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Meta-ecosystem dynamics and functioning on finite spatial networks.

Justin N Marleau1, Frédéric Guichard, Michel Loreau

  • 1Department of Biology, McGill University, , Montreal, Quebec, Canada, Centre for Biodiversity Theory and Modelling, Experimental Ecology Station, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, , 09200 Moulis, France.

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|January 10, 2014
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Summary

Spatial flows in meta-ecosystems can increase production but also cause instability. Connectivity metrics must account for finite, irregular spatial structures to predict these dynamics effectively.

Keywords:
connectivityecosystem dynamicsecosystem functioningmeta-ecosystemmovementnetworks

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Area of Science:

  • Ecological modeling
  • Meta-ecosystem dynamics
  • Spatial ecology

Background:

  • Spatial structure is increasingly integrated into ecological theories, bridging community and ecosystem ecology.
  • Current spatial models often use idealized, regular landscapes, limiting real-world applicability.
  • Meta-ecosystem research explores how local ecosystems interact through material and organismal flows.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To develop and analyze a meta-ecosystem model with finite and irregular spatial structure.
  • To investigate the impact of spatial flows on ecosystem stability and functions.
  • To identify reliable metrics for predicting the effects of spatial connectivity.

Main Methods:

  • A meta-ecosystem model was constructed, comprising local nutrient-autotroph-herbivore systems.
  • Spatial flows of nutrients and organisms between local ecosystems were simulated.
  • The influence of movement rates and spatial structure on stability and production was analyzed.
  • Eigenvalues and eigenvectors of the connectivity matrix were used to characterize spatial structure and scale.

Main Results:

  • High nutrient and herbivore movement rates can destabilize local dynamics, leading to heterogeneous equilibria or oscillations.
  • Meta-ecosystem primary and secondary production generally increased with higher movement rates.
  • Emergent dynamics' onset and scale critically depend on the meta-ecosystem's spatial structure and relative autotroph movement rates.
  • Standard connectivity metrics failed to capture these dependencies; matrix eigenvalues/eigenvectors proved predictive.

Conclusions:

  • Finite and irregular spatial structure significantly influences meta-ecosystem dynamics and functions.
  • The study highlights limitations of current connectivity metrics in complex spatial settings.
  • Incorporating finite-size effects and detailed spatial structure is crucial for advancing meta-ecosystem theory.