Disruption of ecological networks in lakes by climate change and nutrient fluctuations

Nature Climate Change, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 13(4), P. 389 - 396

Published: March 23, 2023

Climate change interacts with local processes to threaten biodiversity by disrupting the complex network of ecological interactions. While changes in interactions drastically affect ecosystems, how networks respond climate change, particular warming and nutrient supply fluctuations, is largely unknown. Here, using an equation-free modelling approach on monthly plankton community data ten Swiss lakes, we show that number strength fluctuate nonlinearly water temperature phosphorus. lakes system-specific responses, generally reduces interactions, particularly under high phosphate levels. This reorganization shifts trophic control food webs, leading consumers being controlled resources. Small grazers cyanobacteria emerge as sensitive indicators networks. By exposing outcomes a interplay between environmental drivers, our results provide tools for studying advancing understanding impacts entire communities.

Language: Английский

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Rising water temperature in rivers: Ecological impacts and future resilience

Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews Water, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 11(4)

Published: March 5, 2024

Abstract Rising water temperatures in rivers due to climate change are already having observable impacts on river ecosystems. Warming has both direct and indirect aquatic life, further aggravates pervasive issues such as eutrophication, pollution, the spread of disease. Animals can survive higher through physiological and/or genetic acclimation, behavioral phenological change, range shifts more suitable locations. As such, those animals that adapted cool‐water regions typically found high altitudes latitudes where there fewer dispersal opportunities most at risk future extinction. However, sub‐lethal animal physiology phenology, body‐size, trophic interactions could have significant population‐level effects elsewhere. Rivers vulnerable warming because historic management left them exposed solar radiation removal riparian shade, hydrologically disconnected longitudinally, laterally, vertically. The resilience riverine ecosystems is also limited by anthropogenic simplification habitats, with implications for resource use resident organisms. Due complex ecosystems, species‐specific response organisms warming, predicting how will challenging. Restoring provide connectivity heterogeneity conditions would a expected co‐occurring pressures, including should be considered priority part global strategies adaptation mitigation. This article categorized under: Science Water > Environmental Change Life Nature Freshwater Ecosystems Stresses Pressures

Language: Английский

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Refocusing multiple stressor research around the targets and scales of ecological impacts

Nature Ecology & Evolution, Journal Year: 2021, Volume and Issue: 5(11), P. 1478 - 1489

Published: Sept. 23, 2021

Language: Английский

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Flexible foraging behaviour increases predator vulnerability to climate change

Nature Climate Change, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 14(4), P. 387 - 392

Published: Feb. 27, 2024

Higher temperatures are expected to reduce species coexistence by increasing energetic demands. However, flexible foraging behaviour could balance this effect allowing predators target specific prey maximize their energy intake, according principles of optimal theory. Here we test these assumptions using a large dataset comprising 2,487 stomach contents from six fish with different feeding strategies, sampled across environments varying availability over 12 years in Kiel Bay (Baltic Sea). Our results show that shifts trait- density-dependent selectivity warmer and more productive environments. This behavioural change leads lower consumption efficiency at higher temperature as select abundant but less energetically rewarding prey, thereby undermining persistence biodiversity. By integrating into dynamic food web models, our study reveals biodiversity communities under global warming.

Language: Английский

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Warming alters plankton body-size distributions in a large field experiment

Communications Biology, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 8(1)

Published: Feb. 3, 2025

Abstract The threat of climate change has renewed interest in the responses communities and ecosystems to warming, with changes size spectra expected signify fundamental shifts structure dynamics these multispecies systems. While substantial empirical evidence accumulated recent years on such changes, we still lack general insights due a limited coverage warming scenarios that span spatial temporal scales relevance natural We addressed this gap by conducting an extensive freshwater mesocosm experiment across 36 large field mesocosms exposed intergenerational treatments up +8 °C above ambient levels. found nonlinear decrease overall mean body zooplankton 57% reduction at °C. This pattern was broadly consistent over two tested seasons major taxonomic groups. also detected some breakpoints community-level size-temperature relationship, indicating system’s response noticeably certain level warming. These results underscore need capture gradients appropriate time space order better understand effects ecosystems.

Language: Английский

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Global analysis of fish growth rates shows weaker responses to temperature than metabolic predictions

Global Ecology and Biogeography, Journal Year: 2020, Volume and Issue: 29(12), P. 2203 - 2213

Published: Sept. 24, 2020

Abstract Aim Higher temperatures increase the metabolic rate of ectothermic organisms up to a certain level and make them grow faster. This temperature‐sensitivity growth is frequently used predict long‐term effects climate warming on ectotherms. Yet, realized also depends ecological factors evolutionary adaptation. Here we study whether faster observed along temperature clines within between marine fish species from polar tropical regions. Location Global. Time period The sampling or publication year for 718 observations before 1980, 1,073 1980 2000, 390 after 2000 (for 336 no was recorded). Major taxa studied Marine teleost elasmobranchs. Methods are using 2,517 observations, representing 771 in 165 ecoregions. presented with Q 10 , describing relative each °C increase. Results We find weak within‐ between‐species growth. typical within‐species effect has 1.1. little higher ( = 1.4, 1.2 when corrected phylogenetic relationships). When analysed per guild, responses vary nearly independent large demersals 1.1) positive small pelagics 1.6) elasmobranchs 2.3). Average ecoregions high primary production. Main conclusion change average weaker than predicted by theory, suggesting that predictions not sustainable an ecosystem context. response associated may hence be shaped more local environmental dynamics physiological currently present.

Language: Английский

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Individual variation and interactions explain food web responses to global warming

Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B Biological Sciences, Journal Year: 2020, Volume and Issue: 375(1814), P. 20190449 - 20190449

Published: Nov. 2, 2020

Understanding food web responses to global warming, and their consequences for conservation management, requires knowledge on how vary both among within species. Warming can reduce species richness biomass production. However, warming observed at different levels of biological organization may seem contradictory. For example, higher temperatures commonly lead faster individual body growth but decrease production fishes. Here we show that the key resolve this contradiction is intraspecific variation, because (i) community dynamics emerge from interactions individuals, (ii) ecological interactions, physiological processes effects often over life history. By combining insights temperature-dependent dynamic models simple webs, observations large temperature gradients findings short-term mesocosm multi-decadal whole-ecosystem experiments, mechanisms by which waters affect webs via individual-level review empirical support. We identify a need experiments manipulating population size structures test these mechanisms. stress within-species variation in size, are accurate predictions appropriate efforts fish function under climate. This article part theme issue 'Integrative research perspectives marine conservation'.

Language: Английский

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On the sensitivity of food webs to multiple stressors

Ecology Letters, Journal Year: 2021, Volume and Issue: 24(10), P. 2219 - 2237

Published: July 19, 2021

Abstract Evaluating the effects of multiple stressors on ecosystems is becoming increasingly vital with global changes. The role species interactions in propagating stressors, although widely acknowledged, has yet to be formally explored. Here, we conceptualise how propagate through food webs and explore they affect simulated three‐species motifs Canadian St. Lawrence System. We find that overlooking invariably underestimate synergistic antagonistic are prevalent. also interaction type influences a species’ susceptibility stressors; omnivory tri‐trophic chain particular sensitive prone effects. Finally, apex predators were negatively affected mesopredators benefited from due their trophic position System, but sensitivity dependent web structure. In conceptualising webs, bring theory closer practice show considering intricacies ecological communities key assess net species.

Language: Английский

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Effects of freshwater salinization on a salt‐naïve planktonic eukaryote community

Limnology and Oceanography Letters, Journal Year: 2022, Volume and Issue: 8(1), P. 38 - 47

Published: Feb. 8, 2022

Abstract Freshwater salinization is a widespread issue, but evidence of ecological effects on aquatic communities remains scarce. We experimentally exposed salt‐naive plankton north‐temperate, freshwater lake to gradient chloride (Cl − ) concentration (0.27–1400 mg Cl L −1 with in situ mesocosms. Following 6 weeks, we measured changes the diversity, composition, and abundance eukaryotic 18S rRNA gene. Total phytoplankton biomass remained unchanged, observed shift dominant groups increasing salt concentration, from Cryptophyta Chlorophyta at lower concentrations (< 185 Ochrophyta higher (> ). Crustacean zooplankton rotifers were sensitive salinity, disappeared low 40 While ciliates thrived ), fungal dominated intermediate (185–640 only highest 640

Language: Английский

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Regional impacts of warming on biodiversity and biomass in high latitude stream ecosystems across the Northern Hemisphere

Communications Biology, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 7(1)

Published: March 13, 2024

Abstract Warming can have profound impacts on ecological communities. However, explorations of how differences in biogeography and productivity might reshape the effect warming been limited to theoretical or proxy-based approaches: for instance, studies latitudinal temperature gradients are often conflated with other drivers (e.g., species richness). Here, we overcome these limitations by using local geothermal across multiple high-latitude stream ecosystems. Each suite streams (6-11 warmed 1-15°C above ambient) is set within one five regions (37 total); because heating comes from bedrock not confounded changes chemistry, isolate temperature. We found a negative overall relationship between diatom invertebrate richness temperature, but strength varied regionally, declining more strongly low terrestrial productivity. Total biomass increased all regions. The latter pattern combined former suggests that tolerant compensate loss sensitive species. Our results show impact be dependent regional conditions, demonstrating variation should included future climate projections rather than simply assuming universal relationships.

Language: Английский

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