Eskuche Keith, Patrick and Hill, Simeon L and López-López, Lucía and Rosenbaum, Benjamin and Saunders, Ryan A and Tarling, Geraint A and O'Gorman, Eoin J (2024) Temperature alters the predator-prey size relationships and size-selectivity of Southern Ocean fish. Nature Communications, 15 (1). 3979-. DOI https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-48279-0
Eskuche Keith, Patrick and Hill, Simeon L and López-López, Lucía and Rosenbaum, Benjamin and Saunders, Ryan A and Tarling, Geraint A and O'Gorman, Eoin J (2024) Temperature alters the predator-prey size relationships and size-selectivity of Southern Ocean fish. Nature Communications, 15 (1). 3979-. DOI https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-48279-0
Eskuche Keith, Patrick and Hill, Simeon L and López-López, Lucía and Rosenbaum, Benjamin and Saunders, Ryan A and Tarling, Geraint A and O'Gorman, Eoin J (2024) Temperature alters the predator-prey size relationships and size-selectivity of Southern Ocean fish. Nature Communications, 15 (1). 3979-. DOI https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-48279-0
Abstract
A primary response of many marine ectotherms to warming is a reduction in body size, to lower the metabolic costs associated with higher temperatures. The impact of such changes on ecosystem dynamics and stability will depend on the resulting changes to community size-structure, but few studies have investigated how temperature affects the relative size of predators and their prey in natural systems. We utilise >3700 prey size measurements from ten Southern Ocean lanternfish species sampled across >10° of latitude to investigate how temperature influences predator-prey size relationships and size-selective feeding. As temperature increased, we show that predators became closer in size to their prey, which was primarily associated with a decline in predator size and an increase in the relative abundance of intermediate-sized prey. The potential implications of these changes include reduced top-down control of prey populations and a reduction in the diversity of predator-prey interactions. Both of these factors could reduce the stability of community dynamics and ecosystem resistance to perturbations under ocean warming.
Item Type: | Article |
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Uncontrolled Keywords: | Animals; Body Size; Ecosystem; Fishes; Food Chain; Oceans and Seas; Population Dynamics; Predatory Behavior; Temperature |
Divisions: | Faculty of Science and Health Faculty of Science and Health > Life Sciences, School of |
SWORD Depositor: | Unnamed user with email elements@essex.ac.uk |
Depositing User: | Unnamed user with email elements@essex.ac.uk |
Date Deposited: | 19 Jul 2024 13:40 |
Last Modified: | 19 Jul 2024 13:40 |
URI: | http://repository.essex.ac.uk/id/eprint/38809 |
Available files
Filename: s41467-024-48279-0.pdf
Licence: Creative Commons: Attribution 4.0