Journal
ECOLOGY LETTERS
Volume 17, Issue 8, Pages 932-941Publisher
WILEY
DOI: 10.1111/ele.12295
Keywords
Contaminant; ecosystem function; ecosystem services; freshwater ecosystem; mesocosm; pesticide
Categories
Funding
- US Department of Agriculture [NRI 2008-00622 20, 2008-01785]
- US Environmental Protection Agency [STAR R83-3835, CAREER 83518801]
- National Science Foundation [EF-1241889]
- Direct For Biological Sciences
- Division Of Integrative Organismal Systems [1121529] Funding Source: National Science Foundation
- Division Of Environmental Biology
- Direct For Biological Sciences [1241889] Funding Source: National Science Foundation
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Ecosystems are often exposed to mixtures of chemical contaminants, but the scientific community lacks a theoretical framework to predict the effects of mixtures on biodiversity and ecosystem properties. We conducted a freshwater mesocosm experiment to examine the effects of pairwise agrochemical mixtures [fertiliser, herbicide (atrazine), insecticide (malathion) and fungicide (chlorothalonil)] on 24 species- and seven ecosystem-level responses. As postulated, the responses of biodiversity and ecosystem properties to agrochemicals alone and in mixtures was predictable by integrating information on each functional group's (1) sensitivity to the chemicals (direct effects), (2) reproductive rates (recovery rates), (3) interaction strength with other functional groups (indirect effects) and (4) links to ecosystem properties. These results show that community ecology theory holds promise for predicting the effects of contaminant mixtures on biodiversity and ecosystem services and yields recommendations on which types of agrochemicals to apply together and separately to reduce their impacts on aquatic ecosystems.
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