Bending the rules: exploitation of allochthonous resources by a top-predator modifies size-abundance scaling in stream food webs

TY - JOUR

T1 - Bending the rules: exploitation of allochthonous resources by a top-predator modifies size-abundance scaling in stream food webs

AU - Perkins, Daniel

PY - 2018/9/26

Y1 - 2018/9/26

N2 - Body mass – abundance (M-N) allometries provide a key measure of community structure, and deviations from scaling predictions could reveal how cross-ecosystem subsidies alter food webs. For 31 streams across the UK, we tested the hypothesis that linear log-log M-N scaling is shallower than that predicted by allometric scaling theory when top predators have access to allochthonous prey. These streams all contained a common and widespread top predator (brown trout) that regularly feeds on terrestrial prey and, as hypothesized, deviations from predicted scaling increased with its dominance of the fish assemblage. Our study identifies a key beneficiary of cross-ecosystem subsidies at the top of stream food webs and elucidates how these inputs can reshape the size-structure of these ‘open’ systems.© 2018, John Wiley & Sons. The attached document (embargoed until 26/09/2019) is an author produced version of a paper published in ECOLOGY LETTERS uploaded in accordance with the publisher’s self- archiving policy. The final published version (version of record) is available online at the link below. Some minor differences between this version and the final published version may remain. We suggest you refer to the final published version should you wish to cite from it.

AB - Body mass – abundance (M-N) allometries provide a key measure of community structure, and deviations from scaling predictions could reveal how cross-ecosystem subsidies alter food webs. For 31 streams across the UK, we tested the hypothesis that linear log-log M-N scaling is shallower than that predicted by allometric scaling theory when top predators have access to allochthonous prey. These streams all contained a common and widespread top predator (brown trout) that regularly feeds on terrestrial prey and, as hypothesized, deviations from predicted scaling increased with its dominance of the fish assemblage. Our study identifies a key beneficiary of cross-ecosystem subsidies at the top of stream food webs and elucidates how these inputs can reshape the size-structure of these ‘open’ systems.© 2018, John Wiley & Sons. The attached document (embargoed until 26/09/2019) is an author produced version of a paper published in ECOLOGY LETTERS uploaded in accordance with the publisher’s self- archiving policy. The final published version (version of record) is available online at the link below. Some minor differences between this version and the final published version may remain. We suggest you refer to the final published version should you wish to cite from it.

U2 - 10.1111/ele.13147

DO - 10.1111/ele.13147

M3 - Article

SN - 1461-0248

JO - Ecology Letters

JF - Ecology Letters

ER -