Herbivory in Streams: Context-dependent Species Interactions and Functional Redundancy

0075352Poff该项目将调查移动的食草动物（食草动物）调节自养群落结构和功能的能力（例如，藻类），以及这种关系如何随环境条件的变化而变化。 研究方法是阐明在一系列物理条件下草食动物物种之间相互作用结果的机制。 在溪流中吃草的食草动物将被纳入一系列实验，从而改变主导环境梯度（流速）。 实验将评估整个环境梯度的自养生物量积累和群落组成，以及食草动物物种在调节藻类群落中的功能冗余。 实验方法是很好的集成，使它将有可能扩大实验，并在可变的环境条件下的多物种草食动物的大小作出机械预测。 本研究的结果可以推广到其他生态系统的空间异质性的物理条件和各种草食性物种。 此外，该研究对于理解消费者的共存以及物种之间的“冗余”或“替代性”程度具有重要意义。 这种认识对于支持成功恢复溪流和河流生态系统至关重要。

0075352PoffThis project will investigate the ability of mobile herbivores (grazers) to regulate the structure and function of the autotrophic community (e.g., algae), and how this relationship varies with changing environmental conditions. The research approach is to elucidate the mechanisms underlying the outcomes of interactions among herbivore species under a range of physical conditions. Herbivores that graze bottom communities in streams will be included in a series of experiments whereby the dominant environmental gradient (current velocity) is altered. Experiments will assess autotrophic biomass accumulation and community composition across the environmental gradient, as well as the functional redundancy among grazer species in regulating algal communities. The experimental approaches are well integrated so that it will be possible to scale-up experiments and make mechanistic predictions about the magnitude of multi-species herbivory under variable environmental conditions. Results of this study may extend to other ecosystems with spatial heterogeneity in physical conditions and with a variety of herbivorous species. Moreover, the research has significant implications for understanding co-existence of consumers and the degree of "redundancy" or "substitutability" among species. Such understanding is critical for supporting successful restoration of stream and river ecosystems.