LTREB - Understanding Food Web Complexity by Linking Long Term Data, Multiple Causes and a Spatial Approach

生态学家致力于了解重要物种的种群动态。许多生态学家使用的一个通用工作模型认为，焦点物种可以获得食物，而焦点物种可以作为其他物种的食物。这个模型不足以解释许多实地观察，包括过去20年里博德加海洋保护区毛熊毛虫数量的1000倍差异。一种可能的解决方案是通过加入额外的物种相互作用或空间动力学，使简单的三营养模型更加真实。本研究的目的是通过实地试验和调查来评估每个营养水平的额外复杂性，为这些新模型提供首次实地试验。本研究将评估资源（植物）水平上增加物种的相对重要性，草食/杂食水平上增加物种的相对重要性，捕食者水平上增加物种的相对重要性。大多数生态学研究都是在一个地点进行长达三年的研究。要想对人口变化的方式和原因有一个现实的认识，就必须从更大范围的更长远的角度来观察。这个项目将为目前关于组织和稳定陆地群落的因素的一般理论提供检验。这些信息将有助于管理不需要的物种和评价对有用物种和生态系统的人为变化。

Ecologists work to understand population dynamics of important species. A common working model used by many ecologists considers food available to a focal species and the focal species as food for other species. This model has been inadequate to explain many field observations, including the 1000-fold differences in numbers of wooly bear caterpillars at Bodega Marine Reserve over the past 20 years. One possible solution is to make simple tritrophic models more realistic by including additional species interactions or by including spatial dynamics. The objective of this study is to provide a first field test of this these new models by conducting field experiments and surveys evaluating additional complexity at each trophic level. This research will evaluate the relative importance of: 1) added species at the resource (plant) level, 2) added species at the herbivore/omnivore level, and 3) movement and spatial dynamics at the predator level. Most ecological research is conducted for up to three years in a single location. A longer perspective over a larger area is essential to capture a realistic view of how and why populations change. This project will provide tests of current general theories about factors that organize and stabilize terrestrial communities. This information will allow management of undesirable species and evaluations of anthropogenic changes to useful species and ecosystems.