Predator diversity dampens trophic cascades

Nature ◽  
2004 ◽  
Vol 429 (6990) ◽  
pp. 407-410 ◽  
Author(s):  
Deborah L. Finke ◽  
Robert F. Denno
Keyword(s):  
Trophic Cascades ◽  
Predator Diversity

Predator diversity enhances secondary production and decreases the likelihood of trophic cascades

Oecologia ◽  
2008 ◽  
Vol 158 (3) ◽  
pp. 557-567 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eoin J. O’Gorman ◽  
Ruth A. Enright ◽  
Mark C. Emmerson
Keyword(s):  
Secondary Production ◽  
Trophic Cascades ◽  
Predator Diversity

scholarly journals Predator diversity strengthens trophic cascades in kelp forests by modifying herbivore behaviour

2005 ◽  
Vol 0 (0) ◽  
pp. 051109031307002 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jarrett Byrnes ◽  
John J. Stachowicz ◽  
Kristin M. Hultgren ◽  
A. Randall Hughes ◽  
Suzanne V. Olyarnik ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Trophic Cascades ◽  
Kelp Forests ◽  
Predator Diversity

scholarly journals PREDATOR DIVERSITY AND IDENTITY DRIVE INTERACTION STRENGTH AND TROPHIC CASCADES IN A FOOD WEB

Ecology ◽  
2008 ◽  
Vol 89 (1) ◽  
pp. 134-144 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sonja B. Otto ◽  
Eric L. Berlow ◽  
Nathan E. Rank ◽  
John Smiley ◽  
Ulrich Brose
Keyword(s):  
Food Web ◽  
Interaction Strength ◽  
Trophic Cascades ◽  
Predator Diversity

scholarly journals Predator complementarity dampens variability of phytoplankton biomass in a diversity-stability trophic cascade

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chase J. Rakowski ◽  
Caroline E. Farrior ◽  
Schonna R. Manning ◽  
Mathew A. Leibold
Keyword(s):  
Trophic Cascade ◽  
Phytoplankton Biomass ◽  
Trophic Cascades ◽  
Trophic Levels ◽  
Cascading Effects ◽  
Predator Diversity ◽  
Laboratory Microcosm ◽  
Average Biomass ◽  
Basal Resources ◽  
The Stability

AbstractTrophic cascades – indirect effects of predators that propagate down through food webs – have been extensively documented, especially in aquatic ecosystems. It has also been shown that predator diversity can mediate these trophic cascades, and, separately, that herbivore biomass can impact the stability of primary producers. However, whether predator diversity can cause cascading effects on the stability of lower trophic levels has not yet been studied. We conducted a laboratory microcosm experiment and a field mesocosm experiment manipulating the presence and coexistence of two heteropteran predators and measuring their effects on zooplankton herbivores and phytoplankton basal resources. We predicted that, if the predators partitioned their herbivore prey, for example by size, then co-presence of the predators would lead to 1) increased average values and 2) decreased temporal variability of phytoplankton basal resources. We present evidence that the predators partitioned their herbivore prey and found that their simultaneous suppression of herbivore groups reduced the variability of edible (smaller) phytoplankton biomass, without affecting mean phytoplankton biomass. We also found that phytoplankton that were more resistant to herbivory were not affected by our manipulations, indicating that the zooplankton herbivores played an important role in mediating this cascading diversity-stability effect. Our results demonstrate that predator diversity may indirectly stabilize basal resource biomass via a “diversity-stability trophic cascade,” seemingly dependent on predator complementarity and the vulnerability of taxa to consumption, but independent of a classic trophic cascade in which average biomass is altered. Predator diversity, especially if correlated with diversity of prey use, may be important for regulating ecosystem stability, and this relationship suggests biological control methods for improving the reliability of microalgal yields.

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