A1 Journal article (refereed)
Food-web complexity, consumer behavior, and diet specialism: impacts on ecosystem stability (2024)

Perälä, T., Kuisma, M., Uusi-Heikkilä, S., & Kuparinen, A. (2024). Food-web complexity, consumer behavior, and diet specialism: impacts on ecosystem stability. Theoretical Ecology, Early online. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12080-024-00580-w

JYU authors or editors

Publication details

All authors or editors: Perälä, Tommi; Kuisma, Mikael; Uusi-Heikkilä, Silva; Kuparinen, Anna

Journal or series: Theoretical Ecology

ISSN: 1874-1738

eISSN: 1874-1746

Publication year: 2024

Publication date: 25/04/2024

Volume: Early online

Publisher: Springer Nature

Publication country: Netherlands

Publication language: English

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12080-024-00580-w

Publication open access: Openly available

Publication channel open access: Partially open access channel

Publication is parallel published (JYX): https://jyx.jyu.fi/handle/123456789/94572

Abstract

Ecological stability is a fundamental aspect of food web dynamics. In this study, we explore the factors influencing stability in complex ecological networks, characterizing it through biomass oscillations and species persistence. Using an Extended Niche model, we generate diverse food web structures and investigate the effects of intraspecific consumer interference, network size, connectance, and diet specialism on stability. Our findings reveal that intraspecific consumer interference plays a pivotal role in shaping stability. Higher interference results in stable dynamics, reducing oscillations and extinctions. Additionally, differences emerge between food webs comprised of invertebrate consumers and those of ectotherm vertebrates, with the latter showing higher oscillations. Network size and connectance also influence stability, where larger and more connected webs tend to exhibit reduced oscillations. Overall, our study sheds light on the complex interplay of factors affecting ecological stability in food webs. Understanding these dynamics is crucial for biodiversity conservation and ecosystem management.

Keywords: food webs; food chains; ecological niche; biomass (ecology); ecosystems (ecology); biotic communities; biotope; competition (biology); bioenergetics; modelling (representation)

Free keywords: biomass oscillations; species persistence; ecological networks; niche model; metabolic theory; allometric trophic network

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Ministry reporting: Yes

VIRTA submission year: 2024

Preliminary JUFO rating: 1