Strategic synergies: Dispersal and resource allocation in mitigating tipping cascades

Area of Science:

• Ecology
• Theoretical Ecology
• Conservation Biology

Background:

• Ecosystems face tipping points leading to degradation under exploitation.
• The role of food provision in exploited, patchy environments is understudied.
• Metacommunity collapse is a significant ecological concern.

Purpose of the Study:

• Investigate the trade-off between connectivity and resource allocation in mitigating ecological tipping points.
• Analyze predator-prey dynamics, harvesting, and food provision effects on population persistence.
• Examine how dispersal and resource sharing impact metacommunity stability.

Main Methods:

• Explored predator-prey dynamics in isolated and two-patch systems.
• Modeled effects of predator harvesting and additional food provision.
• Analyzed diffusive coupling and food share ratios between patches.
• Investigated the impact of dispersal thresholds on population dynamics.

Main Results:

• Additional food can rescue predators but excessive amounts disrupt trophic balance.
• Strategic harvesting mitigates risks but can lead to multistability.
• A calibrated food share ratio is vital for coexistence, modulated by coupling strength.
• High dispersal can trigger tipping points and metacommunity collapse.
• Uniform food quality across patches is crucial for preventing extinction under strong connectivity.

Conclusions:

• Integrating dispersal and resource allocation is key to ecosystem resilience.
• Careful management of food provision and harvesting can prevent population collapse.
• Maintaining food quality uniformity is essential in connected, fragmented habitats.
• Findings offer strategies to mitigate population declines in vulnerable ecosystems.