Stability of strong species interactions resist the synergistic effects of local and global pollution in kelp forests.

ABSTRACT: Foundation species, such as kelp, exert disproportionately strong community effects and persist, in part, by dominating taxa that inhibit their regeneration. Human activities which benefit their competitors, however, may reduce stability of communities, increasing the probability of phase-shifts. We tested whether a foundation species (kelp) would continue to inhibit a key competitor (turf-forming algae) under moderately increased local (nutrient) and near-future forecasted global pollution (CO(2)). Our results reveal that in the absence of kelp, local and global pollutants combined to cause the greatest cover and mass of turfs, a synergistic response whereby turfs increased more than would be predicted by adding the independent effects of treatments (kelp absence, elevated nutrients, fore

SUBMITTER: Falkenberg LJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3306304 | biostudies-literature | 2012

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature