Ecosystem-size relationships of river populations and communities

Trends Ecol Evol. 2024 Feb 21:S0169-5347(24)00035-1. doi: 10.1016/j.tree.2024.01.010. Online ahead of print.ABSTRACTKnowledge of ecosystem-size influences on river populations and communities is integral to the balancing of human and environmental needs for water. The multiple dimensions of dendritic river networks complicate understanding of ecosystem-size influences, but could be resolved by the development of scaling relationships. We highlight the importance of physical constraints limiting predator body sizes, movements, and population sizes in small rivers, and where river contraction limits space or creates stressful conditions affecting community stability and food webs. Investigations of the scaling and contingency of these processes will be insightful because of the underlying generality and scale independence of such relationships. Doing so will also pinpoint damaging water-management practices and identify which aspects of river size can be most usefully manipulated in river restoration.PMID:38388323 | DOI:10.1016/j.tree.2024.01.010

Source: Trends in Ecology and Evolution - February 22, 2024 Category: Science Authors: Angus R McIntosh Hamish S Greig Helen J Warburton Jonathan D Tonkin Catherine M Febria Source Type: research