Letter: Variable and complex food web structures revealed by exploring missing trophic links between birds and biofilm
Food webs are comprised of a network of trophic interactions and are essential to elucidating ecosystem processes and functions. However, the presence of unknown, but critical networks hampers understanding of complex and dynamic food webs in nature. Here, we empirically demonstrate a missing link,...
Published in: | Ecology Letters |
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Language: | English |
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2012
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Online Access: | https://research.wur.nl/en/publications/letter-variable-and-complex-food-web-structures-revealed-by-explo https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1461-0248.2012.01744.x |
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ftunivwagenin:oai:library.wur.nl:wurpubs/445367 2024-02-04T09:59:26+01:00 Letter: Variable and complex food web structures revealed by exploring missing trophic links between birds and biofilm Kuwae, T. Miyoshi, E. Hosokawa, S. Amano, T. Moriya, T. Kondoh, M. Ydenberg, R.C. Elner, R.W. 2012 application/pdf https://research.wur.nl/en/publications/letter-variable-and-complex-food-web-structures-revealed-by-explo https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1461-0248.2012.01744.x en eng https://edepot.wur.nl/285329 https://research.wur.nl/en/publications/letter-variable-and-complex-food-web-structures-revealed-by-explo doi:10.1111/j.1461-0248.2012.01744.x info:eu-repo/semantics/restrictedAccess Wageningen University & Research Ecology Letters 15 (2012) 4 ISSN: 1461-023X dunlin dynamics ecological networks knots calidris-canutus mauri populations size stability stable isotopes western sandpipers info:eu-repo/semantics/article Article/Letter to editor info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion 2012 ftunivwagenin https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1461-0248.2012.01744.x 2024-01-10T23:21:27Z Food webs are comprised of a network of trophic interactions and are essential to elucidating ecosystem processes and functions. However, the presence of unknown, but critical networks hampers understanding of complex and dynamic food webs in nature. Here, we empirically demonstrate a missing link, both critical and variable, by revealing that direct predator-prey relationships between shorebirds and biofilm are widespread and mediated by multiple ecological and evolutionary determinants. Food source mixing models and energy budget estimates indicate that the strength of the missing linkage is dependent on predator traits (body mass and foraging action rate) and the environment that determines food density. Morphological analyses, showing that smaller bodied species possess more developed feeding apparatus to consume biofilm, suggest that the linkage is also phylogenetically dependent and affords a compelling re-interpretation of niche differentiation. We contend that exploring missing links is a necessity for revealing true network structure and dynamics. Article in Journal/Newspaper Calidris canutus Dunlin Wageningen UR (University & Research Centre): Digital Library Ecology Letters 15 4 347 356 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Wageningen UR (University & Research Centre): Digital Library |
op_collection_id |
ftunivwagenin |
language |
English |
topic |
dunlin dynamics ecological networks knots calidris-canutus mauri populations size stability stable isotopes western sandpipers |
spellingShingle |
dunlin dynamics ecological networks knots calidris-canutus mauri populations size stability stable isotopes western sandpipers Kuwae, T. Miyoshi, E. Hosokawa, S. Amano, T. Moriya, T. Kondoh, M. Ydenberg, R.C. Elner, R.W. Letter: Variable and complex food web structures revealed by exploring missing trophic links between birds and biofilm |
topic_facet |
dunlin dynamics ecological networks knots calidris-canutus mauri populations size stability stable isotopes western sandpipers |
description |
Food webs are comprised of a network of trophic interactions and are essential to elucidating ecosystem processes and functions. However, the presence of unknown, but critical networks hampers understanding of complex and dynamic food webs in nature. Here, we empirically demonstrate a missing link, both critical and variable, by revealing that direct predator-prey relationships between shorebirds and biofilm are widespread and mediated by multiple ecological and evolutionary determinants. Food source mixing models and energy budget estimates indicate that the strength of the missing linkage is dependent on predator traits (body mass and foraging action rate) and the environment that determines food density. Morphological analyses, showing that smaller bodied species possess more developed feeding apparatus to consume biofilm, suggest that the linkage is also phylogenetically dependent and affords a compelling re-interpretation of niche differentiation. We contend that exploring missing links is a necessity for revealing true network structure and dynamics. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Kuwae, T. Miyoshi, E. Hosokawa, S. Amano, T. Moriya, T. Kondoh, M. Ydenberg, R.C. Elner, R.W. |
author_facet |
Kuwae, T. Miyoshi, E. Hosokawa, S. Amano, T. Moriya, T. Kondoh, M. Ydenberg, R.C. Elner, R.W. |
author_sort |
Kuwae, T. |
title |
Letter: Variable and complex food web structures revealed by exploring missing trophic links between birds and biofilm |
title_short |
Letter: Variable and complex food web structures revealed by exploring missing trophic links between birds and biofilm |
title_full |
Letter: Variable and complex food web structures revealed by exploring missing trophic links between birds and biofilm |
title_fullStr |
Letter: Variable and complex food web structures revealed by exploring missing trophic links between birds and biofilm |
title_full_unstemmed |
Letter: Variable and complex food web structures revealed by exploring missing trophic links between birds and biofilm |
title_sort |
letter: variable and complex food web structures revealed by exploring missing trophic links between birds and biofilm |
publishDate |
2012 |
url |
https://research.wur.nl/en/publications/letter-variable-and-complex-food-web-structures-revealed-by-explo https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1461-0248.2012.01744.x |
genre |
Calidris canutus Dunlin |
genre_facet |
Calidris canutus Dunlin |
op_source |
Ecology Letters 15 (2012) 4 ISSN: 1461-023X |
op_relation |
https://edepot.wur.nl/285329 https://research.wur.nl/en/publications/letter-variable-and-complex-food-web-structures-revealed-by-explo doi:10.1111/j.1461-0248.2012.01744.x |
op_rights |
info:eu-repo/semantics/restrictedAccess Wageningen University & Research |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1461-0248.2012.01744.x |
container_title |
Ecology Letters |
container_volume |
15 |
container_issue |
4 |
container_start_page |
347 |
op_container_end_page |
356 |
_version_ |
1789964234276208640 |