Quality matters: Stoichiometry of resources modulates spatial feedbacks in aquatic-terrestrial meta-ecosystems

Species dispersal and resource spatial flows greatly affect the dynamics of connected ecosystems. So far, research on meta-ecosystems has mainly focused on the quantitative effect of subsidy flows. Yet, resource exchanges at heterotrophic-autotrophic (e.g. aquatic-terrestrial) ecotones display a sto...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Ecology letters 2023-10, Vol.26 (10), p.1700-1713
Main Authors: Pichon, Benoît, Thébault, Elisa, Lacroix, Gérard, Gounand, Isabelle
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Aquatic ecosystems
Biodiversity and Ecology
Complementarity
Dispersal
Ecology, environment
Ecosystems
Ecotones
Environmental Sciences
Feedback loops
Life Sciences
Stoichiometry
Subsidies
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Summary:Species dispersal and resource spatial flows greatly affect the dynamics of connected ecosystems. So far, research on meta-ecosystems has mainly focused on the quantitative effect of subsidy flows. Yet, resource exchanges at heterotrophic-autotrophic (e.g. aquatic-terrestrial) ecotones display a stoichiometric asymmetry that likely matters for functioning. Here, we joined ecological stoichiometry and the meta-ecosystem framework to understand how subsidy stoichiometry mediates the response of the meta-ecosystem to subsidy flows. Our model results demonstrate that resource flows between ecosystems can induce a positive spatial feedback loop, leading to higher production at the meta-ecosystem scale by relaxing local ecosystem limitations ('spatial complementarity'). Furthermore, we show that spatial flows can also have an unexpected negative impact on production when accentuating the stoichiometric mismatch between local resources and basal species needs. This study paves the way for studies on the interdependency of ecosystems at the landscape extent.
ISSN:1461-023X
1461-0248
DOI:10.1111/ele.14284