Effects of productivity, consumers, competitors, and El Nino events of food chain patterns in a rocky intertidal community

We experimentally manipulated nutrient input to a rocky intertidal community, using nutrient-diffusing flowerpots, to determine (i) whether nutrients limited intertidal productivity, (ii) how a large-scale oceanographic disturbance (an El Nino event) affected patterns of nutrient limitation, (iii) t...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences - PNAS 1996-11, Vol.93 (24), p.13855-13858
Main Authors: Wootton, J.T. (University of Chicago, Chicago, IL.), Power, M.E, Paine, R.T, Pfister, C.A
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
ALGAE
AMPHIPODA
ANION
ANIONES
BALANUS
Biological Sciences
BIOMASA
BIOMASSE
CADENA ALIMENTARIA
CHAINE ALIMENTAIRE
CHIRONOMIDAE
Coastal ecology
COMPETENCIA BIOLOGICA
COMPETITION BIOLOGIQUE
DISPONIBILIDAD DE NUTRIENTES
DISPONIBILITE D'ELEMENT NUTRITIF
ECOLOGIA
ECOLOGIA MARINA
Ecological modeling
ECOLOGIE
ECOLOGIE MARINE
Ecology
Food chain
Food chains
FOSFATOS
Habitats
HERBIVORE
HERBIVOROS
LARVAS
LARVE
Marine
Marine ecology
MOLLUSCA
NITRATE
NITRATOS
NIVEAU TROPHIQUE
NIVELES TROFICOS
Nutrient nutrient interactions
Nutrients
Oceanography
PACIFICO NORDESTE
PACIFIQUE NORD EST
PHOSPHATE
Productivity
Synecology
TEMPS METEOROLOGIQUE
TIEMPO METEOROLOGICO
Trophic levels
WASHINGTON
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Summary:We experimentally manipulated nutrient input to a rocky intertidal community, using nutrient-diffusing flowerpots, to determine (i) whether nutrients limited intertidal productivity, (ii) how a large-scale oceanographic disturbance (an El Nino event) affected patterns of nutrient limitation, (iii) the relative impacts of molluscan grazers and nutrient limitation, and (iv) if responses to experimental nutrient addition among trophic levels were more consistent with prey-dependent or ratio-dependent food chain models. Nutrients measurably increased the abundance of micrograzers (amphipods and chironomid larvae), but not algal biomass, during the summer of an El Nino year. Nutrients had no effects in two non-EI Nino years and during the autumn of an El Nino year. Adding nutrients did not affect food chain stability as assessed by temporal variation in algal biomass and micrograzer abundance. Large molluscan grazers caused large reductions in micrograzers and smaller reductions in algae, indicating consistent consumer effects. The results demonstrate that in this intertidal community, nutrient limitation can occur under conditions of nutrient stress, that top-down grazing effects are typically stronger than bottom-up nutrient effects, and that prey-dependent models are more appropriate than ratio-dependent models
ISSN:0027-8424
1091-6490
DOI:10.1073/pnas.93.24.13855