Understanding the structure and functioning of polar pelagic ecosystems to predict the impacts of change
The determinants of the structure, functioning and resilience of pelagic ecosystems across most of the polar regions are not well known. Improved understanding is essential for assessing the value of biodiversity and predicting the effects of change (including in biodiversity) on these ecosystems an...
Published in: | Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences |
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ftuhipublicatio:oai:pure.atira.dk:publications/760afcab-e516-4d2b-a65b-6646c7bf5e02 2024-06-23T07:46:55+00:00 Understanding the structure and functioning of polar pelagic ecosystems to predict the impacts of change Murphy, EJ Cavanagh, R.D. Drinkwater, K.F. Grant, S.M. Heymans, Johanna Hofmann, E.E. Hunt, G.L.Jr. Johnston, N.M. 2016-12-14 application/pdf https://pure.uhi.ac.uk/en/publications/760afcab-e516-4d2b-a65b-6646c7bf5e02 https://doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2016.1646 https://pureadmin.uhi.ac.uk/ws/files/2025484/Murphy_et_al_paper_proof.pdf eng eng https://pure.uhi.ac.uk/en/publications/760afcab-e516-4d2b-a65b-6646c7bf5e02 info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess Murphy , EJ , Cavanagh , R D , Drinkwater , K F , Grant , S M , Heymans , J , Hofmann , E E , Hunt , G L J & Johnston , N M 2016 , ' Understanding the structure and functioning of polar pelagic ecosystems to predict the impacts of change ' , Proceedings of the Royal Society of London Series B-Biological Sciences , vol. 283 , no. 1844 , 20161646 , pp. 1-10 . https://doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2016.1646 Polar Ocean Ecosystems Climate change Biodiversity Ecosystem functioning article 2016 ftuhipublicatio https://doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2016.1646 2024-05-27T23:51:24Z The determinants of the structure, functioning and resilience of pelagic ecosystems across most of the polar regions are not well known. Improved understanding is essential for assessing the value of biodiversity and predicting the effects of change (including in biodiversity) on these ecosystems and the services they maintain. Here we focus on the trophic interactions that underpin ecosystem structure, developing comparative analyses of how polar pelagic food webs vary in relation to the environment. We highlight that there is not a singular, generic Arctic or Antarctic pelagic food web, and, although there are characteristic pathways of energy flow dominated by a small number of species, alternative routes are important for maintaining energy transfer and resilience. These more complex routes cannot, however, provide the same rate of energy flow to highest trophiclevel species. Food-web structure may be similar in different regions, but the individual species that dominate mid-trophic levels vary across polar regions. The characteristics (traits) of these species are also different and these differences influence a range of food-web processes. Low functional redundancy at key trophic levels makes these ecosystems particularly sensitive to change. To develop models for projecting responses of polar ecosystems to future environmental change, we propose a conceptual framework that links the life histories of pelagic species and the structure of polar food webs. Article in Journal/Newspaper Antarc* Antarctic Arctic Climate change University of the Highlands and Islands: Research Database of UHI Arctic Antarctic Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences 283 1844 20161646 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
University of the Highlands and Islands: Research Database of UHI |
op_collection_id |
ftuhipublicatio |
language |
English |
topic |
Polar Ocean Ecosystems Climate change Biodiversity Ecosystem functioning |
spellingShingle |
Polar Ocean Ecosystems Climate change Biodiversity Ecosystem functioning Murphy, EJ Cavanagh, R.D. Drinkwater, K.F. Grant, S.M. Heymans, Johanna Hofmann, E.E. Hunt, G.L.Jr. Johnston, N.M. Understanding the structure and functioning of polar pelagic ecosystems to predict the impacts of change |
topic_facet |
Polar Ocean Ecosystems Climate change Biodiversity Ecosystem functioning |
description |
The determinants of the structure, functioning and resilience of pelagic ecosystems across most of the polar regions are not well known. Improved understanding is essential for assessing the value of biodiversity and predicting the effects of change (including in biodiversity) on these ecosystems and the services they maintain. Here we focus on the trophic interactions that underpin ecosystem structure, developing comparative analyses of how polar pelagic food webs vary in relation to the environment. We highlight that there is not a singular, generic Arctic or Antarctic pelagic food web, and, although there are characteristic pathways of energy flow dominated by a small number of species, alternative routes are important for maintaining energy transfer and resilience. These more complex routes cannot, however, provide the same rate of energy flow to highest trophiclevel species. Food-web structure may be similar in different regions, but the individual species that dominate mid-trophic levels vary across polar regions. The characteristics (traits) of these species are also different and these differences influence a range of food-web processes. Low functional redundancy at key trophic levels makes these ecosystems particularly sensitive to change. To develop models for projecting responses of polar ecosystems to future environmental change, we propose a conceptual framework that links the life histories of pelagic species and the structure of polar food webs. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Murphy, EJ Cavanagh, R.D. Drinkwater, K.F. Grant, S.M. Heymans, Johanna Hofmann, E.E. Hunt, G.L.Jr. Johnston, N.M. |
author_facet |
Murphy, EJ Cavanagh, R.D. Drinkwater, K.F. Grant, S.M. Heymans, Johanna Hofmann, E.E. Hunt, G.L.Jr. Johnston, N.M. |
author_sort |
Murphy, EJ |
title |
Understanding the structure and functioning of polar pelagic ecosystems to predict the impacts of change |
title_short |
Understanding the structure and functioning of polar pelagic ecosystems to predict the impacts of change |
title_full |
Understanding the structure and functioning of polar pelagic ecosystems to predict the impacts of change |
title_fullStr |
Understanding the structure and functioning of polar pelagic ecosystems to predict the impacts of change |
title_full_unstemmed |
Understanding the structure and functioning of polar pelagic ecosystems to predict the impacts of change |
title_sort |
understanding the structure and functioning of polar pelagic ecosystems to predict the impacts of change |
publishDate |
2016 |
url |
https://pure.uhi.ac.uk/en/publications/760afcab-e516-4d2b-a65b-6646c7bf5e02 https://doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2016.1646 https://pureadmin.uhi.ac.uk/ws/files/2025484/Murphy_et_al_paper_proof.pdf |
geographic |
Arctic Antarctic |
geographic_facet |
Arctic Antarctic |
genre |
Antarc* Antarctic Arctic Climate change |
genre_facet |
Antarc* Antarctic Arctic Climate change |
op_source |
Murphy , EJ , Cavanagh , R D , Drinkwater , K F , Grant , S M , Heymans , J , Hofmann , E E , Hunt , G L J & Johnston , N M 2016 , ' Understanding the structure and functioning of polar pelagic ecosystems to predict the impacts of change ' , Proceedings of the Royal Society of London Series B-Biological Sciences , vol. 283 , no. 1844 , 20161646 , pp. 1-10 . https://doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2016.1646 |
op_relation |
https://pure.uhi.ac.uk/en/publications/760afcab-e516-4d2b-a65b-6646c7bf5e02 |
op_rights |
info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2016.1646 |
container_title |
Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences |
container_volume |
283 |
container_issue |
1844 |
container_start_page |
20161646 |
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