The influence of nutrient enrichment on riverine food web function and stability
Abstract Nutrient enrichment of rivers and lakes has been increasing rapidly over the past few decades, primarily because of agricultural intensification. Although nutrient enrichment is known to drive excessive algal and microbial growth, which can directly and indirectly change the ecological comm...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Wiley
2021-01-01
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| Series: | Ecology and Evolution |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.7107 |
| _version_ | 1818641140616790016 |
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| author | Adam D. Canning Russell G. Death |
| author_facet | Adam D. Canning Russell G. Death |
| author_sort | Adam D. Canning |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Nutrient enrichment of rivers and lakes has been increasing rapidly over the past few decades, primarily because of agricultural intensification. Although nutrient enrichment is known to drive excessive algal and microbial growth, which can directly and indirectly change the ecological community composition, the resulting changes in food web emergent properties are poorly understood. We used ecological network analysis (ENA) to examine the emergent properties of 12 riverine food webs across a nutrient enrichment gradient in the Manawatu, New Zealand. We also derive Keystone Sensitivity Indices to explore whether nutrients change the trophic importance of species in a way that alters the resilience of the communities to further nutrient enrichment or floods. Nutrient enrichment resulted in communities composed of energy inefficient species with high community (excluding microbes) respiration. Community respiration was several times greater in enriched communities, and this may drive hypoxic conditions even without concomitant changes in microbial respiration. Enriched communities exhibited weaker trophic cascades, which may yield greater robustness to energy flow loss. Interestingly, enriched communities were also more structurally and functionally affected by species sensitive to flow disturbance making these communities more vulnerable to floods. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-16T23:22:26Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-78e7792430414a7984ecbfe3d85aa669 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2045-7758 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-16T23:22:26Z |
| publishDate | 2021-01-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Ecology and Evolution |
| spelling | doaj.art-78e7792430414a7984ecbfe3d85aa6692022-12-21T22:12:09ZengWileyEcology and Evolution2045-77582021-01-0111294295410.1002/ece3.7107The influence of nutrient enrichment on riverine food web function and stabilityAdam D. Canning0Russell G. Death1Centre for Tropical Water and Aquatic Ecosystem Research (TropWATER) James Cook University Townsville Qld AustraliaSchool of Agriculture and the Environment Massey University Palmerston North New ZealandAbstract Nutrient enrichment of rivers and lakes has been increasing rapidly over the past few decades, primarily because of agricultural intensification. Although nutrient enrichment is known to drive excessive algal and microbial growth, which can directly and indirectly change the ecological community composition, the resulting changes in food web emergent properties are poorly understood. We used ecological network analysis (ENA) to examine the emergent properties of 12 riverine food webs across a nutrient enrichment gradient in the Manawatu, New Zealand. We also derive Keystone Sensitivity Indices to explore whether nutrients change the trophic importance of species in a way that alters the resilience of the communities to further nutrient enrichment or floods. Nutrient enrichment resulted in communities composed of energy inefficient species with high community (excluding microbes) respiration. Community respiration was several times greater in enriched communities, and this may drive hypoxic conditions even without concomitant changes in microbial respiration. Enriched communities exhibited weaker trophic cascades, which may yield greater robustness to energy flow loss. Interestingly, enriched communities were also more structurally and functionally affected by species sensitive to flow disturbance making these communities more vulnerable to floods.https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.7107ecological networkenergy flowfood webindirect effectsmutualismnutrients |
| spellingShingle | Adam D. Canning Russell G. Death The influence of nutrient enrichment on riverine food web function and stability Ecology and Evolution ecological network energy flow food web indirect effects mutualism nutrients |
| title | The influence of nutrient enrichment on riverine food web function and stability |
| title_full | The influence of nutrient enrichment on riverine food web function and stability |
| title_fullStr | The influence of nutrient enrichment on riverine food web function and stability |
| title_full_unstemmed | The influence of nutrient enrichment on riverine food web function and stability |
| title_short | The influence of nutrient enrichment on riverine food web function and stability |
| title_sort | influence of nutrient enrichment on riverine food web function and stability |
| topic | ecological network energy flow food web indirect effects mutualism nutrients |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.7107 |
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