Stoichiometry of nutrient recycling by vertebrates in a tropical stream: linking species identity and ecosystem processes

Vanni, Michael J.; Flecker, Alexander S.; Hood, James M.; Headworth, Jenifer L.

doi:10.1046/j.1461-0248.2002.00314.x

Cited by 300 publications

(421 citation statements)

References 56 publications

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“…3). These disparities indicate that the skew in contributions reflected not only the relative size and abundance of each species but also factors such as growth rate, dietary nutrient content, or body stoichiometry (16)(17)(18). Hence, our work provides further evidence that the details of species ecology can have ecosystem-level ramifications that are not predicted by relative biomass within the community (1,31).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 74%

“…1). Although both nutrients are derived from dietary sources, interspecific differences in nutritional demands and dietary nutrient content give rise to a broad range of recycling rates and ratios (16)(17)(18). Thus, individual fish species differed widely in their relative contributions to N versus P recycling at both sites (Fig.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Our work highlights an unseen threat that overfishing poses to ecosystem functioning: the species targeted by fishermen are often major contributors to nutrient recycling. Fish play a significant role in the rapid recycling of nutrients (17)(18)(20)(21) required to support primary productivity in tropical aquatic ecosystems (22, 23); therefore, fish extinctions have serious implications for ecosystem productivity. If the impoverishment of tropical fish communities through overfishing does reduce nutrient recycling rates and the recycled N:P ratio, as suggested by our results, the high primary productivity that supports tropical freshwater fisheries could be compromised.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…However, they differ markedly in size, physical structure, and fish community composition, thereby enhancing the inferential power offered by concordant results. Further details about each site are available elsewhere (10,(17)(18)35).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Individual species vary widely in their recycling of nitrogen (N) relative to phosphorus (P) (16)(17)(18); thus, fish community composition could affect aggregate rates of nutrient recycling as well as the ratio of available N and P, which determines the identity of the nutrient that limits primary productivity (19). At an ecosystem scale, nutrient recycling by fish is often important in tropical waters (17,18,20,21), where rapid turnover of nutrients is required to sustain high primary productivity (22,23).…”

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confidence: 99%

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Fish extinctions alter nutrient recycling in tropical freshwaters

McIntyre

Jones

Flecker

et al. 2007

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

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313

236

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There is increasing evidence that species extinctions jeopardize the functioning of ecosystems. Overfishing and other human influences are reducing the diversity and abundance of fish worldwide, but the ecosystem-level consequences of these changes have not been assessed quantitatively. Recycling of nutrients is one important ecosystem process that is directly influenced by fish. Fish species vary widely in the rates at which they excrete nitrogen and phosphorus; thus, altering fish communities could affect nutrient recycling. Here, we use extensive field data on nutrient recycling rates and population sizes of fish species in a Neotropical river and Lake Tanganyika, Africa, to evaluate the effects of simulated extinctions on nutrient recycling. In both of these species-rich ecosystems, recycling was dominated by relatively few species, but contributions of individual species differed between nitrogen and phosphorus. Alternative extinction scenarios produced widely divergent patterns. Loss of the species targeted by fishermen led to faster declines in nutrient recycling than extinctions in order of rarity, body size, or trophic position. However, when surviving species were allowed to increase after extinctions, these compensatory responses had strong moderating effects even after losing many species. Our results underscore the complexity of predicting the consequences of extinctions from species-rich animal communities. Nevertheless, the importance of exploited species in nutrient recycling suggests that overfishing could have particularly detrimental effects on ecosystem functioning. biodiversity ͉ cichlid ͉ nutrient cycling ͉ stoichiometry ͉ species identity U nderstanding the consequences of species extinctions for ecosystem functioning is a critical challenge. There is substantial evidence that declining species richness alters ecosystem processes in experimental systems with simple spatial and trophic structure (1), but this relationship remains poorly understood in species-rich, natural ecosystems (2). The large size, high mobility, and complex trophic relationships of vertebrate species make assessing the potential consequences of their extinctions particularly challenging.Fish are the most species-rich group of vertebrates, and their diversity is threatened worldwide by overfishing, species introductions, and other factors (3-6). Although the collective influence of fish on food web structure (7,8), nutrient cycling (9, 10), and primary productivity (11) is well documented, the ecosystem-level effects of eroding fish species richness are unclear. Tropical freshwater fish are of special concern because they represent Ͼ10% of all vertebrate species (12, 13) and support Ϸ72% of global fish harvests from inland waters (14). These fisheries provide vital animal protein for hundreds of millions of people in developing countries and benefit terrestrial conservation efforts by alleviating demand for bush meat (15).Nutrient recycling offers an ideal quantitative basis for directly linking fish species and ecosys...

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 74%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

mentioning

confidence: 99%

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Fish extinctions alter nutrient recycling in tropical freshwaters

McIntyre

Jones

Flecker

et al. 2007

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

Self Cite

313

236

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Biological Stoichiometry

Frost¹,

Elser²

2008

Encyclopedia of Life Sciences

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Biological stoichiometry is the study of the balance of energy and multiple chemical elements in living systems. This biological perspective compares the elemental requirements of organisms for growth, reproduction and maintenance with that provided by their nutritional resources. It has found a relatively greater flexibility in the elemental composition of primary producers compared to consumers, which leads to elemental imbalances between adjacent trophic levels. For individual organisms, the relatively low supply of an element can alter physiological processes underlying its acquisition, incorporation and release. When sustained, elemental imbalances slow growth and limit reproduction of organisms, particularly those with relatively high elemental requirements. Elemental imbalances have been documented in diverse ecosystems and at multiple trophic levels and have been shown to affect key ecological and evolutionary processes underlying population dynamics, trophic interactions and ecosystem function.

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Biological Stoichiometry

Striebel

Frost

Elser

2017

Encyclopedia of Life Sciences

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Biological stoichiometry is the study of the balance of energy and multiple chemical elements in living systems. It compares elemental requirements of organisms for growth, reproduction and maintenance with that provided by their nutritional resources. It considers the physiological, cellular and biochemical underpinnings of stoichiometric differences as well as their evolutionary basis. Primary producers generally exhibit greater flexibility in elemental composition compared to consumers, which leads to elemental imbalances between adjacent trophic levels. For individual organisms, the relatively low supply of an element can alter metabolic and physiological processes involving the acquisition, incorporation and release of multiple chemical elements. When sustained, elemental imbalances slow growth and limit reproduction of organisms, particularly those with relatively high elemental requirements. Elemental imbalances have been documented in diverse ecosystems and at multiple trophic levels and affect key ecological and evolutionary processes underlying population dynamics, life‐history evolution, community structure, trophic interactions and ecosystem function. Key Concepts Biological stoichiometry studies the balance of energy and multiple chemical elements in living systems. Biological stoichiometry compares the elemental compositions of resources with the elemental requirements of organisms. It also considers the environmental and evolutionary origins of elemental imbalances between producers and consumers. Biological stoichiometry approaches processes such as organism growth, population dynamics and trophic interactions as if such processes were composite chemical reactions that must simultaneously meet the law of mass conservation for multiple chemical elements and the rules of exact proportions in chemical reactions. Biological stoichiometry uses its elemental perspective on biochemical and physiological processes to understand intra‐ and interspecific interactions that involve the transfer or transformation of matter in food webs. Biological stoichiometry also provides a mechanistic framework for how animal species mediate ecosystem processes such as nutrient recycling. The stoichiometric approach can also be used to study trophic interactions as well as decomposition and microbial release of elements. Biological stoichiometry considers the molecular and evolutionary basis of major differences in the C:N:P ratios of living things. Understanding how evolution affects these ratios provides considerable insight into processes that link all levels of organisation in biology.

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Stoichiometry of nutrient recycling by vertebrates in a tropical stream: linking species identity and ecosystem processes

Cited by 300 publications

References 56 publications

Fish extinctions alter nutrient recycling in tropical freshwaters

Fish extinctions alter nutrient recycling in tropical freshwaters

Biological Stoichiometry

Biological Stoichiometry

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