Journal
HYDROBIOLOGIA
Volume 784, Issue 1, Pages 111-123Publisher
SPRINGER
DOI: 10.1007/s10750-016-2861-0
Keywords
Food-web structure; Food-web length; Omnivory; Ecosystem functioning
Categories
Funding
- Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation of Denmark
- EU-WISER
- EU-REFRESH
- CLEAR (a Villum Kann Rasmussen Centre of Excellence project)
- CRES
- CIRCE
- Research Council for Nature and Universe [272-08-0406, FNU 16-7745]
- PhD Scholarship from Aarhus University-Danish Research Agency
- Maestria en Ciencias Ambientales
- PEDECIBA
- SNI (ANII)
- LOreal-UNESCO for Women in Science national award
- DICYT
- [ANII-FCE 2009-2749]
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Differences in trophic web structure in otherwise similar ecosystems as a consequence of direct or indirect effects of ambient temperature differences can lead to changes in ecosystem functioning. Based on nitrogen and carbon stable isotope analysis, we compared the food-web structure in a series of subtropical (Uruguay, 30-35A degrees S) and temperate (Denmark, 55-57A degrees N) shallow lakes. The food-web length was on average one trophic position shorter in the subtropical shallow lakes compared with their temperate counterparts. This may reflect the fact that the large majority of subtropical fish species are omnivores (i.e., feed on more than one trophic level) and have a strong degree of feeding niche overlap. The shapes of the food webs of the subtropical lakes (truncated and trapezoidal) suggest that they are fuelled by a combination of different energy pathways. In contrast, temperate lake food webs tended to be more triangular, likely as a result of more simple pathways with a top predator integrating different carbon sources. The effects of such differences on ecosystem functioning and stability, and the connection with ambient temperature as a major underlying factor, are, however, still incipiently known.
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