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A modeling approach to quantify ecological dynamics and functional structures of paleocommunities
Yuangeng Huang1, Peter D Roopnarine2, Zhong-Qiang Chen3
1State Key Laboratory of Geomicrobiology and Environmental Changes, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, China. yghuang@cug.edu.cn.
Nature Protocols
|June 16, 2025
Summary
This study introduces a protocol for reconstructing ancient food webs from fossil data. It models paleocommunity stability and structure to understand ecosystem evolution and predict collapse.
Area of Science:
- Paleontology
- Paleoecology
- Ecological Modeling
Background:
- Fossils offer insights into past ecosystems and long-term ecological impacts.
- Quantifying paleocommunity dynamics and reconstructing food webs remain challenging.
Purpose of the Study:
- To present a protocol for reconstructing paleo-food webs and modeling paleocommunity stability.
- To enhance the use of ecological modeling in understanding ancient ecosystem evolution.
Main Methods:
- Reconstructing paleocommunities from fossil data within selected time ranges and geographic scopes.
- Assigning species to guilds and mapping trophic interactions to build food webs.
- Utilizing species-level networks and cascading extinction on graphs models to analyze community structure and dynamics.
Main Results:
- A detailed protocol for paleo-food web reconstruction and paleocommunity modeling is presented.
- The method allows for quantitative evaluation of community stability and structure.
- Analysis can identify tipping points predicting ecosystem collapse.
Conclusions:
- The protocol aids in understanding ancient ecosystem evolution and ecological changes.
- Comparing paleocommunity stability and structure can calibrate historical ecological shifts.
- Expertise in organismal biology is crucial for accurate food web reconstruction.
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