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Thermal Limits Determination for Zooplankton Using a Heat Block
Published on: November 18, 2022
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Spatial insurance against a heatwave differs between trophic levels in experimental aquatic communities
Csaba F Vad1,2,3, Anett Hanny-Endrédi2, Pavel Kratina4
1WasserCluster Lunz-Biologische Station, Lunz am See, Austria.
Global Change Biology
|March 22, 2023
Summary
Spatial insurance, where species dispersal from regional pools aids ecosystem recovery, showed partial success in plankton communities during heatwaves. Phytoplankton dispersal improved recovery, but zooplankton dispersal did not, indicating complex responses to climate change impacts.
Area of Science:
- Ecology
- Climate Change Biology
- Aquatic Ecosystems
Background:
- Climate change-induced heatwaves pose significant threats to biodiversity and ecosystem functioning.
- Understanding community resistance and recovery mechanisms following extreme temperature events is crucial but limited.
- The spatial insurance hypothesis suggests regional species pools can buffer local ecosystems via immigration, yet experimental evidence for pulse disturbances like heatwaves is scarce.
Purpose of the Study:
- To experimentally test the spatial insurance hypothesis in plankton communities subjected to a simulated heatwave.
- To investigate whether species dispersal from natural lakes can enhance community resistance and recovery.
- To examine differential dispersal effects on lower (phytoplankton) and higher (zooplankton) trophic levels.
Main Methods:
- An experimental mesocosm study was conducted using plankton communities.
- A simulated heatwave was imposed on the mesocosms.
- Dispersal of phytoplankton and zooplankton from natural lakes was independently manipulated prior to the heatwave.
Main Results:
- The heatwave negatively impacted total community biomass, primarily by reducing zooplankton biomass.
- Zooplankton dispersal did not mitigate heatwave effects on zooplankton biomass.
- Phytoplankton dispersal enhanced the recovery of primary producer biomass, offering partial support for spatial insurance.
- Community composition and trophic structure were altered by the heatwave, suggesting lasting ecosystem changes.
Conclusions:
- Phytoplankton dispersal can contribute to ecosystem recovery following heatwaves, supporting the spatial insurance hypothesis for primary producers.
- Differential responses between trophic levels may relate to the size of regional species pools.
- While community biomass showed resilience, the heatwave induced persistent alterations in community structure and ecosystem functioning.
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