Disentangling the effect of body size and phylogenetic distances on zooplankton top-down control of algae.

ABSTRACT: A negative consequence of biodiversity loss is reduced rates of ecosystem functions. Phylogenetic-based biodiversity indices have been claimed to provide more accurate predictions of ecosystem functioning than species diversity alone. This approach assumes that the most relevant traits for ecosystem functioning present a phylogenetic signal. Yet, traits-mediating niche partitioning and resource uptake efficiency in animals can be labile. To assess the relative power of a key trait (body size) and phylogeny to predict zooplankton top-down control on phytoplankton, we manipulated trait and phylogenetic distances independently in microcosms while holding species richness constant. We found that body size provided strong predictions of top-down control. In contrast, phylogeny was a poor predic

SUBMITTER: Gianuca AT 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4843666 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature