FN Archimer Export Format
PT J
TI How does abundance scale with body size in coupled size-structured food webs?
BT 
AF BLANCHARD, Julia L.
   JENNINGS, Simon
   LAW, Richard
   CASTLE, Matthew D.
   MCCLOGHRIE, Paul
   ROCHET, Marie-Joelle
   BENOIT, Eric
AS 1:1,2;2:1;3:2;4:1,2;5:1;6:3;7:4;
FF 1:;2:;3:;4:;5:;6:PDG-DOP-DCN-EMH;7:;
C1 Ctr Environm Fisheries & Aquaculture Sci, Lowestoft Lab, Lowestoft NR33 0HT, Suffolk, England.
   Univ York, Dept Biol, York YO1 5YW, N Yorkshire, England.
   IFREMER, Dept EMH, F-44311 Nantes, France.
   Univ Rochelle, Math Lab, F-17042 La Rochelle, France.
C2 CEFAS, UK
   UNIV YORK, UK
   IFREMER, FRANCE
   UNIV LA ROCHELLE, FRANCE
SI NANTES
SE PDG-DOP-DCN-EMH
IN WOS Ifremer jusqu'en 2018
   copubli-france
   copubli-europe
   copubli-univ-france
IF 3.714
TC 153
UR https://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/2009/publication-7318.pdf
LA English
DT Article
DE ;Size spectrum;North Sea;Macroecology;Ecosystem effects of fishing;Community ecology;Benthic pelagic coupling;Allometric scaling
AB Widely observed macro-ecological patterns in log abundance vs. log body mass of organisms can be explained by simple scaling theory based on food (energy) availability across a spectrum of body sizes. The theory predicts that when food availability falls with body size (as in most aquatic food webs where larger predators eat smaller prey), the scaling between log N vs. log m is steeper than when organisms of different sizes compete for a shared unstructured resource (e.g. autotrophs, herbivores and detritivores; hereafter dubbed 'detritivores'). In real communities, the mix of feeding characteristics gives rise to complex food webs. Such complexities make empirical tests of scaling predictions prone to error if: (i) the data are not disaggregated in accordance with the assumptions of the theory being tested, or (ii) the theory does not account for all of the trophic interactions within and across the communities sampled. We disaggregated whole community data collected in the North Sea into predator and detritivore components and report slopes of log abundance vs. log body mass relationships. Observed slopes for fish and epifaunal predator communities (-1.2 to -2.25) were significantly steeper than those for infaunal detritivore communities (-0.56 to -0.87). We present a model describing the dynamics of coupled size spectra, to explain how coupling of predator and detritivore communities affects the scaling of log N vs. log m. The model captures the trophic interactions and recycling of material that occur in many aquatic ecosystems. Our simulations demonstrate that the biological processes underlying growth and mortality in the two distinct size spectra lead to patterns consistent with data. Slopes of log N vs. log m were steeper and growth rates faster for predators compared to detritivores. Size spectra were truncated when primary production was too low for predators and when detritivores experienced predation pressure. The approach also allows us to assess the effects of external sources of mortality (e.g. harvesting). Removal of large predators resulted in steeper predator spectra and increases in their prey (small fish and detritivores). The model predictions are remarkably consistent with observed patterns of exploited ecosystems.
PY 2009
SO Journal of Animal Ecology
SN 0021-8790
PU Wiley / Blackwell
VL 78
IS 1
UT 000261620800030
BP 270
EP 280
DI 10.1111/j.1365-2656.2008.01466.x
ID 7318
ER

EF