A parasite-inclusive food web for the California rocky intertidal zone

We present a highly resolved, species-rich food web, including parasitic interactions, for the California rocky intertidal zone. The food web, which is a meta-web inclusive of all rocky intertidal taxa in California, is comprised of 1994 nodes, representing 1901 taxa, and 15,485 links that illustrate trophic interactions between nodes. While only 4.4% of links represent parasitic interactions, we have assembled possibly the most speciose parasite-inclusive food web ever published. The inclusion of all nodes and links are justified using multiple lines of evidence which are built into the dataset. In addition, metadata, including trophic strategy, taxonomic information, habitat, and other ecological attributes allow the data user to filter the food web to their specifications. The food web is a powerful and flexible tool for researchers with questions about large network properties, ecological dynamics of rocky shores, and the role of parasites in ecosystems. Our food web can be used to predict how complex ecosystems like the California rocky intertidal will respond to anthropogenic change and management strategies.