Temperature alters the predator-prey size relationships and size-selectivity of Southern Ocean fish
Abstract A primary response of many marine ectotherms to warming is a reduction in body size, to lower the metabolic costs associated with higher temperatures. The impact of such changes on ecosystem dynamics and stability will depend on the resulting changes to community size-structure, but few stu...
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ftdoajarticles:oai:doaj.org/article:f4581e63dc504f60a3ecda8481bacb3f 2024-09-09T20:09:49+00:00 Temperature alters the predator-prey size relationships and size-selectivity of Southern Ocean fish Patrick Eskuche-Keith Simeon L. Hill Lucía López-López Benjamin Rosenbaum Ryan A. Saunders Geraint A. Tarling Eoin J. O’Gorman 2024-05-01T00:00:00Z https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-48279-0 https://doaj.org/article/f4581e63dc504f60a3ecda8481bacb3f EN eng Nature Portfolio https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-48279-0 https://doaj.org/toc/2041-1723 doi:10.1038/s41467-024-48279-0 2041-1723 https://doaj.org/article/f4581e63dc504f60a3ecda8481bacb3f Nature Communications, Vol 15, Iss 1, Pp 1-8 (2024) Science Q article 2024 ftdoajarticles https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-48279-0 2024-08-05T17:49:24Z Abstract A primary response of many marine ectotherms to warming is a reduction in body size, to lower the metabolic costs associated with higher temperatures. The impact of such changes on ecosystem dynamics and stability will depend on the resulting changes to community size-structure, but few studies have investigated how temperature affects the relative size of predators and their prey in natural systems. We utilise >3700 prey size measurements from ten Southern Ocean lanternfish species sampled across >10° of latitude to investigate how temperature influences predator-prey size relationships and size-selective feeding. As temperature increased, we show that predators became closer in size to their prey, which was primarily associated with a decline in predator size and an increase in the relative abundance of intermediate-sized prey. The potential implications of these changes include reduced top-down control of prey populations and a reduction in the diversity of predator-prey interactions. Both of these factors could reduce the stability of community dynamics and ecosystem resistance to perturbations under ocean warming. Article in Journal/Newspaper Southern Ocean Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles Southern Ocean Nature Communications 15 1 |
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Science Q Patrick Eskuche-Keith Simeon L. Hill Lucía López-López Benjamin Rosenbaum Ryan A. Saunders Geraint A. Tarling Eoin J. O’Gorman Temperature alters the predator-prey size relationships and size-selectivity of Southern Ocean fish |
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Abstract A primary response of many marine ectotherms to warming is a reduction in body size, to lower the metabolic costs associated with higher temperatures. The impact of such changes on ecosystem dynamics and stability will depend on the resulting changes to community size-structure, but few studies have investigated how temperature affects the relative size of predators and their prey in natural systems. We utilise >3700 prey size measurements from ten Southern Ocean lanternfish species sampled across >10° of latitude to investigate how temperature influences predator-prey size relationships and size-selective feeding. As temperature increased, we show that predators became closer in size to their prey, which was primarily associated with a decline in predator size and an increase in the relative abundance of intermediate-sized prey. The potential implications of these changes include reduced top-down control of prey populations and a reduction in the diversity of predator-prey interactions. Both of these factors could reduce the stability of community dynamics and ecosystem resistance to perturbations under ocean warming. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Patrick Eskuche-Keith Simeon L. Hill Lucía López-López Benjamin Rosenbaum Ryan A. Saunders Geraint A. Tarling Eoin J. O’Gorman |
author_facet |
Patrick Eskuche-Keith Simeon L. Hill Lucía López-López Benjamin Rosenbaum Ryan A. Saunders Geraint A. Tarling Eoin J. O’Gorman |
author_sort |
Patrick Eskuche-Keith |
title |
Temperature alters the predator-prey size relationships and size-selectivity of Southern Ocean fish |
title_short |
Temperature alters the predator-prey size relationships and size-selectivity of Southern Ocean fish |
title_full |
Temperature alters the predator-prey size relationships and size-selectivity of Southern Ocean fish |
title_fullStr |
Temperature alters the predator-prey size relationships and size-selectivity of Southern Ocean fish |
title_full_unstemmed |
Temperature alters the predator-prey size relationships and size-selectivity of Southern Ocean fish |
title_sort |
temperature alters the predator-prey size relationships and size-selectivity of southern ocean fish |
publisher |
Nature Portfolio |
publishDate |
2024 |
url |
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-48279-0 https://doaj.org/article/f4581e63dc504f60a3ecda8481bacb3f |
geographic |
Southern Ocean |
geographic_facet |
Southern Ocean |
genre |
Southern Ocean |
genre_facet |
Southern Ocean |
op_source |
Nature Communications, Vol 15, Iss 1, Pp 1-8 (2024) |
op_relation |
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-48279-0 https://doaj.org/toc/2041-1723 doi:10.1038/s41467-024-48279-0 2041-1723 https://doaj.org/article/f4581e63dc504f60a3ecda8481bacb3f |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-48279-0 |
container_title |
Nature Communications |
container_volume |
15 |
container_issue |
1 |
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1809944106786357248 |