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Damped trophic cascades driven by fishing in model marine ecosystems

Andersen, K. H. and Hartvig, Martin LU (2010) In Royal Society of London. Proceedings B. Biological Sciences 277(1682). p.795-802
Abstract
The largest perturbation on upper trophic levels of many marine ecosystems stems from fishing. The reaction of the ecosystem goes beyond the trophic levels directly targeted by the fishery. This reaction has been described either as a change in slope of the overall size spectrum or as a trophic cascade triggered by the removal of top predators. Here we use a novel size- and trait-based model to explore how marine ecosystems might react to perturbations from different types of fishing pressure. The model explicitly resolves the whole life history of fish, from larvae to adults. The results show that fishing does not change the overall slope of the size spectrum, but depletes the largest individuals and induces trophic cascades. A trophic... (More)
The largest perturbation on upper trophic levels of many marine ecosystems stems from fishing. The reaction of the ecosystem goes beyond the trophic levels directly targeted by the fishery. This reaction has been described either as a change in slope of the overall size spectrum or as a trophic cascade triggered by the removal of top predators. Here we use a novel size- and trait-based model to explore how marine ecosystems might react to perturbations from different types of fishing pressure. The model explicitly resolves the whole life history of fish, from larvae to adults. The results show that fishing does not change the overall slope of the size spectrum, but depletes the largest individuals and induces trophic cascades. A trophic cascade can propagate both up and down in trophic levels driven by a combination of changes in predation mortality and food limitation. The cascade is damped as it comes further away from the perturbed trophic level. Fishing on several trophic levels leads to a disappearance of the signature of the trophic cascade. Differences in fishing patterns among ecosystems might influence whether a trophic cascade is observed. (Less)
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author
and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
community model, ecosystem approach to fisheries, size spectrum, management
in
Royal Society of London. Proceedings B. Biological Sciences
volume
277
issue
1682
pages
795 - 802
publisher
Royal Society Publishing
external identifiers
  • wos:000273882800018
  • scopus:77649206242
  • pmid:19906668
ISSN
1471-2954
DOI
10.1098/rspb.2009.1512
language
English
LU publication?
yes
additional info
The information about affiliations in this record was updated in December 2015. The record was previously connected to the following departments: Theoretical ecology (Closed 2011) (011006011), Evolutionary Ecology (432112238)
id
83354c5c-7749-4ee7-88ad-d720c2cf3244 (old id 1547183)
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 10:52:37
date last changed
2022-04-20 07:04:27
@article{83354c5c-7749-4ee7-88ad-d720c2cf3244,
  abstract     = {{The largest perturbation on upper trophic levels of many marine ecosystems stems from fishing. The reaction of the ecosystem goes beyond the trophic levels directly targeted by the fishery. This reaction has been described either as a change in slope of the overall size spectrum or as a trophic cascade triggered by the removal of top predators. Here we use a novel size- and trait-based model to explore how marine ecosystems might react to perturbations from different types of fishing pressure. The model explicitly resolves the whole life history of fish, from larvae to adults. The results show that fishing does not change the overall slope of the size spectrum, but depletes the largest individuals and induces trophic cascades. A trophic cascade can propagate both up and down in trophic levels driven by a combination of changes in predation mortality and food limitation. The cascade is damped as it comes further away from the perturbed trophic level. Fishing on several trophic levels leads to a disappearance of the signature of the trophic cascade. Differences in fishing patterns among ecosystems might influence whether a trophic cascade is observed.}},
  author       = {{Andersen, K. H. and Hartvig, Martin}},
  issn         = {{1471-2954}},
  keywords     = {{community model; ecosystem approach to fisheries; size spectrum; management}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{1682}},
  pages        = {{795--802}},
  publisher    = {{Royal Society Publishing}},
  series       = {{Royal Society of London. Proceedings B. Biological Sciences}},
  title        = {{Damped trophic cascades driven by fishing in model marine ecosystems}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2009.1512}},
  doi          = {{10.1098/rspb.2009.1512}},
  volume       = {{277}},
  year         = {{2010}},
}