A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal
Generalist invasion in a complex lake food web
Authors: Kuparinen, Anna; Uusi-Heikkilä, Silva; Perälä, Tommi; Ercoli, Fabio; Eloranta, Antti P. P.; Cremona, Fabien; Noges, Peeter; Laas, Alo; Noges, Tiina
Publisher: WILEY
Publishing place: HOBOKEN
Publication year: 2023
Journal: Conservation Science And Practice
Journal name in source: CONSERVATION SCIENCE AND PRACTICE
Journal acronym: CONSERV SCI PRACT
Volume: 5
Issue: 6
Number of pages: 12
eISSN: 2578-4854
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/csp2.12931(external)
Abstract
Invasive species constitute a threat not only to native populations but also to the structure and functioning of entire food webs. Despite being considered as a global problem, only a small number of studies have quantitatively predicted the food web-level consequences of invasions. Here, we use an allometric trophic network model parameterized using empirical data on species body masses and feeding interactions to predict the effects of a possible invasion of Amur sleeper (Perccottus glenii), on a well-studied lake ecosystem. We show that the modeled establishment of Amur sleeper decreased the biomasses of top predator fishes by about 10%-19%. These reductions were largely explained by increased larval competition for food and Amur sleeper predation on fish larvae. In contrast, biomasses of less valued fish of lower trophic positions increased by about 0.4%-9% owing to reduced predation pressure by top piscivores. The predicted impact of Amur sleeper establishment on the biomasses of native fish species vastly exceeded the impacts of current-day fishing pressures.
Invasive species constitute a threat not only to native populations but also to the structure and functioning of entire food webs. Despite being considered as a global problem, only a small number of studies have quantitatively predicted the food web-level consequences of invasions. Here, we use an allometric trophic network model parameterized using empirical data on species body masses and feeding interactions to predict the effects of a possible invasion of Amur sleeper (Perccottus glenii), on a well-studied lake ecosystem. We show that the modeled establishment of Amur sleeper decreased the biomasses of top predator fishes by about 10%-19%. These reductions were largely explained by increased larval competition for food and Amur sleeper predation on fish larvae. In contrast, biomasses of less valued fish of lower trophic positions increased by about 0.4%-9% owing to reduced predation pressure by top piscivores. The predicted impact of Amur sleeper establishment on the biomasses of native fish species vastly exceeded the impacts of current-day fishing pressures.
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