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Predator richness has no effect in a diverse marine food web
Article first published online: 26 FEB 2009
DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2656.2009.01533.x
© 2009 The Authors. Journal compilation © 2009 British Ecological Society
Additional Information
How to Cite
O’Connor, M. I. and Bruno, J. F. (2009), Predator richness has no effect in a diverse marine food web. Journal of Animal Ecology, 78: 732–740. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2656.2009.01533.x
Publication History
- Issue published online: 4 JUN 2009
- Article first published online: 26 FEB 2009
- Received 11 November 2008; accepted 28 January 2009Handling editor: Joseph Rasmussen
Keywords:
- amphipod;
- composition;
- diversity;
- food web;
- herbivore;
- immigration;
- isopod;
- marine;
- predator;
- richness;
- prey
Summary
- 1In many ecosystems, predator abundance, composition and diversity vary naturally among seasons and habitats. In addition, predator assemblages are changing due to overharvesting, habitat destruction and species invasions.
- 2Predator species composition and richness can influence prey community structure and these effects can cascade to influence plant abundance and composition.
- 3To test the effects of predator presence, composition and species richness on prey abundance, species richness and composition, we conducted three experiments in a subtidal marine food web. Experimental food webs were drawn from species pools of 5–7 predator species, 19–52 prey species, benthic micro-algae and 5 macro-algae.
- 4Predators reduced prey abundance in the mesocosm experiment, but this effect was diminished or absent in field experiments. Predator species differed in their effects on prey, but we found no effect of predator richness (via complementarity or selection) on any aspect of prey community structure.
- 5The absence of a predator richness effect could be due to several factors including potentially opposing effects of individual predator species, intraguild predation, or greater importance of colonization relative to competition in structuring prey assemblages. Although predators can have strong top-down effects in this system, selection or resource-use complementarity among predators do not affect prey community structure.