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Habitat structural complexity mediates food web dynamics in a freshwater macrophyte community
Citation
Warfe, DM and Barmuta, LA, Habitat structural complexity mediates food web dynamics in a freshwater macrophyte community, Oecologia, 150, (1) pp. 141-154. ISSN 0029-8549 (2006) [Refereed Article]
DOI: doi:10.1007/s00442-006-0505-1
Abstract
A considerable amount of research has investigated the influence of habitat structure on pred- ator success, yet few studies have explored the implica- tions for community structure and food-web dynamics. The relative importance of macrophyte structure and fish predation on the composition of the macroinverte- brate and periphyton communities in a lowland river was investigated using a multifactorial caging experi- ment. We hypothesised that: (1) fish predators are less effective in a more structurally complex macrophyte analogue; (2) strong direct and indirect effects of fish predators (e.g. trophic cascades) are less likely to occur in a structurally complex habitat; and (3) the strength of these patterns is influenced by the composition of the prevailing community assemblage. We measured the abundance and composition of the macroinverte- brate and periphyton communities associated with three different-shaped macrophyte analogues, under different fish predator treatments and at different times. Macrophyte analogue architecture had strong, consistent effects on both the macroinvertebrate and periphyton communities; both were most abundant and diverse on the most structurally complex plant analogue. In contrast, the fish predators affected only a subset of the macroinvertebrate community and there was a suggestion of minor indirect effects on periphy- ton community composition. Contrary to expectations, the fish predators had their strongest effects in the most structurally complex macrophyte analogue. We con- clude that in this system, macrophyte shape strongly regulates the associated freshwater assemblage, result- ing in a diverse community structure less likely to exhibit strong effects of fish predation. © Springer-Verlag 2006.
Item Details
Item Type: | Refereed Article |
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Research Division: | Biological Sciences |
Research Group: | Ecology |
Research Field: | Freshwater ecology |
Objective Division: | Environmental Management |
Objective Group: | Terrestrial systems and management |
Objective Field: | Terrestrial biodiversity |
UTAS Author: | Warfe, DM (Dr Danielle Warfe) |
UTAS Author: | Barmuta, LA (Associate Professor Leon Barmuta) |
ID Code: | 42817 |
Year Published: | 2006 |
Web of Science® Times Cited: | 138 |
Deposited By: | TAFI - Zoology |
Deposited On: | 2006-08-01 |
Last Modified: | 2007-10-23 |
Downloads: | 0 |
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