Affiliation:
1. Departamento de Biología y Geología, Física y Química Inorgánica Universidad Rey Juan Carlos Móstoles Madrid Spain
Abstract
Abstract
Stream‐dwelling communities are expected to show a gradual replacement of the dominant feeding types following the type of resources found along the river continuum. Yet, the underlying longitudinal gradients in food web structure and energy flow‐paths remain poorly understood.
Here, I synthesise novel research on the River Continuum Concept (RCC) and identify promising areas for future research linked to longitudinal changes in food‐chain length and energy mobilisation routes. For example, feeding links and connectance should reach maximum values in mid‐order rivers and then decrease to river mouths following uncovered longitudinal diversity patterns. Regarding energy mobilisation routes, a gradual replacement in the food web fuelling between allochthonous (leaf litter) and autochthonous (periphyton) resources should be expected.
Beyond longitudinal changes in primary basal resource to consumer paths, other allochthonous (e.g. riparian arthropod inputs) and autochthonous (e.g. fish prey) inputs subsidising higher level consumers may show longitudinal changes, that is, terrestrial invertebrates decreasing but piscivory increasing downstream. However, the role of these inputs, that can alter predator niche variation and have indirect community‐based effects, on both food web structure and energy flow‐paths along the river continuum is not clear yet.
Incorporating energy mobilisation and food web structure into RCC principles is necessary for a broad understanding of ecosystem functioning and trophic diversity in riverine systems, driving the emergence of novel insights. How function and structure of riverine food webs adapt to longitudinal changes in physical and biological environments represent a challenge for next generation of stream ecologists.
Funder
European Commission
Universidad Rey Juan Carlos
Subject
Animal Science and Zoology,Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics
Cited by
2 articles.
订阅此论文施引文献
订阅此论文施引文献,注册后可以免费订阅5篇论文的施引文献,订阅后可以查看论文全部施引文献