Resource-dependent foraging behaviour of grazers enhances effects of nutrient enrichment on algal biomass

Research output: Contribution to journalResearch articleContributedpeer-review

Contributors

  • Alessandra Iannino - , Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research, University of Cologne (Author)
  • Patrick Fink - , Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research, University of Cologne (Author)
  • Alexander Tim Ludwig Vosshage - , Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (Author)
  • Markus Weitere - , Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (Author)

Abstract

Both the quantity and nutritional quality of food resources can strongly influence the foraging movements of herbivores, which in turn determine the strength of top-down control on primary producer biomass. Nutrient enrichment can alter the biomass and nutritional quality of primary producers, but the consequences for the foraging of herbivores and hence for top-down control are still poorly understood. In this study, we combined a two-factorial experiment (two nutrient levels × grazing by the freshwater gastropod Ancylus fluviatilis) with video analyses tracking grazers’ movements to investigate nutrient enrichment effects on spatial ranges of grazing activity and algal biomass removal. Natural stream biofilms were grown in phosphorus-enriched (P+) and phosphorus-poor flumes (P−) for two weeks before A. fluviatilis were added to the flumes and allowed to graze on biofilm for an additional 2 weeks. Total periphyton biomass was enhanced by P+ and reduced by grazer presence. However, the total grazer effect depended on the nutrient level: at the end of the experiment, on average 95% of algal cover were removed by grazing in the P− flumes versus 26% in the P+ flumes. Fast movements of A. fluviatilis were detected significantly more often in the P− treatment, whereas grazers were detected resting more often in the P+ treatment. Our results demonstrate that nutrient enrichment can increase primary producer biomass both directly and indirectly by limiting the foraging ranges of herbivores. The resulting feedback loop between reduced grazing activity and increased plant biomass might in turn exacerbate eutrophication effects on habitat structure.

Details

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)479-488
Number of pages10
JournalOecologia
Volume201
Issue number2
Publication statusPublished - Feb 2023
Peer-reviewedYes
Externally publishedYes

External IDs

PubMed 36607451

Keywords

Keywords

  • Eutrophication, Food quality, Foraging areas, Movement ecology, Periphyton