Contribution in an anthology
Authors list: Jopp, F; DeAngelis, DL; Trexler, JC
Appeared in: Modelling Complex Ecological Dynamics : an introduction into ecological modelling for students, teachers & scientists
Editor list: Jopp, F; Reuter, H; Breckling, B
Publication year: 2011
Pages: 257-268
ISBN: 978-3-642-05028-2
eISBN: 978-3-642-05029-9
DOI Link: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-05029-9_18
We introduce the trophic organisation structure of aquatic ecosystems by
Abstract:
giving a short overview on some classic landmarks from ecological
theory. The concept of trophic cascades describes interactions in food
webs that descend the whole structure. They start at the top node of the
highest carnivores, the piscivores, by increasing the piscivore’s
biomass which in turn triggers changes in the successive trophic
hierarchical levels. The concept of trophic cascades has long since
passed from theoretical into applied ecology. We demonstrate this with
an example of a spatially-explicit simulation model that is used to
understand the high variability in the aquatic trophic structure of the
Everglades marshland. Changes in hydrology of the Everglades over the
last several decades have reduced the hydroperiod in some areas and may
have diminished foraging fishes and their food base. A key component for
restoring fish productivity to historic levels is to understand and to
improve the spatio-temporal water patterns in the wetlands. Therefore,
by applying the simulation model we investigated the dynamics of an
aquatic food web with the following components: primary producers,
detritus, invertebrates, fish consumers and nutrients. For this purpose,
a hydroscape of 20 × 20 km was modeled that shows a natural-like
elevation gradient. The annual fluctuations in water level were imposed
as sinusoidally changing hydrology on the whole system, which resulted
in dynamic patterns of flooded and non-flooded areas. We performed
long-term simulations over a period of 10 years and examined how the
trophic levels reacted to changes in the water level; in particular, how
the changing water levels affected trophic cascades. We discuss the
consequences of these results for management and restoration of the
Everglades aquatic communities.
Citation Styles
Harvard Citation style: Jopp, F., DeAngelis, D. and Trexler, J. (2011) Trophic Cascades and Food Web Stability in Fish Communities in the Everglades, in Jopp, F., Reuter, H. and Breckling, B. (eds.) Modelling Complex Ecological Dynamics : an introduction into ecological modelling for students, teachers & scientists. Berlin: Springer, pp. 257-268. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-05029-9_18
APA Citation style: Jopp, F., DeAngelis, D., & Trexler, J. (2011). Trophic Cascades and Food Web Stability in Fish Communities in the Everglades. In Jopp, F., Reuter, H., & Breckling, B. (Eds.), Modelling Complex Ecological Dynamics : an introduction into ecological modelling for students, teachers & scientists (pp. 257-268). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-05029-9_18