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Secondary analysis of relationships between pelagic invertebrate predators and phytoplankton abundance and water clarity
Author(s) -
FRANCE R.,
YAN N.,
OLESIUK P.,
NERO R.,
GIORGIO P. A.,
KELLER W.
Publication year - 1995
Publication title -
freshwater biology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.297
H-Index - 156
eISSN - 1365-2427
pISSN - 0046-5070
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2427.1995.tb00885.x
Subject(s) - zooplankton , pelagic zone , phytoplankton , predation , abundance (ecology) , trophic level , ecology , benthic zone , biology , trophic cascade , invertebrate , food web , plankton , nutrient
SUMMARY 1. Several models predict that elevated levels of zooplanktivory will promote increases in phytoplankton abundance and corresponding decreases in water clarity. Because estimates of zooplanktivorous fish abundance are logistically difficult, empirical testing of these models has been limited. Our goal was to examine whether the impact of mysids and larval chaoborids on their herbivorous zooplankton prey is either transmitted to, or becomes uncoupled at, the phytoplankton and water quality levels. 2. A secondary analysis of ninety‐eight correlation coefficients from twenty‐five published and unpublished data sets indicated that on average 71% of all correlations agreed with the predictions of top‐down trophic interactions, although most did so with only marginal or weak support. 3. Potential confounding by variable nutrient concentrations, alternative determinants of water clarity and omnivory may complicate simple interpretation of the influence of pelagic invertebrates on zooplankton in lakes.