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Symbiotic relationships are long-term, close interactions between individuals of different species that affect the distribution and abundance of those species. When a relationship is beneficial to both species, this is called mutualism. When the relationship is beneficial to one species but neither beneficial nor harmful to the other species, this is called commensalism. When one organism is harmed to benefit another, the relationship is known as parasitism. These types of relationships often...
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Linking Predation Risk, Herbivore Physiological Stress and Microbial Decomposition of Plant Litter
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Published on: March 12, 2013

Food-web composition affects cross-ecosystem interactions and subsidies.

Gustavo Q Romero1, Diane S Srivastava

  • 1Departamento de Zoologia e Botânica, IBILCE, Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), Rua Cristóvão Colombo, 2265, CEP 15054-000, São José do Rio Preto, São Paulo, Brazil. gq_romero@yahoo.com.br

The Journal of Animal Ecology
|June 30, 2010
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Terrestrial spiders impact aquatic ecosystems by reducing insect larvae but facilitating other aquatic life. Species identity is key to understanding these cross-ecosystem effects and food web dynamics.

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Area of Science:

  • Ecology
  • Ecosystem Dynamics
  • Food Web Interactions

Background:

  • Ecosystems interact via species that cross boundaries and resource subsidies.
  • Species identity influences the strength and nature of these cross-ecosystem effects.
  • Terrestrial predators can influence aquatic communities and nutrient cycling.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the effects of two terrestrial spider species on aquatic invertebrate communities.
  • To determine the impact of these spiders on ecosystem processes like decomposition and nitrogen cycling.
  • To understand how species identity and combined effects influence cross-ecosystem interactions.

Main Methods:

  • Manipulation of two terrestrial bromeliad-living spider species (Aglaoctenus castaneus, Corinna gr. rubripes).
  • Assessment of effects on aquatic invertebrate community structure (richness, abundance, biomass).
  • Measurement of ecosystem processes: decomposition rate and nitrogen cycling.

Main Results:

  • Aglaoctenus spiders reduced aquatic insect larvae, while Corinna spiders added nitrogen.
  • Combined spider effects were generally the average of individual effects.
  • Aquatic invertebrates with fully aquatic life cycles were unaffected or facilitated by spiders.
  • Spiders did not alter detritivore biomass or detrital nitrogen flux.

Conclusions:

  • Predators can reduce cross-ecosystem taxa while facilitating within-ecosystem taxa, potentially attenuating top-down effects.
  • Species identity significantly impacts community structure and ecosystem functioning across ecosystems.
  • The composition of both terrestrial and aquatic food webs influences cross-ecosystem interaction strength.