Abstract
Fishes contribute substantially to energy and nutrient fluxes in reef ecosystems, but quantifying these roles is challenging. Here, we do so by synthesising a large compilation of fish metabolic-rate data with a comprehensive database on reef-fish community abundance and biomass. Individual-level analyses support predictions of Metabolic Theory after accounting for significant family-level variation, and indicate that some tropical reef fishes may already be experiencing thermal regimes at or near their temperature optima. Community-level analyses indicate that total estimated respiratory fluxes of reef-fish communities increase on average ~2-fold from 22 to 28 °C. Comparisons of estimated fluxes among trophic groups highlight striking differences in resource use by communities in different regions, perhaps partly reflecting distinct evolutionary histories, and support the hypothesis that piscivores receive substantial energy subsidies from outside reefs. Our study demonstrates one approach to synthesising individual- and community-level data to establish broad-scale trends in contributions of biota to ecosystem dynamics.
| Language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages | 1067-1076 |
| Number of pages | 10 |
| Journal | Ecology Letters |
| Volume | 17 |
| Issue number | 9 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 2014 |
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Scaling metabolism from individuals to reef-fish communities at broad spatial scales. / Barneche, D. R.; Kulbicki, M.; Floeter, S. R.; Friedlander, A. M.; Maina, J.; Allen, A. P.
In: Ecology Letters, Vol. 17, No. 9, 2014, p. 1067-1076.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer-review
TY - JOUR
T1 - Scaling metabolism from individuals to reef-fish communities at broad spatial scales
AU - Barneche, D. R.
AU - Kulbicki, M.
AU - Floeter, S. R.
AU - Friedlander, A. M.
AU - Maina, J.
AU - Allen, A. P.
PY - 2014
Y1 - 2014
N2 - Fishes contribute substantially to energy and nutrient fluxes in reef ecosystems, but quantifying these roles is challenging. Here, we do so by synthesising a large compilation of fish metabolic-rate data with a comprehensive database on reef-fish community abundance and biomass. Individual-level analyses support predictions of Metabolic Theory after accounting for significant family-level variation, and indicate that some tropical reef fishes may already be experiencing thermal regimes at or near their temperature optima. Community-level analyses indicate that total estimated respiratory fluxes of reef-fish communities increase on average ~2-fold from 22 to 28 °C. Comparisons of estimated fluxes among trophic groups highlight striking differences in resource use by communities in different regions, perhaps partly reflecting distinct evolutionary histories, and support the hypothesis that piscivores receive substantial energy subsidies from outside reefs. Our study demonstrates one approach to synthesising individual- and community-level data to establish broad-scale trends in contributions of biota to ecosystem dynamics.
AB - Fishes contribute substantially to energy and nutrient fluxes in reef ecosystems, but quantifying these roles is challenging. Here, we do so by synthesising a large compilation of fish metabolic-rate data with a comprehensive database on reef-fish community abundance and biomass. Individual-level analyses support predictions of Metabolic Theory after accounting for significant family-level variation, and indicate that some tropical reef fishes may already be experiencing thermal regimes at or near their temperature optima. Community-level analyses indicate that total estimated respiratory fluxes of reef-fish communities increase on average ~2-fold from 22 to 28 °C. Comparisons of estimated fluxes among trophic groups highlight striking differences in resource use by communities in different regions, perhaps partly reflecting distinct evolutionary histories, and support the hypothesis that piscivores receive substantial energy subsidies from outside reefs. Our study demonstrates one approach to synthesising individual- and community-level data to establish broad-scale trends in contributions of biota to ecosystem dynamics.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84905261923&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1111/ele.12309
DO - 10.1111/ele.12309
M3 - Article
VL - 17
SP - 1067
EP - 1076
JO - Ecology Letters
T2 - Ecology Letters
JF - Ecology Letters
SN - 1461-023X
IS - 9
ER -