Small but powerful: Top predator local extinction affects ecosystem structure and function in an intermittent stream.
Top predator loss is a major global problem, with a current trend in biodiversity loss towards high trophic levels that modifies most ecosystems worldwide. Most research in this area is focused on large-bodied predators, despite the high extinction risk of small-bodied freshwater fish that often act...
| Autores: | , , , |
|---|---|
| Tipo de recurso: | artículo |
| Estado: | Versión publicada |
| Fecha de publicación: | 2015 |
| País: | España |
| Institución: | Varias* (Consorci de Biblioteques Universitáries de Catalunya, Centre de Serveis Científics i Acadèmics de Catalunya) |
| Repositorio: | Recercat. Dipósit de la Recerca de Catalunya |
| OAI Identifier: | oai:recercat.cat:2445/64145 |
| Acceso en línea: | https://hdl.handle.net/2445/64145 |
| Access Level: | acceso abierto |
| Palabra clave: | Ecosistemes Animals en perill d'extinció Invertebrats Predació (Biologia) Peixos d'aigua dolça Biocenosis Cadenes alimentàries (Ecologia) Biotic communities Rare animals Invertebrates Predation (Biology) Freshwater fishes Biocenoses Food chains (Ecology) |
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Small but powerful: Top predator local extinction affects ecosystem structure and function in an intermittent stream.Rodríguez Lozano, PabloVerkaik, IraimaRieradevall i Sant, MariaPrat i Fornells, NarcísEcosistemesAnimals en perill d'extincióInvertebratsPredació (Biologia)Peixos d'aigua dolçaBiocenosisCadenes alimentàries (Ecologia)Biotic communitiesRare animalsInvertebratesPredation (Biology)Freshwater fishesBiocenosesFood chains (Ecology)Top predator loss is a major global problem, with a current trend in biodiversity loss towards high trophic levels that modifies most ecosystems worldwide. Most research in this area is focused on large-bodied predators, despite the high extinction risk of small-bodied freshwater fish that often act as apex consumers. Consequently, it remains unknown if intermittent streams are affected by the consequences of top-predators' extirpations. The aim of our research was to determine how this global problem affects intermittent streams and, in particular, if the loss of a small-bodied top predator (1) leads to a 'mesopredator release', affects primary consumers and changes whole community structures, and (2) triggers a cascade effect modifying the ecosystem function. To address these questions, we studied the topdown effects of a small endangered fish species, Barbus meridionalis (the Mediterranean barbel), conducting an enclosure/exclosure mesocosm experiment in an intermittent stream where B. meridionalis became locally extinct following a wildfire.We found that top predator absence led to 'mesopredator release', and also to 'prey release' despite intraguild predation, which contrasts with traditional food web theory. In addition, B. meridionalis extirpation changed whole macroinvertebrate community composition and increased total macroinvertebrate density. Regarding ecosystem function, periphyton primary production decreased in apex consumer absence. In this study, the apex consumer was functionally irreplaceable; its local extinction led to the loss of an important functional role that resulted in major changes to the ecosystem's structure and function. This study evidences that intermittent streams can be affected by the consequences of apex consumers' extinctions, and that the loss of small-bodied top predators can lead to large ecosystem changes. We recommend the reintroduction of small-bodied apex consumers to systems where they have been extirpated, to restore ecosystem structure and function.Public Library of Science (PLoS)2015201520152015info:eu-repo/semantics/articleinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion16 p.application/pdfhttps://hdl.handle.net/2445/64145Articles publicats en revistes (Biologia Evolutiva, Ecologia i Ciències Ambientals)reponame:Recercat. Dipósit de la Recerca de Catalunyainstname:Varias* (Consorci de Biblioteques Universitáries de Catalunya, Centre de Serveis Científics i Acadèmics de Catalunya)InglésReproducció del document publicat a: 10.1371/journal.pone.0117630PLoS One, 2015, vol. 10, num. 2, p. 1-16http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0117630cc-by (c) Rodríguez Lozano, Pablo et al., 2015http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/esinfo:eu-repo/semantics/openAccessoai:recercat.cat:2445/641452026-05-29T05:05:01Z |
| dc.title.none.fl_str_mv |
Small but powerful: Top predator local extinction affects ecosystem structure and function in an intermittent stream. |
| title |
Small but powerful: Top predator local extinction affects ecosystem structure and function in an intermittent stream. |
| spellingShingle |
Small but powerful: Top predator local extinction affects ecosystem structure and function in an intermittent stream. Rodríguez Lozano, Pablo Ecosistemes Animals en perill d'extinció Invertebrats Predació (Biologia) Peixos d'aigua dolça Biocenosis Cadenes alimentàries (Ecologia) Biotic communities Rare animals Invertebrates Predation (Biology) Freshwater fishes Biocenoses Food chains (Ecology) |
| title_short |
Small but powerful: Top predator local extinction affects ecosystem structure and function in an intermittent stream. |
| title_full |
Small but powerful: Top predator local extinction affects ecosystem structure and function in an intermittent stream. |
| title_fullStr |
Small but powerful: Top predator local extinction affects ecosystem structure and function in an intermittent stream. |
| title_full_unstemmed |
Small but powerful: Top predator local extinction affects ecosystem structure and function in an intermittent stream. |
| title_sort |
Small but powerful: Top predator local extinction affects ecosystem structure and function in an intermittent stream. |
| dc.creator.none.fl_str_mv |
Rodríguez Lozano, Pablo Verkaik, Iraima Rieradevall i Sant, Maria Prat i Fornells, Narcís |
| author |
Rodríguez Lozano, Pablo |
| author_facet |
Rodríguez Lozano, Pablo Verkaik, Iraima Rieradevall i Sant, Maria Prat i Fornells, Narcís |
| author_role |
author |
| author2 |
Verkaik, Iraima Rieradevall i Sant, Maria Prat i Fornells, Narcís |
| author2_role |
author author author |
| dc.subject.none.fl_str_mv |
Ecosistemes Animals en perill d'extinció Invertebrats Predació (Biologia) Peixos d'aigua dolça Biocenosis Cadenes alimentàries (Ecologia) Biotic communities Rare animals Invertebrates Predation (Biology) Freshwater fishes Biocenoses Food chains (Ecology) |
| topic |
Ecosistemes Animals en perill d'extinció Invertebrats Predació (Biologia) Peixos d'aigua dolça Biocenosis Cadenes alimentàries (Ecologia) Biotic communities Rare animals Invertebrates Predation (Biology) Freshwater fishes Biocenoses Food chains (Ecology) |
| description |
Top predator loss is a major global problem, with a current trend in biodiversity loss towards high trophic levels that modifies most ecosystems worldwide. Most research in this area is focused on large-bodied predators, despite the high extinction risk of small-bodied freshwater fish that often act as apex consumers. Consequently, it remains unknown if intermittent streams are affected by the consequences of top-predators' extirpations. The aim of our research was to determine how this global problem affects intermittent streams and, in particular, if the loss of a small-bodied top predator (1) leads to a 'mesopredator release', affects primary consumers and changes whole community structures, and (2) triggers a cascade effect modifying the ecosystem function. To address these questions, we studied the topdown effects of a small endangered fish species, Barbus meridionalis (the Mediterranean barbel), conducting an enclosure/exclosure mesocosm experiment in an intermittent stream where B. meridionalis became locally extinct following a wildfire.We found that top predator absence led to 'mesopredator release', and also to 'prey release' despite intraguild predation, which contrasts with traditional food web theory. In addition, B. meridionalis extirpation changed whole macroinvertebrate community composition and increased total macroinvertebrate density. Regarding ecosystem function, periphyton primary production decreased in apex consumer absence. In this study, the apex consumer was functionally irreplaceable; its local extinction led to the loss of an important functional role that resulted in major changes to the ecosystem's structure and function. This study evidences that intermittent streams can be affected by the consequences of apex consumers' extinctions, and that the loss of small-bodied top predators can lead to large ecosystem changes. We recommend the reintroduction of small-bodied apex consumers to systems where they have been extirpated, to restore ecosystem structure and function. |
| publishDate |
2015 |
| dc.date.none.fl_str_mv |
2015 2015 2015 2015 |
| dc.type.none.fl_str_mv |
info:eu-repo/semantics/article info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion |
| format |
article |
| status_str |
publishedVersion |
| dc.identifier.none.fl_str_mv |
https://hdl.handle.net/2445/64145 |
| url |
https://hdl.handle.net/2445/64145 |
| dc.language.none.fl_str_mv |
Inglés |
| language_invalid_str_mv |
Inglés |
| dc.relation.none.fl_str_mv |
Reproducció del document publicat a: 10.1371/journal.pone.0117630 PLoS One, 2015, vol. 10, num. 2, p. 1-16 http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0117630 |
| dc.rights.none.fl_str_mv |
cc-by (c) Rodríguez Lozano, Pablo et al., 2015 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/es info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess |
| rights_invalid_str_mv |
cc-by (c) Rodríguez Lozano, Pablo et al., 2015 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/es |
| eu_rights_str_mv |
openAccess |
| dc.format.none.fl_str_mv |
16 p. application/pdf |
| dc.publisher.none.fl_str_mv |
Public Library of Science (PLoS) |
| publisher.none.fl_str_mv |
Public Library of Science (PLoS) |
| dc.source.none.fl_str_mv |
Articles publicats en revistes (Biologia Evolutiva, Ecologia i Ciències Ambientals) reponame:Recercat. Dipósit de la Recerca de Catalunya instname:Varias* (Consorci de Biblioteques Universitáries de Catalunya, Centre de Serveis Científics i Acadèmics de Catalunya) |
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Varias* (Consorci de Biblioteques Universitáries de Catalunya, Centre de Serveis Científics i Acadèmics de Catalunya) |
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Recercat. Dipósit de la Recerca de Catalunya |
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Recercat. Dipósit de la Recerca de Catalunya |
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