Intraspecific variation in a predator changes intertidal community through effects on a foundation species.

ABSTRACT: Intraspecific variation is an important form of biodiversity that can alter community and ecosystem properties. Recent work demonstrates the community effects of intraspecific variation in predators via altering prey communities and in foundation species via shaping habitat attributes. However, tests of the community effects of intraspecific trait variation in predators acting on foundation species are lacking despite the fact that consumption of foundation species can have strong community effects by shaping habitat structure. Here, we tested the hypothesis that intraspecific foraging differences among populations of mussel-drilling dogwhelk predators (Nucella) differentially alter intertidal communities through effects on foundational mussels. We conducted a 9-month field experime

SUBMITTER: Contolini GM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10244894 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature