Trophic assimilation efficiency markedly increases at higher trophic levels in four-level host-parasitoid food chain.

ABSTRACT: Trophic assimilation efficiency (conversion of resource biomass into consumer biomass) is thought to be a limiting factor for food chain length in natural communities. In host-parasitoid systems, which account for the majority of terrestrial consumer interactions, a high trophic assimilation efficiency may be expected at higher trophic levels because of the close match of resource composition of host tissue and the consumer's resource requirements, which would allow for longer food chains. We measured efficiency of biomass transfer along an aphid-primary-secondary-tertiary parasitoid food chain and used stable isotope analysis to confirm trophic levels. We show high efficiency in biomass transfer along the food chain. From the third to the fourth trophic level, the proportion of host bioma

SUBMITTER: Sanders D 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4810866 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature