Upstream trophic structure modulates downstream community dynamics via resource subsidies.

ABSTRACT: In many natural systems, the physical structure of the landscape dictates the flow of resources. Despite mounting evidence that communities' dynamics can be indirectly coupled by reciprocal among ecosystem resource flows, our understanding of how directional resource flows might indirectly link biological communities is limited. We here propose that differences in community structure upstream should lead to different downstream dynamics, even in the absence of dispersal of organisms. We report an experimental test of the effect of upstream community structure on downstream community dynamics in a simplified but highly controlled setting, using protist microcosms. We implemented directional flows of resources, without dispersal, from a standard resource pool into upstream communities of con

SUBMITTER: Harvey E 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5655794 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature