Body size is negatively correlated with trophic position among cyprinids.

ABSTRACT: Body size has many ecological and evolutionary implications that extend across multiple levels of organization. Body size is often positively correlated with species traits such as metabolism, prey size and trophic position (TP) due to physiological and mechanical constraints. We used stable isotope analysis to quantify TP among minnows across multiple assemblages that differed in their species composition, diversity and food web structure. Body size significantly predicted TP across different lineages and assemblages, and indicated a significant negative relationship. The observed negative relationship between body size and TP is contrary to conventional knowledge, and is likely to have arisen owing to highly clade-specific patterns, such that clades consist of either large benthic specie

SUBMITTER: Burress ED 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4892439 | biostudies-literature | 2016 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature