoparticles transported from aquatic to terrestrial ecosystems via emerging aquatic insects compromise subsidy quality. Sci Rep 2019; 9:15676. [PMID: 31666603 PMCID: PMC6821837 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-52096-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2018] [Accepted: 10/12/2019] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Nanoparticle contaminants enter aquatic ecosystems and are transported along the stream network. Here, we demonstrate a novel pathway for the return of nanoparticles from aquatic to terrestrial ecosystems via cross-boundary subsidies. During their emergence, trichopteran caddisflies carried titanium dioxide and gold nanoparticles into their terrestrial life stages. Moreover, their emergence was delayed by ≤30 days, and their energy reserves were depleted by ≤25%. Based on worst case estimates, it is suggested that terrestrial predators, such as bats feeding on aquatic prey, may ingest up to three orders of magnitude higher gold levels than anticipated for humans. Additionally, terrestrial predator species may suffer from alterations in the temporal availability and nutritional quality of their prey. Considering the substantial transfer of insect biomass to terrestrial ecosystems, nanoparticles may decouple aquatic and terrestrial food webs with important (meta-)ecosystem level consequences.
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18
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Wesner JS, Swanson DL, Dixon MD, Soluk DA, Quist DJ, Yager LA, Warmbold JW, Oddy E, Seidel TC. Loss of Potential Aquatic-Terrestrial Subsidies Along the Missouri River Floodplain. Ecosystems 2019. [DOI: 10.1007/s10021-019-00391-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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19
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Preliminary estimation of the export of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids from aquatic to terrestrial ecosystems in biomes via emergent insects. ECOLOGICAL COMPLEXITY 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ecocom.2019.03.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
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20
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Koel TM, Tronstad LM, Arnold JL, Gunther KA, Smith DW, Syslo JM, White PJ. Predatory fish invasion induces within and across ecosystem effects in Yellowstone National Park. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2019; 5:eaav1139. [PMID: 30906863 PMCID: PMC6426464 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.aav1139] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2018] [Accepted: 01/31/2019] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Abstract
Predatory fish introduction can cause cascading changes within recipient freshwater ecosystems. Linkages to avian and terrestrial food webs may occur, but effects are thought to attenuate across ecosystem boundaries. Using data spanning more than four decades (1972-2017), we demonstrate that lake trout invasion of Yellowstone Lake added a novel, piscivorous trophic level resulting in a precipitous decline of prey fish, including Yellowstone cutthroat trout. Plankton assemblages within the lake were altered, and nutrient transport to tributary streams was reduced. Effects across the aquatic-terrestrial ecosystem boundary remained strong (log response ratio ≤ 1.07) as grizzly bears and black bears necessarily sought alternative foods. Nest density and success of ospreys greatly declined. Bald eagles shifted their diet to compensate for the cutthroat trout loss. These interactions across multiple trophic levels both within and outside of the invaded lake highlight the potential substantial influence of an introduced predatory fish on otherwise pristine ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Todd M. Koel
- Yellowstone Center for Resources, Mammoth Hot Springs, Yellowstone National Park, WY 82190, USA
| | - Lusha M. Tronstad
- Wyoming Natural Diversity Database, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY 82071, USA
| | - Jeffrey L. Arnold
- Yellowstone Center for Resources, Mammoth Hot Springs, Yellowstone National Park, WY 82190, USA
| | - Kerry A. Gunther
- Yellowstone Center for Resources, Mammoth Hot Springs, Yellowstone National Park, WY 82190, USA
| | - Douglas W. Smith
- Yellowstone Center for Resources, Mammoth Hot Springs, Yellowstone National Park, WY 82190, USA
| | - John M. Syslo
- Montana Cooperative Fishery Research Unit, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT 59717, USA
| | - Patrick J. White
- Yellowstone Center for Resources, Mammoth Hot Springs, Yellowstone National Park, WY 82190, USA
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21
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Chiapella AM, Nielsen-Pincus M, Strecker AL. Public perceptions of mountain lake fisheries management in national parks. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2018; 226:169-179. [PMID: 30119041 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2018.08.040] [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: 03/21/2018] [Revised: 08/06/2018] [Accepted: 08/07/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
The legacy of fish stocking in mountain lake ecosystems has left behind a challenge for land managers around the globe. In the US and Canada, historically fishless mountain lakes have been stocked with trout for over a century. These non-native trout have cascading ecosystem effects, and can accumulate atmospherically deposited contaminants. While the negative impacts of stocking in these ecosystems have become increasingly apparent, wilderness fishing has garnered cultural value in the angling community. As a result, public lands managers are left with conflicting priorities. National park managers across the western US are actively trying to reconcile the cultural and ecological values of mountain lakes through the development of management plans for mountain lake fisheries. However, visitors' social perceptions, attitudes, and values regarding mountain lake fisheries management have remained unquantified, and thus largely left out of the decision-making process. Our study evaluated the recreation habits, values, and attitudes of national park visitors towards fish stocking and management of mountain lakes of two national parks in the Pacific Northwest. We found that most visitors favor fish removal using a conservation approach, whereby sensitive lakes are restored, while fish populations are maintained in lakes that are more resilient. An important consideration for managers is that many mountain lake anglers consume fish on an annual basis, thus we emphasize the use of outreach and education regarding the accumulation of contaminants in fish tissues. Our findings help elucidate the conflicting views of stakeholders, and we provide recommendations to inform management of mountain lakes fisheries in North America and abroad.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ariana M Chiapella
- Portland State University, Department of Environmental Science and Management, P.O. Box 751, Portland, OR 97207, USA.
| | - Max Nielsen-Pincus
- Portland State University, Department of Environmental Science and Management, P.O. Box 751, Portland, OR 97207, USA
| | - Angela L Strecker
- Portland State University, Department of Environmental Science and Management, P.O. Box 751, Portland, OR 97207, USA
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22
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Recovery of high mountain Alpine lakes after the eradication of introduced brook trout Salvelinus fontinalis using non-chemical methods. Biol Invasions 2018. [DOI: 10.1007/s10530-018-1867-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
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Buckner EV, Hernández DL, Samhouri JF. Conserving connectivity: Human influence on subsidy transfer and relevant restoration efforts. AMBIO 2018; 47:493-503. [PMID: 29127669 PMCID: PMC5884764 DOI: 10.1007/s13280-017-0989-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2017] [Revised: 07/14/2017] [Accepted: 10/27/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Conservation efforts tend to focus on the direct impacts humans have on their surrounding environment; however there are also many ways in which people indirectly affect ecosystems. Recent research on ecological subsidies-the transfer of energy and nutrients from one ecosystem to another-has highlighted the importance of nutrient exchange for maintaining productivity and diversity at a landscape scale, while also pointing toward the fragility of ecotones and vulnerability of subsidies to human activities. We review the recent literature on landscape connectivity and ecosystem subsidies from aquatic systems to terrestrial systems. Based on this review, we propose a conceptual model of how human activities may alter or eliminate the flow of energy and nutrients between ecosystems by influencing the delivery of subsidies along the pathway of transfer. To demonstrate the utility of this conceptual model, we discuss it in the context of case studies of subsidies derived from salmon, marine mammals, sea turtles, sea birds, and shoreline debris. Subsidy restoration may require a different set of actions from simply reversing the pathway of degradation. We suggest that effective restoration and conservation efforts will require a multifaceted approach, targeting many steps along the subsidy transfer pathway, to address these issues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily V. Buckner
- Department of Biology, Carleton College, 1 North College Street, Northfield, MN 55057 USA
- Present Address: 3324 E Laurelhurst DR NE, Seattle, WA 98105 USA
| | - Daniel L. Hernández
- Department of Biology, Carleton College, 1 North College Street, Northfield, MN 55057 USA
| | - Jameal F. Samhouri
- Conservation Biology Division, Northwest Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 2725 Montlake Boulevard East, Seattle, WA 98112 USA
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24
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Saunders WC, Bouwes N, McHugh P, Jordan CE. A network model for primary production highlights linkages between salmonid populations and autochthonous resources. Ecosphere 2018. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.2131] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- W. Carl Saunders
- Department of Watershed Sciences; Utah State University; 5210 Old Main Hill Logan Utah 84321 USA
- Eco Logical Research; Providence P.O. Box 706 Utah 84332 USA
| | - Nicolaas Bouwes
- Department of Watershed Sciences; Utah State University; 5210 Old Main Hill Logan Utah 84321 USA
- Eco Logical Research; Providence P.O. Box 706 Utah 84332 USA
| | - Peter McHugh
- Department of Watershed Sciences; Utah State University; 5210 Old Main Hill Logan Utah 84321 USA
- Eco Logical Research; Providence P.O. Box 706 Utah 84332 USA
| | - Chris E. Jordan
- Northwest Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, NOAA; 2725 Montlake Boulevard East Seattle Washington 98112 USA
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25
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Pitcher KA, Soluk DA. Fish presence and inter-patch connectivity interactively alter the size of emergent insects in experimental enclosures. Ecosphere 2018. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.2118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Kristopher A. Pitcher
- Department of Biology; University of South Dakota; 414 E. Clark Street Vermillion South Dakota 57069 USA
| | - Daniel A. Soluk
- Department of Biology; University of South Dakota; 414 E. Clark Street Vermillion South Dakota 57069 USA
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26
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McCauley DJ, Gellner G, Martinez ND, Williams RJ, Sandin SA, Micheli F, Mumby PJ, McCann KS. On the prevalence and dynamics of inverted trophic pyramids and otherwise top-heavy communities. Ecol Lett 2018; 21:439-454. [PMID: 29316114 DOI: 10.1111/ele.12900] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2017] [Revised: 08/18/2017] [Accepted: 11/24/2017] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Classically, biomass partitioning across trophic levels was thought to add up to a pyramidal distribution. Numerous exceptions have, however, been noted including complete pyramidal inversions. Elevated levels of biomass top-heaviness (i.e. high consumer/resource biomass ratios) have been reported from Arctic tundra communities to Brazilian phytotelmata, and in species assemblages as diverse as those dominated by sharks and ants. We highlight two major pathways for creating top-heaviness, via: (1) endogenous channels that enhance energy transfer across trophic boundaries within a community and (2) exogenous pathways that transfer energy into communities from across spatial and temporal boundaries. Consumer-resource models and allometric trophic network models combined with niche models reveal the nature of core mechanisms for promoting top-heaviness. Outputs from these models suggest that top-heavy communities can be stable, but they also reveal sources of instability. Humans are both increasing and decreasing top-heaviness in nature with ecological consequences. Current and future research on the drivers of top-heaviness can help elucidate fundamental mechanisms that shape the architecture of ecological communities and govern energy flux within and between communities. Questions emerging from the study of top-heaviness also usefully draw attention to the incompleteness and inconsistency by which ecologists often establish definitional boundaries for communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Douglas J McCauley
- University of California Santa Barbara, Ecology, Evolution and Marine Biology & Marine Science Institute, Santa Barbara, CA, 93106, USA
| | - Gabriel Gellner
- Colorado State University, Biology, Fort Collins, CO, 80523, USA
| | - Neo D Martinez
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, 85721, USA
| | | | - Stuart A Sandin
- Center for Marine Biodiversity and Conservation, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, 8750 Biological Grade, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
| | - Fiorenza Micheli
- Hopkins Marine Station and Center for Ocean Solutions, Stanford University, Pacific Grove, CA, 93950, USA
| | - Peter J Mumby
- Marine Spatial Ecology Lab, School of Biological Sciences, Goddard Bldg, The University of Queensland, St Lucia Qld, 4072, Australia
| | - Kevin S McCann
- University of Guelph, Integrative Biology, Guelph, ON, N1G 2W1, Canada
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27
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Kenny HV, Wright AN, Piovia-Scott J, Yang LH, Spiller DA, Schoener TW. Marine subsidies change short-term foraging activity and habitat utilization of terrestrial lizards. Ecol Evol 2018; 7:10701-10709. [PMID: 29299250 PMCID: PMC5743576 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.3560] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2017] [Revised: 09/08/2017] [Accepted: 09/28/2017] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Resource pulses are brief periods of unusually high resource abundance. While population and community responses to resource pulses have been relatively well studied, how individual consumers respond to resource pulses has received less attention. Local consumers are often the first to respond to a resource pulse, and the form and timing of individual responses may influence how the effects of the pulse are transmitted throughout the community. Previous studies in Bahamian food webs have shown that detritivores associated with pulses of seaweed wrack provide an alternative prey source for lizards. When seaweed is abundant, lizards (Anolis sagrei) shift to consuming more marine‐derived prey and increase in density, which has important consequences for other components of the food web. We hypothesized that the diet shift requires individuals to alter their habitat use and foraging activity and that such responses may happen very rapidly. In this study, we used recorded video observations to investigate the immediate responses of lizards to an experimental seaweed pulse. We added seaweed to five treatment plots for comparison with five control plots. Immediately after seaweed addition, lizards decreased average perch height and increased movement rate, but these effects persisted for only 2 days. To explore the short‐term nature of the response, we used our field data to parametrize heuristic Markov chain models of perch height as a function of foraging state. These models suggest a “Synchronized‐satiation Hypothesis,” whereby lizards respond synchronously and feed quickly to satiation in the presence of a subsidy (causing an initial decrease in average perch height) and then return to the relative safety of higher perches. We suggest that the immediate responses of individual consumers to resource pulse events can provide insight into the mechanisms by which these consumers ultimately influence community‐level processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heather V Kenny
- Department of Wildlife, Fish, and Conservation Biology University of California Davis CA USA
| | - Amber N Wright
- Department of Biology University of Hawai'i at Mānoa Honolulu HI USA
| | - Jonah Piovia-Scott
- School of Biological Sciences Washington State University Vancouver WA USA
| | - Louie H Yang
- Department of Entomology and Nematology University of California Davis CA USA
| | - David A Spiller
- Department of Evolution and Ecology University of California Davis CA USA
| | - Thomas W Schoener
- Department of Evolution and Ecology University of California Davis CA USA
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28
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Hayes MF, Banish NP. Translocation and reintroduction of native fishes: a review of bull trout Salvelinus confluentus with applications for future reintroductions. ENDANGER SPECIES RES 2017. [DOI: 10.3354/esr00849] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
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29
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Rhodes C, Bingham A, Heard AM, Hewitt J, Lynch J, Waite R, Bell MD. Diatoms to human uses: linking nitrogen deposition, aquatic eutrophication, and ecosystem services. Ecosphere 2017. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.1858] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Charles Rhodes
- Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education Office of Water, and Office of Research and Development U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Washington D.C. 20460 USA
| | - Andrew Bingham
- Air Resources Division National Park Service Denver Colorado 80225 USA
| | - Andrea M. Heard
- Sierra Nevada Network National Park Service Three Rivers California 93271 USA
| | - Julie Hewitt
- Office of Water U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Washington D.C. 20460 USA
| | - Jason Lynch
- Office of Air and Radiation U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Washington D.C. 20460 USA
| | - Randall Waite
- Office of Air and Radiation U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Durham North Carolina 27711 USA
| | - Michael D. Bell
- Air Resources Division National Park Service Denver Colorado 80225 USA
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30
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Invasive planktivores as mediators of organic matter exchanges within and across ecosystems. Oecologia 2017; 184:521-530. [DOI: 10.1007/s00442-017-3872-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2016] [Accepted: 04/15/2017] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
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31
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Wesner JS, Walters DM, Schmidt TS, Kraus JM, Stricker CA, Clements WH, Wolf RE. Metamorphosis Affects Metal Concentrations and Isotopic Signatures in a Mayfly (Baetis tricaudatus): Implications for the Aquatic-Terrestrial Transfer of Metals. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2017; 51:2438-2446. [PMID: 28078890 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.6b05471] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Insect metamorphosis often results in substantial chemical changes that can alter contaminant concentrations and fractionate isotopes. We exposed larval mayflies (Baetis tricaudatus) and their food (periphyton) to an aqueous zinc gradient (3-340 μg Zn/l) and measured zinc concentrations at different stages of metamorphosis: larval, subimago, and imago. We also measured changes in stable isotopes (δ15N and δ13C) in unexposed mayflies. Larval zinc concentrations were positively related to aqueous zinc, increasing 9-fold across the exposure gradient. Adult zinc concentrations were also positively related to aqueous zinc, but were 7-fold lower than larvae. This relationship varied according to adult substage and sex. Tissue concentrations in female imagoes were not related to exposure concentrations, but the converse was true for all other stage-by-sex combinations. Metamorphosis also increased δ15N by ∼0.8‰, but not δ13C. Thus, the main effects of metamorphosis on insect chemistry were large declines in zinc concentrations coupled with increased δ15N signatures. For zinc, this change was largely consistent across the aqueous exposure gradient. However, differences among sexes and stages suggest that caution is warranted when using nitrogen isotopes or metal concentrations measured in one insect stage (e.g., larvae) to assess risk to wildlife that feed on subsequent life stages (e.g., adults).
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeff S Wesner
- Department of Biology, University of South Dakota , Vermillion, South Dakota 57069, United States
| | - David M Walters
- U.S. Geological Survey, Fort Collins Science Center, Fort Collins, Colorado 80526, United States
| | - Travis S Schmidt
- U.S. Geological Survey, Colorado Water Science Center, Denver, Colorado 80225, United States
| | - Johanna M Kraus
- U.S. Geological Survey, Fort Collins Science Center, Fort Collins, Colorado 80526, United States
| | - Craig A Stricker
- U.S. Geological Survey, Fort Collins Science Center, Fort Collins, Colorado 80526, United States
| | - William H Clements
- Department of Fish, Wildlife & Conservation Biology and Graduate Degree Program in Ecology, Colorado State University , Fort Collins, Colorado 80523, United States
| | - Ruth E Wolf
- PerkinElmer, Inc. San Jose, California 95134, United States
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32
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Xiang H, Zhang Y, Richardson JS. Importance of Riparian Zone: Effects of Resource Availability at Land-water Interface. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2017. [DOI: 10.1515/remc-2016-0001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
AbstractRiparian zone provides a variety of resources to organisms, including availability of water and subsidies. Water availability in riparian areas influences species distribution and trophic interaction of terrestrial food webs. Cross-ecosystem subsidies as resource flux of additional energy, nutrients, and materials benefit riparian populations and communities (e.g. plants, spiders, lizards, birds and mammals). However, aquatic ecosystems and riparian zones are prone to anthropogenic disturbances, which change water availability and affect the flux dynamics of cross-system subsidies. Yet, we still lack sufficient empirical studies assessing impacts of disturbances of land use, climate change and invasive species individually and interactively on aquatic and riparian ecosystems through influencing subsidy resource availability. In filling this knowledge gap, we can make more effective efforts to protect and conserve riparian habitats and biodiversity, and maintain riparian ecosystem functioning and services.
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33
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Tiberti R, Mori E. Considerations on the vulnerability of the Eurasian water shrew Neomys fodiens to the presence of introduced brown trout Salmo trutta. Biologia (Bratisl) 2016. [DOI: 10.1515/biolog-2016-0080] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
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35
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Rudman SM, Heavyside J, Rennison DJ, Schluter D. Piscivore addition causes a trophic cascade within and across ecosystem boundaries. OIKOS 2016. [DOI: 10.1111/oik.03204] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Seth M. Rudman
- Dept of Zoology; Univ. of British Columbia 4200-6270 University Blvd. Vancouver; BC V6T1Z4 Canada
| | - Julian Heavyside
- Dept of Zoology; Univ. of British Columbia 4200-6270 University Blvd. Vancouver; BC V6T1Z4 Canada
| | - Diana J. Rennison
- Dept of Zoology; Univ. of British Columbia 4200-6270 University Blvd. Vancouver; BC V6T1Z4 Canada
| | - Dolph Schluter
- Dept of Zoology; Univ. of British Columbia 4200-6270 University Blvd. Vancouver; BC V6T1Z4 Canada
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36
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Hydroperiod and Cattle Use Associated with Lower Recruitment in an r-Selected Amphibian with a Declining Population Trend in the Klamath Mountains, California. J HERPETOL 2016. [DOI: 10.1670/14-014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
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Jackson MC, Woodford DJ, Bellingan TA, Weyl OLF, Potgieter MJ, Rivers-Moore NA, Ellender BR, Fourie HE, Chimimba CT. Trophic overlap between fish and riparian spiders: potential impacts of an invasive fish on terrestrial consumers. Ecol Evol 2016; 6:1745-52. [PMID: 27087934 PMCID: PMC4801975 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.1893] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2015] [Revised: 11/18/2015] [Accepted: 11/23/2015] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Studies on resource sharing and partitioning generally consider species that occur in the same habitat. However, subsidies between linked habitats, such as streams and riparian zones, create potential for competition between populations which never directly interact. Evidence suggests that the abundance of riparian consumers declines after fish invasion and a subsequent increase in resource sharing of emerging insects. However, diet overlap has not been investigated. Here, we examine the trophic niche of native fish, invasive fish, and native spiders in South Africa using stable isotope analysis. We compared spider abundance and diet at upstream fishless and downstream fish sites and quantified niche overlap with invasive and native fish. Spider abundance was consistently higher at upstream fishless sites compared with paired downstream fish sites, suggesting that the fish reduced aquatic resource availability to riparian consumers. Spiders incorporated more aquatic than terrestrial insects in their diet, with aquatic insects accounting for 45–90% of spider mass. In three of four invaded trout rivers, we found that the average proportion of aquatic resources in web‐building spider diet was higher at fishless sites compared to fish sites. The probability of web‐building and ground spiders overlapping into the trophic niche of invasive brown and rainbow trout was as high as 26 and 51%, respectively. In contrast, the probability of spiders overlapping into the trophic niche of native fish was always less than 5%. Our results suggest that spiders share resources with invasive fish. In contrast, spiders had a low probability of trophic overlap with native fish indicating that the traits of invaders may be important in determining their influence on ecosystem subsidies. We have added to the growing body of evidence that invaders can have cross‐ecosystem impacts and demonstrated that this can be due to niche overlap.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michelle C Jackson
- Department of Zoology and Entomology Centre for Invasion Biology University of Pretoria Private Bag X 20 Hatfield 0028 South Africa
| | - Darragh J Woodford
- School of Animal, Plant and Environmental Sciences University of the Witwatersrand Johannesburg South Africa; South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity (SAIAB) Grahamstown 6140 South Africa; Centre for Invasion Biology SAIAB Grahamstown 6140 South Africa
| | - Terence A Bellingan
- South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity (SAIAB) Grahamstown 6140 South Africa; Centre for Invasion Biology SAIAB Grahamstown 6140 South Africa; Department of Zoology and Entomology Rhodes University Grahamstown 6140 South Africa
| | - Olaf L F Weyl
- South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity (SAIAB) Grahamstown 6140 South Africa; Centre for Invasion Biology SAIAB Grahamstown 6140 South Africa
| | - Michael J Potgieter
- Department of Zoology and Entomology Centre for Invasion Biology University of Pretoria Private Bag X 20 Hatfield 0028 South Africa
| | - Nick A Rivers-Moore
- Centre for Water Resources Research University of KwaZulu-Natal Private Bag X01 Scottsville 3209 South Africa
| | - Bruce R Ellender
- South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity (SAIAB) Grahamstown 6140 South Africa; Centre for Invasion Biology SAIAB Grahamstown 6140 South Africa
| | - Hermina E Fourie
- Department of Zoology and Entomology Centre for Invasion Biology University of Pretoria Private Bag X 20 Hatfield 0028 South Africa
| | - Christian T Chimimba
- Department of Zoology and Entomology Centre for Invasion Biology University of Pretoria Private Bag X 20 Hatfield 0028 South Africa
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Fragoso-Moura EN, Oporto LT, Maia-Barbosa PM, Barbosa FAR. Loss of biodiversity in a conservation unit of the Brazilian Atlantic Forest: the effect of introducing non-native fish species. BRAZ J BIOL 2016; 76:18-27. [DOI: 10.1590/1519-6984.07914] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2014] [Accepted: 10/20/2014] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract The introduction of species has become an important problem for biodiversity and natural ecosystem conservation. The lake system of the middle Rio Doce (MG, Brazil) comprises c. 200 lakes at various conservation states, of which 50 are located within the Rio Doce State Park (PERD). Previous studies had verified several of these lakes suffered non-native fishes introductions and the presence of these species needs for the implementation of actions aiming at not only their control but also the preservation of the native species. This study discusses the effects of non-native fish species in the largest conservation unit of Atlantic Forest in Minas Gerais, southeast of Brazil, using data from 1983 to 2010 distributed as follow: data prior to 2006 were obtained from previous studies, and data from September 2006 to July 2010 were obtained in Lake Carioca at four sampling stations using gillnets, seine nets and sieve. A total of 17 fish species was collected (2006-2010) of which five were introduced species. Among the small to medium size native species (30 to 2000 mm standard length) seven had disappeared, two are new records and one was recaptured. The non-native species Cichla kelberi (peacock bass) and Pygocentrus nattereri (red piranha) are within the most abundant captured species. Integrated with other actions, such as those preventing new introductions, a selective fishing schedule is proposed as an alternative approach to improve the conservation management actions and the local and regional biodiversity maintenance.
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Wesner JS. Contrasting effects of fish predation on benthic versus emerging prey: a meta-analysis. Oecologia 2016; 180:1205-11. [PMID: 26747266 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-015-3539-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2015] [Accepted: 12/25/2015] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Predator-prey interactions are often studied entirely within the ecosystem of the predator. However, many prey transition between ecosystems during development, expanding the effects of predators across ecosystems. Prey are often vulnerable to predation during this transition, facing a predator gauntlet as they leave their source ecosystem. As a result of predation during this transition, predators may have stronger effects on prey fluxes to the neighboring ecosystem than on prey densities in the predator's own ecosystem. I used meta-analysis of predator (fish) and prey (invertebrate) interactions in freshwater ecosystems to test the hypothesis that fish have stronger effects on prey flux to the terrestrial ecosystem, by reducing insect emergence biomass, than on prey densities in the aquatic ecosystem, by reducing benthic insect/invertebrate biomass. Fish reduced insect emergence by 39 % on average, more than twice as strong as their reductions of benthic prey (16 % reduction; averages are variance-weighted). In fact, fish effects on benthic prey were not significantly different from zero, but were significant for emergence. These results indicate that predator effects can not only cascade from one ecosystem to another but also that effects can be stronger outside than within the ecosystem of the predator. Failure to account for this may underestimate the effects of predators on prey.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeff S Wesner
- Department of Biology, University of South Dakota, Vermillion, SD, USA.
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Schulz R, Bundschuh M, Gergs R, Brühl CA, Diehl D, Entling MH, Fahse L, Frör O, Jungkunst HF, Lorke A, Schäfer RB, Schaumann GE, Schwenk K. Review on environmental alterations propagating from aquatic to terrestrial ecosystems. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2015; 538:246-61. [PMID: 26311581 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2015.08.038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2015] [Revised: 08/10/2015] [Accepted: 08/10/2015] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
Terrestrial inputs into freshwater ecosystems are a classical field of environmental science. Resource fluxes (subsidy) from aquatic to terrestrial systems have been less studied, although they are of high ecological relevance particularly for the receiving ecosystem. These fluxes may, however, be impacted by anthropogenically driven alterations modifying structure and functioning of aquatic ecosystems. In this context, we reviewed the peer-reviewed literature for studies addressing the subsidy of terrestrial by aquatic ecosystems with special emphasis on the role that anthropogenic alterations play in this water-land coupling. Our analysis revealed a continuously increasing interest in the coupling of aquatic to terrestrial ecosystems between 1990 and 2014 (total: 661 studies), while the research domains focusing on abiotic (502 studies) and biotic (159 studies) processes are strongly separated. Approximately 35% (abiotic) and 25% (biotic) of the studies focused on the propagation of anthropogenic alterations from the aquatic to the terrestrial system. Among these studies, hydromorphological and hydrological alterations were predominantly assessed, whereas water pollution and invasive species were less frequently investigated. Less than 5% of these studies considered indirect effects in the terrestrial system e.g. via food web responses, as a result of anthropogenic alterations in aquatic ecosystems. Nonetheless, these very few publications indicate far-reaching consequences in the receiving terrestrial ecosystem. For example, bottom-up mediated responses via soil quality can cascade over plant communities up to the level of herbivorous arthropods, while top-down mediated responses via predatory spiders can cascade down to herbivorous arthropods and even plants. Overall, the current state of knowledge calls for an integrated assessment on how these interactions within terrestrial ecosystems are affected by propagation of aquatic ecosystem alterations. To fill these gaps, we propose a scientific framework, which considers abiotic and biotic aspects based on an interdisciplinary approach.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ralf Schulz
- Institute for Environmental Sciences, University of Koblenz-Landau, Landau, Germany.
| | - Mirco Bundschuh
- Institute for Environmental Sciences, University of Koblenz-Landau, Landau, Germany; Department of Aquatic Sciences and Assessment, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - René Gergs
- Institute for Environmental Sciences, University of Koblenz-Landau, Landau, Germany; Federal Environment Agency, Berlin, Germany
| | - Carsten A Brühl
- Institute for Environmental Sciences, University of Koblenz-Landau, Landau, Germany
| | - Dörte Diehl
- Institute for Environmental Sciences, University of Koblenz-Landau, Landau, Germany
| | - Martin H Entling
- Institute for Environmental Sciences, University of Koblenz-Landau, Landau, Germany
| | - Lorenz Fahse
- Institute for Environmental Sciences, University of Koblenz-Landau, Landau, Germany
| | - Oliver Frör
- Institute for Environmental Sciences, University of Koblenz-Landau, Landau, Germany
| | - Hermann F Jungkunst
- Institute for Environmental Sciences, University of Koblenz-Landau, Landau, Germany
| | - Andreas Lorke
- Institute for Environmental Sciences, University of Koblenz-Landau, Landau, Germany
| | - Ralf B Schäfer
- Institute for Environmental Sciences, University of Koblenz-Landau, Landau, Germany
| | - Gabriele E Schaumann
- Institute for Environmental Sciences, University of Koblenz-Landau, Landau, Germany
| | - Klaus Schwenk
- Institute for Environmental Sciences, University of Koblenz-Landau, Landau, Germany
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Novais A, Souza AT, Ilarri M, Pascoal C, Sousa R. From water to land: How an invasive clam may function as a resource pulse to terrestrial invertebrates. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2015; 538:664-671. [PMID: 26327634 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2015.08.106] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2015] [Revised: 08/17/2015] [Accepted: 08/17/2015] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
Resource pulses are episodes of low frequency, large magnitude and short duration that result in increased resource availability in space and time, with consequences for food web dynamics. Studies assessing the importance of resource pulses by invasive alien species in the interface between terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems are rare, especially those in the direction from water to land. This study assessed the importance of massive die-offs of the Asian clam Corbicula fluminea (Müller, 1774) as a resource pulse to the terrestrial invertebrate community after an extreme climatic event using a manipulative experiment. We used 5 levels of C. fluminea density (0, 100, 500, 1000 and 2000ind·m(-2)), with terrestrial invertebrates being censused 7, 30 and 90days after C. fluminea addition. We also assessed the possible effect of plots position, where plots that delimited the experiment were assigned as edge plots and the remaining as core plots. Clear differences were detected in abundance, biomass, richness and diversity of terrestrial invertebrates depending on the C. fluminea density, time and position. Interestingly, the highest abundance of adult Diptera was observed 7days after C. fluminea addition, whereas that of the other terrestrial invertebrates was on day 30, both with C. fluminea densities higher than 500ind·m(-2) located on the edge of the experimental design. This study highlights the importance of major resource pulses after massive die-offs of invasive bivalves, contributing with remarkable amounts of carrion for adjacent terrestrial systems. Part of this carrion can be consumed directly by a great number of invertebrate species while the remainder can enter the detrital food web. Given the high density and biomass attained by several invasive bivalves worldwide and the predicted increase in the number, intensity and magnitude of extreme climatic events, the ecological importance of this phenomenon should be further investigated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adriana Novais
- CBMA - Centre of Molecular and Environmental Biology, Department of Biology, University of Minho, Campos de Gualtar, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal; CIIMAR/CIMAR - Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, University of Porto, Rua dos Bragas 289, P 4050-123 Porto, Portugal.
| | - Allan T Souza
- CIIMAR/CIMAR - Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, University of Porto, Rua dos Bragas 289, P 4050-123 Porto, Portugal
| | - Martina Ilarri
- CIIMAR/CIMAR - Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, University of Porto, Rua dos Bragas 289, P 4050-123 Porto, Portugal; ICBAS-UP - Abel Salazar Biomedical Sciences Institute, University of Porto, Rua de Jorge Viterbo Ferreira, 228, 4050-313, Porto, Portugal
| | - Cláudia Pascoal
- CBMA - Centre of Molecular and Environmental Biology, Department of Biology, University of Minho, Campos de Gualtar, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal
| | - Ronaldo Sousa
- CBMA - Centre of Molecular and Environmental Biology, Department of Biology, University of Minho, Campos de Gualtar, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal; CIIMAR/CIMAR - Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, University of Porto, Rua dos Bragas 289, P 4050-123 Porto, Portugal
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42
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Tronstad LM, Hall RO, Koel TM. Introduced lake trout alter nitrogen cycling beyond Yellowstone Lake. Ecosphere 2015. [DOI: 10.1890/es14-00544.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
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Greenwood MJ, Booker DJ. Influence of hydrological regime and land cover on traits and potential export capacity of adult aquatic insects from river channels. Oecologia 2015; 180:551-66. [DOI: 10.1007/s00442-015-3462-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2014] [Accepted: 09/20/2015] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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Lee SY, Ryan ME, Hamlet AF, Palen WJ, Lawler JJ, Halabisky M. Projecting the Hydrologic Impacts of Climate Change on Montane Wetlands. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0136385. [PMID: 26331850 PMCID: PMC4557981 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0136385] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2014] [Accepted: 08/04/2015] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Wetlands are globally important ecosystems that provide critical services for natural communities and human society. Montane wetland ecosystems are expected to be among the most sensitive to changing climate, as their persistence depends on factors directly influenced by climate (e.g. precipitation, snowpack, evaporation). Despite their importance and climate sensitivity, wetlands tend to be understudied due to a lack of tools and data relative to what is available for other ecosystem types. Here, we develop and demonstrate a new method for projecting climate-induced hydrologic changes in montane wetlands. Using observed wetland water levels and soil moisture simulated by the physically based Variable Infiltration Capacity (VIC) hydrologic model, we developed site-specific regression models relating soil moisture to observed wetland water levels to simulate the hydrologic behavior of four types of montane wetlands (ephemeral, intermediate, perennial, permanent wetlands) in the U. S. Pacific Northwest. The hybrid models captured observed wetland dynamics in many cases, though were less robust in others. We then used these models to a) hindcast historical wetland behavior in response to observed climate variability (1916–2010 or later) and classify wetland types, and b) project the impacts of climate change on montane wetlands using global climate model scenarios for the 2040s and 2080s (A1B emissions scenario). These future projections show that climate-induced changes to key driving variables (reduced snowpack, higher evapotranspiration, extended summer drought) will result in earlier and faster drawdown in Pacific Northwest montane wetlands, leading to systematic reductions in water levels, shortened wetland hydroperiods, and increased probability of drying. Intermediate hydroperiod wetlands are projected to experience the greatest changes. For the 2080s scenario, widespread conversion of intermediate wetlands to fast-drying ephemeral wetlands will likely reduce wetland habitat availability for many species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Se-Yeun Lee
- Climate Impacts Group, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
| | - Maureen E. Ryan
- School of Environmental and Forest Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
- Earth to Ocean Research Group, Department of Biology, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, Canada
- * E-mail:
| | - Alan F. Hamlet
- Climate Impacts Group, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Earth Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana, United States of America
| | - Wendy J. Palen
- Earth to Ocean Research Group, Department of Biology, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, Canada
| | - Joshua J. Lawler
- School of Environmental and Forest Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
| | - Meghan Halabisky
- School of Environmental and Forest Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
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45
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Chumchal MM, Drenner RW. An environmental problem hidden in plain sight? Small human-made ponds, emergent insects, and mercury contamination of biota in the Great Plains. ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY AND CHEMISTRY 2015; 34:1197-205. [PMID: 26013117 DOI: 10.1002/etc.2954] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2014] [Revised: 01/19/2015] [Accepted: 02/17/2015] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
Mercury (Hg) contamination of small human-made ponds and surrounding terrestrial communities may be 1 of the largest unstudied Hg-pollution problems in the United States. Humans have built millions of small ponds in the Great Plains of the United States, and these ponds have become contaminated with atmospherically deposited mercury. In aquatic ecosystems, less toxic forms of Hg deposited from the atmosphere are converted to highly toxic methylmercury (MeHg). Methylmercury is incorporated into the aquatic food web and then can be transferred to terrestrial food webs via emergent aquatic insects. The authors present a conceptual model that describes the movement of MeHg produced in aquatic ecosystems to terrestrial consumers via insects emerging from small human-made ponds. The authors hypothesize that pond permanence and the level of Hg contamination of the food web control this emergent insect-mediated flux of MeHg. The highest insect-mediated flux of MeHg is predicted to be from fishless semipermanent ponds with food webs that are highly contaminated with MeHg. Further development and testing of the conceptual model presented in the present column, particularly in the context of a changing climate, will require research at the regional, watershed, and pond scales.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Ray W Drenner
- Biology Department, Texas Christian University, Fort Worth, Texas, USA
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46
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Suter GW, Cormier SM. Why care about aquatic insects: uses, benefits, and services. INTEGRATED ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT AND MANAGEMENT 2015; 11:188-94. [PMID: 25376941 DOI: 10.1002/ieam.1600] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2014] [Revised: 09/12/2014] [Accepted: 11/01/2014] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Aquatic insects are common subjects of ecological research and environmental monitoring and assessment. However, their important role in protecting and restoring aquatic ecosystems is often challenged because their benefits and services to humans are not obvious to decision makers or the public. Insects are food for fish, amphibians, and wildlife. They are important contributors to energy and nutrient processing, including capturing nutrients and returning them to terrestrial ecosystems and purifying water. They provide recreation to fishermen and nature lovers and are cultural symbols. Monetary benefits to fishermen can be quantified, but most other benefits have been described qualitatively. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2015;11:188-194.
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Affiliation(s)
- Glenn W Suter
- National Center for Environmental Assessment, US Environmental Protection Agency, Cincinnati, Ohio
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47
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Soininen J, Bartels P, Heino J, Luoto M, Hillebrand H. Toward More Integrated Ecosystem Research in Aquatic and Terrestrial Environments. Bioscience 2015. [DOI: 10.1093/biosci/biu216] [Citation(s) in RCA: 103] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
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48
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Brodin T, Piovano S, Fick J, Klaminder J, Heynen M, Jonsson M. Ecological effects of pharmaceuticals in aquatic systems--impacts through behavioural alterations. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2014; 369:20130580. [PMID: 25405968 PMCID: PMC4213591 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2013.0580] [Citation(s) in RCA: 291] [Impact Index Per Article: 26.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The study of animal behaviour is important for both ecology and ecotoxicology, yet research in these two fields is currently developing independently. Here, we synthesize the available knowledge on drug-induced behavioural alterations in fish, discuss potential ecological consequences and report results from an experiment in which we quantify both uptake and behavioural impact of a psychiatric drug on a predatory fish (Perca fluviatilis) and its invertebrate prey (Coenagrion hastulatum). We show that perch became more active while damselfly behaviour was unaffected, illustrating that behavioural effects of pharmaceuticals can differ between species. Furthermore, we demonstrate that prey consumption can be an important exposure route as on average 46% of the pharmaceutical in ingested prey accumulated in the predator. This suggests that investigations of exposure through bioconcentration, where trophic interactions and subsequent bioaccumulation of exposed individuals are ignored, underestimate exposure. Wildlife may therefore be exposed to higher levels of behaviourally altering pharmaceuticals than predictions based on commonly used exposure assays and pharmaceutical concentrations found in environmental monitoring programmes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tomas Brodin
- Department of Ecology and Environmental Science, Umeå University, 90187 Umeå, Sweden
| | - Susanna Piovano
- School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, The University of the South Pacific, Fiji Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, University of Torino, 10124 Turin, Italy
| | - Jerker Fick
- Department of Chemistry, Umeå University, 90187 Umeå, Sweden
| | - Jonatan Klaminder
- Department of Ecology and Environmental Science, Umeå University, 90187 Umeå, Sweden
| | - Martina Heynen
- Department of Ecology and Environmental Science, Umeå University, 90187 Umeå, Sweden
| | - Micael Jonsson
- Department of Ecology and Environmental Science, Umeå University, 90187 Umeå, Sweden
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49
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Wesner JS, Kraus JM, Schmidt TS, Walters DM, Clements WH. Metamorphosis enhances the effects of metal exposure on the mayfly, Centroptilum triangulifer. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2014; 48:10415-10422. [PMID: 25093980 DOI: 10.1021/es501914y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
The response of larval aquatic insects to stressors such as metals is used to assess the ecological condition of streams worldwide. However, nearly all larval insects metamorphose from aquatic larvae to winged adults, and recent surveys indicate that adults may be a more sensitive indicator of stream metal toxicity than larvae. One hypothesis to explain this pattern is that insects exposed to elevated metal in their larval stages have a reduced ability to successfully complete metamorphosis. To test this hypothesis we exposed late-instar larvae of the mayfly, Centroptilum triangulifer, to an aqueous Zn gradient (32-476 μg/L) in the laboratory. After 6 days of exposure, when metamorphosis began, larval survival was unaffected by zinc. However, Zn reduced wingpad development at concentrations above 139 μg/L. In contrast, emergence of subimagos and imagos tended to decline with any increase in Zn. At Zn concentrations below 105 μg/L (hardness-adjusted aquatic life criterion), survival between the wingpad and subimago stages declined 5-fold across the Zn gradient. These results support the hypothesis that metamorphosis may be a survival bottleneck, particularly in contaminated streams. Thus, death during metamorphosis may be a key mechanism explaining how stream metal contamination can impact terrestrial communities by reducing aquatic insect emergence.
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Affiliation(s)
- J S Wesner
- Colorado State University, Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology, Fort Collins, Colorado 80523 United States
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50
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Yang LH, Gratton C. Insects as drivers of ecosystem processes. CURRENT OPINION IN INSECT SCIENCE 2014; 2:26-32. [PMID: 32846721 DOI: 10.1016/j.cois.2014.06.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 94] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2014] [Revised: 06/18/2014] [Accepted: 06/20/2014] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Insects and other small invertebrates are ubiquitous components of all terrestrial and freshwater food webs, but their cumulative biomass is small relative to plants and microbes. As a result, it is often assumed that these animals make relatively minor contributions to ecosystem processes. Despite their small sizes and cumulative biomass, we suggest that these animals may commonly have important effects on carbon and nutrient cycling by modulating the quality and quantity of resources that enter the detrital food web, with consequences at the ecosystem level. These effects can occur through multiple pathways, including direct inputs of insect biomass, the transformation of detrital biomass, and the indirect effects of predators on herbivores and detritivores. In virtually all cases, the ecosystem effects of these pathways are ultimately mediated through interactions with plants and soil microbes. Merging our understanding of insect, plant and microbial ecology will offer a valuable way to better integrate community-level interactions with ecosystem processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Louie H Yang
- Department of Entomology and Nematology, University of California, Davis, CA, United States.
| | - Claudio Gratton
- Department of Entomology, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, United States
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