Gea H van der Lee1,2, J Arie Vonk1, Ralf C M Verdonschot2, Michiel H S Kraak1, Piet F M Verdonschot1,2, Jef Huisman1. 1. Department of Freshwater and Marine Ecology, Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics, University of Amsterdam, P.O. Box 94240, Amsterdam, 1090 GE, The Netherlands. 2. Wageningen Environmental Research, Wageningen UR, P.O. Box 47, Wageningen, 6700 AA, The Netherlands.
Abstract
Changes in the ecological stoichiometry of primary producers may have considerable implications for energy and matter transfer in food webs. We hypothesized that nutrient enrichment shifts the trophic position of omnivores towards herbivory, as the nutritional quality of primary producers increases. This hypothesis was tested by analyzing the ecological stoichiometry and stable isotope signature of primary producers and a wide range of aquatic macroinvertebrates, including primary consumers (herbivores) and secondary consumers (both potential omnivores and strict carnivores), along a eutrophication gradient in an agricultural landscape. Our results showed (1) that carbon : nutrient ratios of primary producers decreased along the eutrophication gradient, while the elemental composition of consumers remained homeostatic, and (2) that the trophic position of several omnivores and the generalist predator Notonecta decreased, while the trophic position of most other consumers remained constant. These findings suggest that shifts in the diets of aquatic invertebrates induced by increasing eutrophication may affect species interactions and food web structure in aquatic ecosystems.
Changes in the ecological stoichiometry of primary producers may have considerable implications for energy and matter transfer in food webs. We hypothesized that nutrient enrichment shifts the trophicposition of omnivores towards herbivory, as the nutritional quality of primary producers increases. This hypothesis was tested by analyzing the ecological stoichiometry and stable isotope signature of primary producers and a wide range of aquatic macroinvertebrates, including primary consumers (herbivores) and secondary consumers (both potential omnivores and strict carnivores), along a eutrophication gradient in an agricultural landscape. Our results showed (1) that pan class="Chemical">carbon : nutrient ratios of class="Chemical">primary class="Chemical">producers decreased along the eutroclass="Chemical">phication gradient, while the elemental comclass="Chemical">position of consumers remained homeostatic, and (2) that the troclass="Chemical">phic class="Chemical">position of several omnivores and the generalist class="Chemical">predator Notonecta decreased, while the troclass="Chemical">phic class="Chemical">position of most other consumers remained constant. These findings suggest that shifts in the diets of aquatic invertebrates induced by increasing eutroclass="Chemical">phication may affect sclass="Chemical">pecies interactions and food web structure in aquatic ecosystems.
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