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- Aunapuu, Maano, et al.
(författare)
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Intraguild predation and interspecific co-existence between predatory endotherms
- 2010
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Ingår i: Evolutionary Ecology Research. - Tucson : Evolutionary Ecology. - 1522-0613 .- 1937-3791. ; 12:2, s. 151-168
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: According to the current predominant view, intraguild predation leads to the replacement of intermediate predators from highly productive habitats, whereas top predators and intermediate predators can co-exist in habitats with intermediate primary productivity. These predictions are contradicted by the observed abundance of intermediate predators in productive environments. But the predictions are derived by modelling interactions in food chains where the top predator is primarily adapted to exploit intermediate predators but also has some capacity to exploit the resources of the intermediate predators. We call this 'food chain omnivory'. In contrast, 'genuine intraguild predation' is the case where the two predators have shared tactics of resource acquisition, resulting in broadly overlapping prey preferences that is, the interacting predators belong to the same guild as defined by Root (1967). Questions: What are the effects of productivity on genuine intraguild predation? Do the predictions for food chain omnivory apply also to genuine intraguild predation'? Methods: We modelled genuine intraguild predation by using parameter values such that the intermediate predator and the basal prey were equally valuable to the top predator. We assumed that the basal prey was a herbivore, with a carrying capacity directly proportional to primary productivity and a habitat-specific intrinsic rate of population growth that increases asymptotically in response to increasing primary productivity. Results: With the above premises, intermediate predators can prevail even in highly productive habitat. Also, a priority effect is possible. Predictable replacement of intermediate predators by top predators requires that intermediate predators are much easier to find than basal prey. Stable co-existence requires biologically implausible parameter values. Conclusions: Genuine intraguild predation is a destabilizing force in food webs. The dynamics of genuine intraguild predation systems differ from those in food chain omnivory systems where the intermediate and top predators have different feeding tactics and, therefore, different prey preferences.
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- Aunapuu, Maano, et al.
(författare)
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Spatial patterns and dynamic responses of arctic food webs corroborate the exploitation ecosystems hypothesis (EEH)
- 2008
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Ingår i: American Naturalist. - : University of Chicago Press. - 0003-0147 .- 1537-5323. ; 171:2, s. 249-262
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- According to the exploitation ecosystems hypothesis (EEH), productive terrestrial ecosystems are characterized by community‐level trophic cascades, whereas unproductive ecosystems harbor food‐limited grazers, which regulate community‐level plant biomass. We tested this hypothesis along arctic‐alpine productivity gradients at the Joatka field base, Finnmark, Norway. In unproductive habitats, mammalian predators were absent and plant biomass was constant, whereas herbivore biomass varied, reflecting the productivity of the habitat. In productive habitats, predatory mammals were persistently present and plant biomass varied in space, but herbivore biomass did not. Plant biomass of productive tundra scrublands declined by 40% when vegetation blocks were transferred to predation‐free islands. Corresponding transfer to herbivore‐free islands triggered an increase in plant biomass. Fertilization of an unproductive tundra heath resulted in a fourfold increase in rodent density and a corresponding increase in winter grazing activity, whereas the total aboveground plant biomass remained unchanged. These results corroborate the predictions of the EEH, implying that the endotherm community and the vegetation of the North European tundra behaves dynamically as if each trophic level consisted of a single population, in spite of local co‐occurrence of >20 plant species representing different major taxonomic groups, growth forms, and defensive strategies.
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- Dahlgren, Jonas, et al.
(författare)
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Plant defences to no avail? : Responses of plants of varying edibility to food web manipulations in a low arctic scrubland
- 2009
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Ingår i: Evolutionary Ecology Research. - : Evolutionary ecology. - 1522-0613 .- 1937-3791. ; 11:8, s. 1189-1203
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: According to the Green World Hypothesis of Hairston, Smith, and Slobodkin, all plants are edible for some herbivores. Hence, the copious abundance of plant biomass, typical for terrestrial ecosystems, depends on the collective regulatory action of predators on the herbivore guild. According to the counterarguments of Polis and Strong, the defensive traits of terrestrial plants attenuate terrestrial trophic cascades to species-specific trickles, so elimination of predators might lead to increased abundance of inedible plants but will not influence community-level plant biomass. Question: Does the elimination of predators from a low arctic scrubland, with high-quality forage plants and poorly edible evergreen ericoids, lead to a reduction of community-level plant biomass or to an increased abundance of well-defended evergreen ericoids? Methods: In 1991, we introduced grey-sided voles (Myodes rufocanus) to islands, initially harbouring dense scrubland vegetation, and established permanent plots there. In 2000, we transplanted vegetation blocks from a large three-trophic-level island with voles and predators, to two-trophic-level islands with introduced voles but without resident predators, and also to vole-free one-trophic-level islands, and back to the three-trophic-level island. Vole densities were monitored by semi-annual live trapping. Vegetation was monitored by the point-frequency method. Results: In the absence of predators, vole densities increased 3.7-fold and the community-level plant biomass was decimated. The least palatable plant group, evergreen ericoids, suffered especially heavily, whereas palatable herbaceous plants increased in abundance. However, all three functional plant groups responded positively to the elimination of grey-sided voles. Conclusions: Our results corroborate the Green World Hypothesis, indicating that in the absence of predators, plant defences do not prevent runaway consumption of the vegetation. The fate of plants in predator-free systems with browsing vertebrates depends primarily on the accessibility of each plant during the limiting season. Evergreen ericoids then form the most sensitive functional group.
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- Dahlgren, Jonas, et al.
(författare)
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Plant defense at no cost? : The recovery of tundra scrubland following heavy grazing by grey-sided voles (Myodes rufocanus)
- 2009
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Ingår i: Evolutionary Ecology Research. - : Evolutionary Ecology. - 1522-0613 .- 1937-3791. ; 11, s. 1205-1216
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: Evergreen ericaceous dwarf shrubs form a dominating component of low arctic and low alpine vegetation. They typically produce high contents of secondary chemicals such as phenolics. The primary function of these chemicals may be to defend the shrubs by making them less palatable to herbivores. Question: Does the production of secondary chemicals carry a fitness cost in terms of low growth rate and, therefore, low capacity to recover from past herbivory? Methods: In 2000, we constructed vole-proof exclosures on low arctic islands where vegetation had, since 1991, been heavily impacted by grey-sided voles. In 2000 and 2003,we surveyed the vegetation of the exclosures, of unfenced plots on the same islands, and of control plots on a vole-free island. We used the point-frequency method for vegetation surveys. Results: In the exclosures, the biomasses of most plant species increased, by and large, at the same pace. The two woody species, which increased most rapidly, were the maximally palatable bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillus) and the phenolics-laden, maximally unpalatable northern crowberry (Empetrum nigrum ssp. hermaprhoditum). The recovery rates of these species were similar. Conclusions: The high concentrations of phenolics typical for evergreen arctic dwarf shrubs do not carry any obvious cost in the form of reduced capacity for compensatory growth. The principle of trade-offs does not help to explain the variation in plant palatability.
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| 7. |
- Dahlgren, Jonas, et al.
(författare)
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Plant defenses to no avail? responses of plants with varying edibility to food web manipulations in a low arctic scrubland
- 2009
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Ingår i: Evolutionary Ecology Research. - 1522-0613 .- 1937-3791. ; 11, s. 1189-1203
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: According to the Green World Hypothesis of Hairston, Smith, and Slobodkin, all plants are edible for some herbivores. Hence, the copious abundance of plant biomass, typical for terrestrial ecosystems, depends on the collective regulatory action of predators on the herbivore guild. According to the counterarguments of Polis and Strong, the defensive traits of terrestrial plants attenuate terrestrial trophic cascades to species-specific trickles, so elimination of predators might lead to increased abundance of inedible plants but will not influence community-level plant biomass.Question: Does the elimination of predators from a low arctic scrubland, with high-quality forage plants and poorly edible evergreen ericoids, lead to a reduction of community-level plant biomass or to an increased abundance of well-defended evergreen ericoids?Methods: In 1991, we introduced grey-sided voles (Myodes rufocanus) to islands, initially harbouring dense scrubland vegetation, and established permanent plots there. In 2000, we transplanted vegetation blocks from a large three-trophic-level island with voles and predators, to two-trophic-level islands with introduced voles but without resident predators, and also to vole-free one-trophic-level islands, and back to the three-trophic-level island. Vole densities were monitored by semi-annual live trapping. Vegetation was monitored by the point-frequency method.Results: In the absence of predators, vole densities increased 3.7-fold and the communitylevel plant biomass was decimated. The least palatable plant group, evergreen ericoids, suffered especially heavily, whereas palatable herbaceous plants increased in abundance. However, all three functional plant groups responded positively to the elimination of grey-sided voles.Conclusions: Our results corroborate Green World Hypothesis, indicating that in the absence of predators, plant defences do not prevent runaway consumption of the vegetation. The fate of plants in predator-free systems with browsing vertebrates depends primarily on the accessibility of each plant during the limiting season. Evergreen ericoids then form the most sensitive functional group.
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| 10. |
- Ehrich, Dorothee, et al.
(författare)
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Documenting lemming population change in the Arctic : Can we detect trends?
- 2020
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Ingår i: Ambio. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0044-7447 .- 1654-7209. ; 49:3, s. 786-800
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Lemmings are a key component of tundra food webs and changes in their dynamics can affect the whole ecosystem. We present a comprehensive overview of lemming monitoring and research activities, and assess recent trends in lemming abundance across the circumpolar Arctic. Since 2000, lemmings have been monitored at 49 sites of which 38 are still active. The sites were not evenly distributed with notably Russia and high Arctic Canada underrepresented. Abundance was monitored at all sites, but methods and levels of precision varied greatly. Other important attributes such as health, genetic diversity and potential drivers of population change, were often not monitored. There was no evidence that lemming populations were decreasing in general, although a negative trend was detected for low arctic populations sympatric with voles. To keep the pace of arctic change, we recommend maintaining long-term programmes while harmonizing methods, improving spatial coverage and integrating an ecosystem perspective.
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