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Title: Ecological Dissertations in the Aquatic Sciences: An Effective Networking and Professional Development Opportunity for Early Career Aquatic Scientists
Award ID(s):
1925796
NSF-PAR ID:
10348363
Author(s) / Creator(s):
; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ;
Date Published:
Journal Name:
Limnology and Oceanography Bulletin
Volume:
26
Issue:
2
ISSN:
1539-607X
Page Range / eLocation ID:
25 to 30
Format(s):
Medium: X
Sponsoring Org:
National Science Foundation
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  1. Abstract

    The roles mobile animals and abiotic processes play as vectors for resource transfers between ecosystems (“subsidies”) are well studied, but the idea that resources from animals with limited mobility may be transported across boundaries through intermediate taxa remains unexplored. Aquatic plants (“macrophytes”) are globally distributed and may mediate transfers of aquatic‐derived nutrients from aggregations of aquatic animals to terrestrial ecosystems when consumed by terrestrial herbivores. We used mesocosms (94 × 44 cm) to test whether aquatic animal‐generated biogeochemical hotspots increase growth and nutrient content in macrophytes using the macrophyteJusticia americanaand freshwater mussels.Justicia americanabiomass production increased and belowground biomass allocation changed with increasing mussel density. At high mussel density, water‐column phosphorus increased and carbon:phosphorus ratios inJ. americanatissues decreased. We deployed motion‐sensing cameras to explore herbivory onJ. americanagrowing along the margins of the Kiamichi River, Oklahoma, and documented feeding by large mammals (Odocoileus virginianus,Sus scrofa, andBos taurus). Thus, biogeochemical hotspots generated by aquatic animal aggregations can promote macrophyte production that subsequently is transferred to terrestrial animals. More broadly, this suggests that reductions in aquatic animal biomass may have bottom‐up impacts that indirectly affect terrestrial ecosystems via plant–animal interactions bridging ecosystem boundaries.

     
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