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Ecosystem ecology: size-based constraints on the pyramids of life
Citation
Trebilco, R and Baum, JK and Salomon, AK and Dulvy, NK, Ecosystem ecology: size-based constraints on the pyramids of life, Trends in Ecology and Evolution, 28, (7) pp. 423-431. ISSN 0169-5347 (2013) [Refereed Article]
Copyright Statement
© 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
DOI: doi:10.1016/j.tree.2013.03.008
Abstract
Biomass distribution and energy flow in ecosystems are
traditionally described with trophic pyramids, and increasingly
with size spectra, particularly in aquatic ecosystems.
Here, we show that these methods are
equivalent and interchangeable representations of the
same information. Although pyramids are visually intuitive,
explicitly linking them to size spectra connects
pyramids to metabolic and size-based theory, and illuminates
size-based constraints on pyramid shape. We
show that bottom-heavy pyramids should predominate
in the real world, whereas top-heavy pyramids indicate
overestimation of predator abundance or energy subsidies.
Making the link to ecological pyramids establishes
size spectra as a central concept in ecosystem ecology,
and provides a powerful framework both for understanding
baseline expectations of community structure
and for evaluating future scenarios under climate change
and exploitation.
Item Details
Item Type: | Refereed Article |
---|---|
Keywords: | biomass pyramid, trophic pyramid, body-size-distribution, ecological baselines, macroecology, metabolic theory of ecology, omnivory, ontogenetic diet shift, size spectra, turnover |
Research Division: | Biological Sciences |
Research Group: | Ecology |
Research Field: | Community ecology (excl. invasive species ecology) |
Objective Division: | Environmental Management |
Objective Group: | Management of Antarctic and Southern Ocean environments |
Objective Field: | Assessment and management of Antarctic and Southern Ocean ecosystems |
UTAS Author: | Trebilco, R (Dr Rowan Trebilco) |
ID Code: | 101964 |
Year Published: | 2013 |
Web of Science® Times Cited: | 213 |
Deposited By: | CRC-Antarctic Climate & Ecosystems |
Deposited On: | 2015-07-21 |
Last Modified: | 2017-11-06 |
Downloads: | 0 |
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