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Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 4, 2026

Linking Predation Risk, Herbivore Physiological Stress and Microbial Decomposition of Plant Litter

Linking Predation Risk, Herbivore Physiological Stress and Microbial Decomposition of Plant Litter

Published on: March 12, 2013

Large effects of consumer offense on ecosystem structure and function.

Michael F Chislock¹, Orlando Sarnelle², Brianna K Olsen²

¹Department of Fisheries and Allied Aquacultures, Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama 36849, USA.

|January 10, 2014

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Consumer adaptations to toxic prey significantly impact ecosystems. Tolerant Daphnia pulicaria genotypes altered phytoplankton biomass and productivity, unlike sensitive ones, highlighting the role of consumer offense in ecological dynamics.

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Area of Science:

Ecology
Evolutionary Biology
Aquatic Ecosystems

Background:

Ecological dynamics research often emphasizes prey defense adaptations.
Consumer adaptations, or 'offense,' are less studied regarding their ecosystem-wide effects.
Within-species variation in adaptation can have significant ecological consequences.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate how consumer adaptations to overcome prey defenses influence ecosystem structure and function.
To compare the ecological impact of different genotypes of a planktonic herbivore (Daphnia pulicaria) with varying tolerance to toxic cyanobacteria.
To determine if consumer offensive adaptations have impacts comparable to consumer presence/absence.

Main Methods:

Manipulation of two sets of Daphnia pulicaria genotypes differing in tolerance to toxic cyanobacteria.
Experimental setup in a highly productive ecosystem with abundant toxic cyanobacteria.
Measurement of effects on phytoplankton biomass and gross primary productivity.

Main Results:

Tolerant Daphnia pulicaria genotypes significantly impacted phytoplankton biomass and gross primary productivity.
Sensitive Daphnia pulicaria genotypes showed no significant effect on these ecosystem parameters.
Genotype-specific differences in population growth explained the contrasting effects.

Conclusions:

Consumer offensive adaptations, specifically tolerance to toxic prey, can strongly influence ecosystem properties.
The ecological effects of tolerant consumer genotypes were as substantial as those observed in previous studies manipulating consumer presence/absence.
Within-species adaptation in consumers plays a critical role in structuring ecological dynamics.