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Intraspecific phenotypic variation in a fish predator affects multitrophic lake metacommunity structure.
Jennifer G Howeth1, Jerome J Weis2, Jakob Brodersen3
1Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Yale University New Haven, Connecticut, 06520-8105 ; Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alabama Tuscaloosa, Alabama, 35487-0206.
Ecology and Evolution
|January 24, 2014
Summary
Intraspecific variation in alewife fish predators influences plankton diversity across lake metacommunities. This predator variation structures zooplankton and phytoplankton communities, impacting regional species dispersal and diversity patterns.
Area of Science:
- Evolutionary ecology
- Metacommunity ecology
- Freshwater ecology
Background:
- Intraspecific variation in predators can drive ecological selection on community structure.
- Metacommunity dynamics are influenced by species dispersal and local environmental factors.
- Previous studies often assume isolated local populations, neglecting spatial processes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relative impacts of predator intraspecific phenotypic variation and spatial dispersal on lake plankton metacommunity structure.
- To determine how alewife (Alosa pseudoharengus) intraspecific variation affects zooplankton and phytoplankton diversity.
- To assess the interplay between local adaptation and regional species sorting in structuring aquatic communities.
Main Methods:
- Comparative analysis of plankton communities across coastal lakes with varying alewife phenotypes (anadromous, landlocked, absent).
- Quantification of local and beta diversity for zooplankton and phytoplankton.
- Assessment of plankton community composition in relation to alewife variation and dispersal patterns.
Main Results:
- Alewife intraspecific variation significantly structured zooplankton communities via species sorting.
- Zooplankton species richness and beta diversity were altered by alewife phenotype, with landlocked alewife lakes showing intermediate richness and higher community similarity.
- Phytoplankton diversity was highest in lakes containing landlocked alewives.
- Regional plankton dispersal patterns were strongly influenced by the intraspecific variation in alewives.
Conclusions:
- Intraspecific phenotypic variation in a key predator can maintain contrasting patterns of multitrophic diversity within metacommunities.
- Predator intraspecific variation plays a crucial role in structuring both local and regional aquatic communities.
- This study highlights the importance of considering predator intraspecific diversity in metacommunity dynamics and biodiversity maintenance.
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