Trophic cascade induced by molluscivore predator alters pore-water biogeochemistry via competitive release of prey
Effects of predation may cascade down the food web. By alleviating interspecific competition among prey, predators may promote biodiversity, but the precise mechanisms of how predators alter competition have remained elusive. Here we report on a predator-exclosure experiment carried out in a tropica...
Published in: | Ecology |
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Main Authors: | , , , , , |
Format: | Article in Journal/Newspaper |
Language: | English |
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2012
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Online Access: | https://hdl.handle.net/11370/a1329f73-6f74-47de-8f23-35be1a8e6220 https://research.rug.nl/en/publications/a1329f73-6f74-47de-8f23-35be1a8e6220 https://doi.org/10.1890/11-1282.1 https://pure.rug.nl/ws/files/6778922/2012EcologyvGils.pdf |
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ftunigroningenpu:oai:pure.rug.nl:publications/a1329f73-6f74-47de-8f23-35be1a8e6220 2024-06-02T08:04:46+00:00 Trophic cascade induced by molluscivore predator alters pore-water biogeochemistry via competitive release of prey van Gils, Jan A. van der Geest, Matthijs Jansen , Erik J. Govers, Laura L. de Fouw, Jimmy Piersma, Theunis 2012-05 application/pdf https://hdl.handle.net/11370/a1329f73-6f74-47de-8f23-35be1a8e6220 https://research.rug.nl/en/publications/a1329f73-6f74-47de-8f23-35be1a8e6220 https://doi.org/10.1890/11-1282.1 https://pure.rug.nl/ws/files/6778922/2012EcologyvGils.pdf eng eng https://research.rug.nl/en/publications/a1329f73-6f74-47de-8f23-35be1a8e6220 info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess van Gils , J A , van der Geest , M , Jansen , E J , Govers , L L , de Fouw , J & Piersma , T 2012 , ' Trophic cascade induced by molluscivore predator alters pore-water biogeochemistry via competitive release of prey ' , Ecology , vol. 93 , no. 5 , pp. 1143-1152 . https://doi.org/10.1890/11-1282.1 Banc d'Arguin Mauritania bivalves (Dosinia isocardia Loripes lucinalis) facilitation growth rate hydrogen sulfide interspecific competition predation predator-exclosure experiment Red Knot Calidris canutus canutus seagrass beds top-down effect toxicity KNOTS CALIDRIS-CANUTUS FOOD WEBS ECOLOGICAL CONSEQUENCES HABITAT COMMUNITIES COEXISTENCE DEPLETION BIVALVIA SULFIDE DIET article 2012 ftunigroningenpu https://doi.org/10.1890/11-1282.1 2024-05-07T18:55:18Z Effects of predation may cascade down the food web. By alleviating interspecific competition among prey, predators may promote biodiversity, but the precise mechanisms of how predators alter competition have remained elusive. Here we report on a predator-exclosure experiment carried out in a tropical intertidal ecosystem, providing evidence for a three-level trophic cascade induced by predation by molluscivore Red Knots (Calidris canutus) that affects pore water biogeochemistry. In the exclosures the knots' favorite prey (Dosinia isocardia) became dominant and reduced the individual growth rate in an alternative prey (Loripes lucinalis). Dosinia, a suspension feeder, consumes suspended particulate organic matter (POM), whereas Loripes is a facultative mixotroph, partly living on metabolites produced by sulfur-oxidizing chemoautotrophic bacteria, but also consuming suspended POM. Reduced sulfide concentrations in the exclosures suggest that, without predation on Dosinia, stronger competition for suspended POM forces Loripes to rely on energy produced by endosymbiotic bacteria, thus leading to an enhanced uptake of sulfide from the surrounding pore water. As sulfide is toxic to most organisms, this competition-induced diet shift by Loripes may detoxify the environment, which in turn may facilitate other species. The inference that predators affect the toxicity of their environment via a multi-level trophic cascade is novel, but we believe it may be a general phenomenon in detritus-based ecosystems. Article in Journal/Newspaper Calidris canutus Red Knot University of Groningen research database Ecology 93 5 1143 1152 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
University of Groningen research database |
op_collection_id |
ftunigroningenpu |
language |
English |
topic |
Banc d'Arguin Mauritania bivalves (Dosinia isocardia Loripes lucinalis) facilitation growth rate hydrogen sulfide interspecific competition predation predator-exclosure experiment Red Knot Calidris canutus canutus seagrass beds top-down effect toxicity KNOTS CALIDRIS-CANUTUS FOOD WEBS ECOLOGICAL CONSEQUENCES HABITAT COMMUNITIES COEXISTENCE DEPLETION BIVALVIA SULFIDE DIET |
spellingShingle |
Banc d'Arguin Mauritania bivalves (Dosinia isocardia Loripes lucinalis) facilitation growth rate hydrogen sulfide interspecific competition predation predator-exclosure experiment Red Knot Calidris canutus canutus seagrass beds top-down effect toxicity KNOTS CALIDRIS-CANUTUS FOOD WEBS ECOLOGICAL CONSEQUENCES HABITAT COMMUNITIES COEXISTENCE DEPLETION BIVALVIA SULFIDE DIET van Gils, Jan A. van der Geest, Matthijs Jansen , Erik J. Govers, Laura L. de Fouw, Jimmy Piersma, Theunis Trophic cascade induced by molluscivore predator alters pore-water biogeochemistry via competitive release of prey |
topic_facet |
Banc d'Arguin Mauritania bivalves (Dosinia isocardia Loripes lucinalis) facilitation growth rate hydrogen sulfide interspecific competition predation predator-exclosure experiment Red Knot Calidris canutus canutus seagrass beds top-down effect toxicity KNOTS CALIDRIS-CANUTUS FOOD WEBS ECOLOGICAL CONSEQUENCES HABITAT COMMUNITIES COEXISTENCE DEPLETION BIVALVIA SULFIDE DIET |
description |
Effects of predation may cascade down the food web. By alleviating interspecific competition among prey, predators may promote biodiversity, but the precise mechanisms of how predators alter competition have remained elusive. Here we report on a predator-exclosure experiment carried out in a tropical intertidal ecosystem, providing evidence for a three-level trophic cascade induced by predation by molluscivore Red Knots (Calidris canutus) that affects pore water biogeochemistry. In the exclosures the knots' favorite prey (Dosinia isocardia) became dominant and reduced the individual growth rate in an alternative prey (Loripes lucinalis). Dosinia, a suspension feeder, consumes suspended particulate organic matter (POM), whereas Loripes is a facultative mixotroph, partly living on metabolites produced by sulfur-oxidizing chemoautotrophic bacteria, but also consuming suspended POM. Reduced sulfide concentrations in the exclosures suggest that, without predation on Dosinia, stronger competition for suspended POM forces Loripes to rely on energy produced by endosymbiotic bacteria, thus leading to an enhanced uptake of sulfide from the surrounding pore water. As sulfide is toxic to most organisms, this competition-induced diet shift by Loripes may detoxify the environment, which in turn may facilitate other species. The inference that predators affect the toxicity of their environment via a multi-level trophic cascade is novel, but we believe it may be a general phenomenon in detritus-based ecosystems. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
van Gils, Jan A. van der Geest, Matthijs Jansen , Erik J. Govers, Laura L. de Fouw, Jimmy Piersma, Theunis |
author_facet |
van Gils, Jan A. van der Geest, Matthijs Jansen , Erik J. Govers, Laura L. de Fouw, Jimmy Piersma, Theunis |
author_sort |
van Gils, Jan A. |
title |
Trophic cascade induced by molluscivore predator alters pore-water biogeochemistry via competitive release of prey |
title_short |
Trophic cascade induced by molluscivore predator alters pore-water biogeochemistry via competitive release of prey |
title_full |
Trophic cascade induced by molluscivore predator alters pore-water biogeochemistry via competitive release of prey |
title_fullStr |
Trophic cascade induced by molluscivore predator alters pore-water biogeochemistry via competitive release of prey |
title_full_unstemmed |
Trophic cascade induced by molluscivore predator alters pore-water biogeochemistry via competitive release of prey |
title_sort |
trophic cascade induced by molluscivore predator alters pore-water biogeochemistry via competitive release of prey |
publishDate |
2012 |
url |
https://hdl.handle.net/11370/a1329f73-6f74-47de-8f23-35be1a8e6220 https://research.rug.nl/en/publications/a1329f73-6f74-47de-8f23-35be1a8e6220 https://doi.org/10.1890/11-1282.1 https://pure.rug.nl/ws/files/6778922/2012EcologyvGils.pdf |
genre |
Calidris canutus Red Knot |
genre_facet |
Calidris canutus Red Knot |
op_source |
van Gils , J A , van der Geest , M , Jansen , E J , Govers , L L , de Fouw , J & Piersma , T 2012 , ' Trophic cascade induced by molluscivore predator alters pore-water biogeochemistry via competitive release of prey ' , Ecology , vol. 93 , no. 5 , pp. 1143-1152 . https://doi.org/10.1890/11-1282.1 |
op_relation |
https://research.rug.nl/en/publications/a1329f73-6f74-47de-8f23-35be1a8e6220 |
op_rights |
info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1890/11-1282.1 |
container_title |
Ecology |
container_volume |
93 |
container_issue |
5 |
container_start_page |
1143 |
op_container_end_page |
1152 |
_version_ |
1800749417824780288 |