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Stoichiometry of consumer‐driven nutrient recycling across nutrient regimes in streams
Author(s) -
EvansWhite Michelle A.,
Lamberti Gary A.
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
ecology letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 6.852
H-Index - 265
eISSN - 1461-0248
pISSN - 1461-023X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1461-0248.2006.00971.x
Subject(s) - periphyton , ecological stoichiometry , nutrient , ecosystem , ecology , crayfish , nutrient cycle , abiotic component , stoichiometry , environmental chemistry , biology , chemistry , organic chemistry
Stoichiometric constraints within ecological interactions and their ecosystem consequences may depend on characteristics of the abiotic environment such as background nutrient levels. We assessed whether consumer identity, via differing body stoichiometry, could regulate periphyton stoichiometry across nutrient regimes in open systems. In 60 flow‐through artificial streams, we factorially crossed dissolved inorganic nitrogen levels (elevated = 294 μ g L −1 , ambient = 26 μ g L −1 ) with dissolved inorganic phosphorus levels (DIP: elevated = 15 μ g L −1 , ambient = 3 μ g L −1 ) and consumer type [crayfish (body N : P = 18), snails (body N : P = 28) or a control]. At ambient DIP, periphyton in the crayfish treatment had a lower %P and a lower C : P than periphyton in the snail treatment suggesting that consumer identity, probably mediated by differing P‐excretion, regulated periphyton P content. At high DIP, consumer identity no longer affected periphyton elemental composition. Therefore, the stoichiometry of consumer‐driven nutrient recycling and consumer identity may be less important to ecosystem functioning in environments with elevated nutrient levels.