Trophic Cascades in Coastal Ecosystems

Eriksson, Britas Klemens; Bergström, Ulf; Govers, Laura L.; Eklöf, Johan

doi:10.1016/b978-0-323-90798-9.00006-8

Cited by 4 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 317 publications

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“…In the Baltic Sea, the stickleback population has grown during the last decades, probably aided by the decline of larger piscivorous fishes and by eutrophication that has increased the abundance of food (Bergström et al 2015, Candolin and Voigt 2020, Saarinen and Candolin 2020, Eriksson et al 2023). The growth could have profound effects on the ecosystem, as the stickleback is a key species given its abundance and wide feeding habits and has been shown to be a key player in a recent regime shift in the coastal ecosystem (Candolin 2019, Eklöf et al 2020).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Warming alters the top–down effect of a common mesopredator in an aquatic food web

Rahman,

Lehtonen,

Saarinen

et al. 2023

Oikos

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Global warming is altering the composition and functioning of both terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. Most research has focussed on direct effects of warming on species and their population dynamics, while less is known about indirect effects through species interactions. Trophic cascades are especially likely to influence the effects of warming given that trophic levels differ in their response to warming because of differences in metabolism and vital rates such as growth and reproduction. We investigated if the top–down effect of a common mesopredator, the threespine stickleback, alters the impact of warming on a Baltic Sea food web. We manipulated both temperature and the presence of stickleback in mesocosms, and found the stickleback to alter the impact of warming on lower trophic levels. This was through increased consumption of herbivores that exceeded the rate at which the herbivore population could grow under higher temperature, which in turn increased algae biomass compared to a scenario without stickleback, but not compared to conditions under normal temperature. Thus, the mesopredator increased the transfer of biomass to higher trophic levels of the food web when temperature was increased. This stresses the importance of considering the impact of warming on multiple trophic levels and their interactions. Failing to consider differences in responses among trophic levels and the impact this has on their interactions can result in faulty conclusions about the impact of warming on ecosystems.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Warming alters the top–down effect of a common mesopredator in an aquatic food web

Rahman,

Lehtonen,

Saarinen

et al. 2023

Oikos

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“…Even though primary producers and bottom‐up processes are influencing all marine food webs, recent studies have drawn attention to the importance of top predators and their role in the food web, potentially controlling populations of smaller predators (mesopredators), and grazers (Baden et al., 2012 ; Östman et al., 2016 ; Ritchie & Johnson, 2009 ). Overexploitation of larger top predators can lead to a dramatic increase of the lower trophic species that are present, where the magnitude of the cascade is dependent on several factors, such as the complexity of the food web (Eriksson et al., 2023 ). Among the most studied examples is the overexploitation of the sea otter ( Enhydra lutis ) in Alaska.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Contrasting management regimes indicative of mesopredator release in temperate coastal fish assemblages

Synnes,

Olsen,

Jorde

et al. 2023

Ecology and Evolution

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The absence of functional top predators has been proposed as a mechanism acting to shape fish assemblages in temperate marine ecosystems, with cascading effects on lower trophic levels. We explore this scenario by comparing the trophic and functional status of fish assemblages in Norwegian marine national parks, open to fishing, to a nearby coastal seascape that harbors a system of marine protected areas (MPAs) including a no‐take zone. Demersal fish assemblages were sampled using fyke nets over three consecutive seasons. Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) is potentially a dominant top predator in this ecosystem, and historically, this and other gadids have been targeted by the full range of former and present fisheries. In the present study, we find that average body size of the Atlantic cod was significantly larger in the zoned seascape compared to the unprotected areas (mean ± SD: 36.6 cm ± 14.38 vs. 23.4 ± 7.50; p < .001) and that the unprotected seascape was characterized by a higher abundance of mesopredator fish species. These observations are consistent with the hypothesis that the protection of top predators within MPAs aids to control the mesopredator populations and provides empirical support to the notion that the present state of many coastal fish assemblages is driven by mesopredator release linked to functional depletion of large top predators.

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“…Further north -up to the archipelago of Stockholm -it is less common and found in mixed meadows with limnic flowering plants (Boström et al, 2003(Boström et al, , 2014. Eutrophication in combination with overfishing has been identified as the main driver for the historic losses in Swedish waters (Moksnes et al, 2008;Baden et al, 2010;Eriksson et al, 2023) and remaining meadows are in addition threatened by increasing small-scale coastal exploitation (Eriander et al, 2017). Future predicted drivers for eelgrass loss along the Swedish coast are direct or indirect effects of decreasing salinity and increasing temperature caused by climate change (Torn et al, 2020;Jeffery et al, 2023).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Genetic structure and diversity of the seagrass Zostera marina along a steep environmental gradient, with implications for genetic monitoring

Ries,

Faust,

Johannesson

et al. 2023

Front. Clim.

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Zostera marina (eelgrass) is a foundation species in coastal zones in the northern hemisphere. Eelgrass is declining across its distribution, a trend likely to accelerate under climate change. In Sweden, eelgrass is a species of particular concern in management and conservation. Here, we provide information on genetic variation, an important component for the potential persistence and adaptation of any species in a changing environment. In particular, the steep salinity gradient over which eelgrass is distributed along the Swedish coast (26 psu on the west coast to 5 psu on the east coast) calls for a better understanding of genetic diversity, connectivity, and potential for local adaptation. To assess genetic variation and population genetic structure, we genotyped individuals with 2,138 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) from 15 eelgrass meadows spanning the whole Swedish distribution. We found a geographic population genetic structure from west to east parallel to the salinity gradient and with a clear genetic break at the entrance to the Baltic Sea. Meadows along the low salinity east coast consisted of a few or only one clone. Eelgrass on the west coast had higher genotypic richness, higher genetic variation, and showed population differentiation on smaller geographic scales. With their low genetic variation, the east coast meadows are especially threatened amidst global changes. Lack of sexual reproduction and the capacity to generate new genotypes is an issue that needs to be seriously considered in management and conservation. In addition, the lack of sexual reproduction renders clonal eelgrass less likely to recover and recolonize after disturbance, and more challenging to restore. The here provided information on genetic clusters, clonality, and genetic variation can be included for prioritizing meadows for conservation and for identifying meadows for restoration purposes. Most importantly, genetic monitoring is urgently needed to assess temporal genetic changes of eelgrass along the Swedish coast and elsewhere facing climate change.

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Trophic Cascades in Coastal Ecosystems

Cited by 4 publications

References 317 publications

Warming alters the top–down effect of a common mesopredator in an aquatic food web

Warming alters the top–down effect of a common mesopredator in an aquatic food web

Contrasting management regimes indicative of mesopredator release in temperate coastal fish assemblages

Genetic structure and diversity of the seagrass Zostera marina along a steep environmental gradient, with implications for genetic monitoring

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