Community size structure varies with predator-prey size relationships and temperature across Australian reefs

Climate change and fisheries exploitation are dramatically changing the abundances, species composition, and size spectra of fish communities. We explore whether variation in 'abundance size spectra', a widely studied ecosystem feature, is influenced by a parameter theorized to govern the shape of size-structured ecosystems-the relationship between the sizes of predators and their prey (predator-prey mass ratios, or PPMRs). PPMR estimates are lacking for avast number of fish species, including at the scale of trophic guilds. Using measurements of 8128 prey items in gut contents of 97 reef fish species, we established predator-prey mass ratios (PPMRs) for four major trophic guilds (piscivores, invertivores, planktivores, and herbivores) using linear mixed effects models. To assess the theoretical predictions that higher community-level PPMRs leads to shallower size spectrum slopes, we compared observations of both ecosystem metrics for similar to 15,000 coastal reef sites distributed around Australia. PPMRs of individual fishes were remarkably high (median similar to 71,000), with significant variation between different trophic guilds (similar to 890 for piscivores; similar to 83,000 for planktivores), and similar to 8700 for whole communities. Community-level PPMRs were positively related to size spectrum slopes, broadly consistent with theory, however, this pattern was also influenced by the latitudinal temperature gradient. Tropical reefs showed a stronger relationship between community-level PPMRs and community size spectrum slopes than temperate reefs. The extent that these patterns apply outside Australia and consequences for community structure and dynamics are key areas for future investigation.

Automated summary

Climate change and fisheries exploitation have significant impacts on the abundances, species composition, and size spectra of fish communities. This study investigates the relationship between the abundances and the sizes of predators and their prey (predator-prey mass ratios, or PPMRs) and explores their influence on the variation in abundance size spectra. The findings reveal some patterns, including a stronger relationship between community-level PPMRs and community size spectrum slopes in tropical reefs.