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Coupled energy pathways and the resilience of size-structured food webs
Citation
Blanchard, JL and Law, R and Castle, MD and Jennings, S, Coupled energy pathways and the resilience of size-structured food webs, Theoretical Ecology, 4, (3) pp. 289-300. ISSN 1874-1738 (2011) [Refereed Article]
Copyright Statement
Copyright 2010 Springer Science+Business Media B.V.
DOI: doi:10.1007/s12080-010-0078-9
Abstract
Size-based food-web models, which focus on
body size rather than species identity, capture the generalist
and transient feeding interactions in most marine ecosystems
and are well-supported by data. Here, we develop a
size-based model that incorporates dynamic interactions
between marine benthic (detritus-based) and pelagic (primary
producer based) pathways to investigate how the
coupling of these pathways affects food web stability and
resilience. All model configurations produced stable steady-state
size spectra. Resilience was measured by the return
speed obtained from local stability analysis. Return times
following large perturbations away from steady-state were
also measured. Resilience varied nonlinearly with both
predator and detrital coupling, and high resilience came
from predators (1) feeding entirely in the slow benthic zone
or (2) feeding across the two energy pathways, with most
food coming from the fast pelagic pathway. When most of
the energy flowed through the pelagic pathway, resilience
was positively related to turnover rate. When most of the
energy flowed through the benthic pathway, resilience was
negatively related to turnover rate. Analysis of the effects of
large perturbations revealed that resilience for pelagic
ecosystems depended on the nature of the perturbation
and the degree of benthic–pelagic coupling. Areas with
very little or no benthic–pelagic coupling (e.g. deep seas or
highly stratified water columns) may return more quickly
following pulses of detrital fallout or primary production
but could be much less resilient to the effects of human-induced
mortality (harvesting).
Item Details
Item Type: | Refereed Article |
---|---|
Keywords: | benthic-pelagic coupling, food web resilience |
Research Division: | Biological Sciences |
Research Group: | Ecology |
Research Field: | Community ecology (excl. invasive species ecology) |
Objective Division: | Environmental Management |
Objective Group: | Marine systems and management |
Objective Field: | Oceanic processes (excl. in the Antarctic and Southern Ocean) |
UTAS Author: | Blanchard, JL (Professor Julia Blanchard) |
ID Code: | 100493 |
Year Published: | 2011 |
Web of Science® Times Cited: | 70 |
Deposited By: | Sustainable Marine Research Collaboration |
Deposited On: | 2015-05-18 |
Last Modified: | 2017-11-06 |
Downloads: | 0 |
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