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A multifaceted trophic cascade in a detritus-based system: density-, trait-, or processing-chain-mediated effects?

Daniel Albeny-Simões1, Ebony G Murrell2, Evaldo F Vilela1

  • 1Programa de Pós Graduação em Entomologia, Departmento de Entomologia, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Viçosa MG 36570-000, Brazil.

Ecosphere (Washington, D.C)
|April 7, 2015
PubMed
Summary

Predators boost bacteria in detritus systems by reducing prey, altering prey behavior, and adding nutrients. These pathways create a trophic cascade, impacting bacterial abundance in tree hole ecosystems.

Keywords:
Aedes triseriatusToxorhynchitesdensity-mediated indirect interactionpredationprocessing chain interactiontrait-mediated indirect interactiontrophic cascade

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Area of Science:

  • Ecology
  • Aquatic Ecology
  • Trophic Dynamics

Background:

  • Predators can influence lower trophic levels through indirect effects, known as trophic cascades.
  • Detritus-based ecosystems rely on the breakdown of organic matter, with bacteria playing a crucial role.
  • Understanding predator-prey interactions is key to comprehending ecosystem functioning.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the three proposed pathways by which intermediate predators influence bacterial abundance in detritus-based systems.
  • To experimentally test the roles of direct predation, behavioral changes, and nutrient enrichment in mediating trophic cascades.
  • To elucidate the mechanisms driving the trophic cascade from predators to bacteria in tree hole ecosystems.

Main Methods:

  • Laboratory experiments using mosquito larvae (predator: Toxorhynchites rutilus, prey: Aedes triseriatus) in water-filled containers with oak leaf infusion.
  • Manipulation of predator presence, predation cues, and carcass presence/absence to assess impacts on bacterial productivity and prey survivorship.
  • Comparison of bacterial abundance and productivity across treatments including prey alone, prey with predator, and controls.

Main Results:

  • Predation cues alone increased bacterial abundance initially, but this effect diminished over time.
  • Prey larvae (A. triseriatus) significantly reduced bacterial abundance.
  • Both real predation and predation cues negated the negative impact of prey on bacterial abundance, with real predation showing a stronger effect.
  • Predation residues (carcasses) also enhanced bacterial productivity, indicating nutrient enrichment as a significant pathway.

Conclusions:

  • All three investigated pathways—reduced prey density, altered prey behavior, and nutrient enrichment from carcasses—contribute to the trophic cascade from predators to bacteria.
  • Predator-induced changes in intermediate consumers significantly impact basal bacterial communities in tree hole ecosystems.
  • The study provides experimental evidence for the complex indirect effects of predators in detritus-based food webs.