Competition-induced starvation drives large-scale population cycles in Antarctic krill.

ABSTRACT: Antarctic krill (Euphausia superba) - one of the most abundant animal species on Earth - exhibits a 5-6 year population cycle, with oscillations in biomass exceeding one order of magnitude. Previous studies have postulated that the krill cycle is induced by periodic climatological factors, but these postulated drivers neither show consistent agreement, nor are they supported by quantitative models. Here, using data analysis complemented with modeling of krill ontogeny and population dynamics, we identify intraspecific competition for food as the main driver of the krill cycle, while external climatological factors possibly modulate its phase and synchronization over large scales. Our model indicates that the cycle amplitude increases with reduction of krill loss rates. Thus, a decli

SUBMITTER: Ryabov AB 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5495168 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature