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Modeling the Size Spectrum for Macroinvertebrates and Fishes in Stream Ecosystems

Modeling the Size Spectrum for Macroinvertebrates and Fishes in Stream Ecosystems

Published on: July 30, 2019

Trophic cascades alter eco-evolutionary dynamics and body size evolution.

Thomas M Luhring¹, John P DeLong¹

¹School of Biological Sciences, University of Nebraska, 410 Manter Hall, Lincoln, NE 68588, USA.

Proceedings. Biological Sciences

|November 4, 2020

Summary

Losing top predators triggers eco-evolutionary trophic cascades (EETCs) that alter species abundance and body mass evolution. These effects cascade through food webs, impacting even basal producers.

Keywords:

Gillespie eco-evolutionary model evolution functional response predation traits transient dynamics

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Area of Science:

Ecology
Evolutionary Biology
Theoretical Ecology

Background:

Trait evolution in predator-prey systems influences species dynamics and can create eco-evolutionary trophic cascades (EETCs).
Body mass is a crucial trait mediating trophic cascades, evolving in response to predator-prey interactions.

Purpose of the Study:

To explore EETCs resulting from top predator loss, mediated by body mass evolution.
To investigate how body mass evolution impacts food web dynamics in a four-trophic-level system.

Main Methods:

Utilized Gillespie eco-evolutionary models with a four-trophic-level food chain.
Incorporated allometric scaling to link body mass to ecological functions (ecological pleiotropy).
Parameterized models using the FORAGE database and calculated fitness gradients to track selective pressures.

Main Results:

Top predator loss induced alternating shifts in abundance across trophic levels.
Body mass evolution trajectories were altered by changes in fitness gradients.
Impacts on top predators affected basal producer eco-evolutionary dynamics due to shorter generation times.

Conclusions:

Top predator loss can initiate transient EETCs with broad indirect effects on food webs.
Body mass evolution plays a significant role in mediating the strength and direction of these cascades.