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6/08/2017 | 11:30 AM - 11:45 AM | Spatiotemporal consumer aggregation overlaps drive patterns in heterogeneity of ecosystem function | 306B

Spatiotemporal consumer aggregation overlaps drive patterns in heterogeneity of ecosystem function

Consumers provide simultaneous top down and bottom up controls on stream ecosystem function. The distribution of dense aggregations of consumers may interact with seasonal hydrology to activate mussel beds as control points (hotspots) in the fluxes and composition of elements related to ecosystem functions. To test how the seasonal overlap in the biological processes of sessile and mobile consumers affects ecosystem function, we conducted an eight week mesocosm experiment manipulating the presence of a grazing cyprinid within unionid mussel beds. We measured ammonium uptake, gross primary production, ecosystem respiration, and dissolved organic carbon quantity and composition as response variables. The presence of fish affected the rates and heterogeneity of GPP, ER and ammonium uptake. Consequently, we observed differences in the flux and composition of DOC between mesocosms with and without fish. Mobile fish may be grazing and redistributing nutrients throughout the study system, thereby homogenizing ecosystem functions like GPP, ER and nutrient cycling. Our results suggest that the overlap of different consumer groups may affect the activation and function of mussel beds as ecosystem control points.

C11 Community Ecology
C10 Biogeochemistry
C25 Food Webs

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Presenters/Authors

Thomas Parr (), University of Oklahoma, Thomas.parr@ou.edu;