Flood disturbance mediates the strength of stream trophic cascades caused by trout

A cross-ecosystem comparison of the strength of trophic cascades

Jonathan B. Shurin*, Elizabeth T. Borer, Eric W. Seabloom, Kurt Anderson, Carol A. Blanchette, Bernardo Broitman, Scott D. Cooper and Benjamin S. Halpern National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis, University of CaliforniaSanta Barbara, 735 State St., Suite 300, Santa Barbara, CA 93101, USA Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Marine Biology, University of CaliforniaSanta Barbara, S...

Predation on mutualists can reduce the strength of trophic cascades.

Ecologists have put forth several mechanisms to predict the strength of predator effects on producers (a trophic cascade). We suggest a novel mechanism--in systems in which mutualists of plants are present and important, predators can have indirect negative effects on producers through their consumption of mutualists. The strength of predator effects on producers will depend on their relative c...

Subsidy hypothesis and strength of trophic cascades across ecosystems.

Ecosystems are differentially open to subsidies of energy, material and organisms. This fundamental ecosystem attribute has long been recognized but the influence of this property on community regulation has not been investigated. We propose that this environmental attribute may explain variation in the strength of trophic cascades among ecosystems. Simply because of gravity, we should predict ...

Trophic Cascades in Lakes:

Undercover predators: Vegetation mediates foraging, trophic cascades, and biological control by omnivorous weed seed predators

Blubaugh, Carmen K. Ph.D., Purdue University, May 2015. Undercover Predators: Vegetation Mediates Foraging, Trophic Cascades, and Biological Control by Omnivorous Weed Seed Predators. Major Professor: Ian Kaplan. Weed pressure is the most costly challenge that vegetable growers face, requiring more labor investment than other production inputs. Vertebrate and invertebrate seed predators destroy...