Evidence for the persistence of food web structure after amphibian extirpation in a Neotropical stream

Thomas R Barnum; John M Drake; Checo Colón-Gaud; Amanda T Rugenski; Therese C Frauendorf; Scott Connelly; Susan S Kilham; Matt R Whiles; Karen R Lips; Catherine M Pringle

doi:10.1890/14-1526.1

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Evidence for the persistence of food web structure after amphibian extirpation in a Neotropical stream

Journal article

Peer reviewed

Evidence for the persistence of food web structure after amphibian extirpation in a Neotropical stream

Thomas R Barnum, John M Drake, Checo Colón-Gaud, Amanda T Rugenski, Therese C Frauendorf, Scott Connelly, Susan S Kilham, Matt R Whiles, Karen R Lips and Catherine M Pringle

Ecology (Durham), v 96(8), pp 2106-2116

Aug 2015

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1890/14-1526.1

PMID: 26405736

Featured in Collection : UN Sustainable Development Goals @ Drexel

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Abstract

amphibian declines

Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis

chytrid fungus

connectance

food web structure

network analysis

periphyton-insect food webs

Rio Guabal, Panama

species loss

Species losses are predicted to simplify food web structure, and disease-driven amphibian declines in Central America offer an opportunity to test this prediction. Assessment of insect community composition, combined with gut content analyses, was used to generate periphyton-insect food webs for a Panamanian stream, both pre- and post-amphibian decline. We then used network analysis to assess the effects of amphibian declines on food web structure. Although 48% of consumer taxa, including many insect taxa, were lost between pre- and post-amphibian decline sampling dates, connectance declined by less than 3%. We then quantified the resilience of food web structure by calculating the number of expected cascading extirpations from the loss of tadpoles. This analysis showed the expected effects of species loss on connectance and linkage density to be more than 60% and 40%, respectively, than were actually observed. Instead, new trophic linkages in the post-decline food web reorganized the food web topology, changing the identity of "hub" taxa, and consequently reducing the effects of amphibian declines on many food web attributes. Resilience of food web attributes was driven by a combination of changes in consumer diets, particularly those of insect predators, as well as the appearance of generalist insect consumers, suggesting that food web structure is maintained by factors independent of the original trophic linkages.

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Title: Evidence for the persistence of food web structure after amphibian extirpation in a Neotropical stream
Creators: Thomas R Barnum - University of Georgia
John M Drake - University of Georgia
Checo Colón-Gaud - Georgia Southern University
Amanda T Rugenski - Southern Illinois University Carbondale
Therese C Frauendorf - University of Victoria
Scott Connelly - University of Georgia
Susan S Kilham - Drexel University
Matt R Whiles - Southern Illinois University Carbondale
Karen R Lips - University of Maryland, College Park
Catherine M Pringle - University of Georgia
Publication Details: Ecology (Durham), v 96(8), pp 2106-2116
Publisher: Ecological Society of America
Resource Type: Journal article
Language: English
Academic Unit: [Retired Faculty]
Web of Science ID: WOS:000358454500009
Scopus ID: 2-s2.0-84939222114
Other Identifier: 991019167714404721