Journal article
Potential functional redundancy and resource facilitation between tadpoles and insect grazers in tropical headwater streams
Freshwater biology, v 55(10), pp 2077-2088
01 Oct 2010
Featured in Collection : UN Sustainable Development Goals @ Drexel
Abstract
P>1. We quantified production and consumption of stream-dwelling tadpoles and insect grazers in a headwater stream in the Panamanian uplands for 2 years to assess their effects on basal resources and energy fluxes. At the onset of our study, this region had healthy, diverse amphibian populations, but a catastrophic disease-driven decline began in September 2004, which greatly reduced amphibian populations.
2. Insect grazer production was 348 mg ash-free dry mass (AFDM) m-2 year-1 during the first year of the study and increased slightly to 402 mg AFDM m-2 year-1 during the second year.
3. Prior to amphibian declines, resource consumption by grazers (tadpoles and insects) was estimated at 2.9 g AFDM m-2 year-1 of algal primary production, which was nearly twice the estimated amount available. Insect grazers alone accounted for c. 81% of total primary consumption. During the initial stages of the declines, consumption remained at c. 2.9 g AFDM m-2 year-1, but only 35% of the available resource was being consumed and insect grazers accounted for c. 94% of total consumption.
4. Production and resource consumption of some insect grazers increased during the second year, as tadpoles declined, indicating a potential for functional redundancy in this system. However, other insect grazer taxa declined or did not respond to tadpole losses, suggesting a potential for facilitation between tadpoles and some insects; differential responses among taxa resulted in the lack of a response by insect grazers as a whole.
5. Our results suggest that before massive population declines, tadpoles exerted strong top-down control on algal production and interacted in a variety of ways with other primary consumers.
6. As amphibian populations continue to decline around the globe, changes in the structure and function of freshwater habitats should be expected. Although our study was focused on tropical headwater streams, our results suggest that these losses of consumer diversity could influence other aquatic systems as well and may even reach to adjacent terrestrial environments.
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Details
- Title
- Potential functional redundancy and resource facilitation between tadpoles and insect grazers in tropical headwater streams
- Creators
- Checo Colon-Gaud - So Illinois Univ, Dept Zool, Carbondale, IL 62901 USAM. R. Whiles - Southern Illinois University CarbondaleR. Brenes - Southern Illinois University CarbondaleS. S. Kilham - Drexel UniversityK. R. Lips - Southern Illinois University CarbondaleC. M. Pringle - University of GeorgiaS. Connelly - University of GeorgiaS. D. Peterson - Southern Illinois University Carbondale
- Publication Details
- Freshwater biology, v 55(10), pp 2077-2088
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Number of pages
- 12
- Grant note
- DEB 0234386; DEB 0234149 / National Science Foundation; National Science Foundation (NSF)
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Language
- English
- Academic Unit
- [Retired Faculty]
- Web of Science ID
- WOS:000281676200006
- Scopus ID
- 2-s2.0-77955573165
- Other Identifier
- 991019167635304721
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- Collaboration types
- Domestic collaboration
- Web of Science research areas
- Ecology
- Marine & Freshwater Biology