Premium
Are Autecologically Similar Species Also Functionally Similar? A Test in Pond Communities
Author(s) -
Harris Patricia M.
Publication year - 1995
Publication title -
ecology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.144
H-Index - 294
eISSN - 1939-9170
pISSN - 0012-9658
DOI - 10.2307/1941212
Subject(s) - biology , ecology , herbivore , predation , gambusia , community , taxon , habitat , fish <actinopterygii> , fishery
The study of community dynamics often requires that species by grouped into a smaller number of system components. Species are typically grouped on the basis of their autecological traits (sensu lato), but this assumes that autecology is an adequate predictor of species' functional roles are in the community. I tested whether autecological similarities correctly predict similarities among species' effects using experimentally reconstructed temporary pond communities. I individually manipulated six taxa (two predators, two herbivorous snails, and two herbivorous tadpoles) to assess the effects of each on a complex background community. The species' effects were all best explained as direct effects of a consumer on its food; no clear evidence of indirect effects was found. The six species could be divided into three statistically distinct groups based on their effects on the background community: "Ambystoma," "Gambusia," and "herbivores." The pattern of similarities among species' effects was well predicted by the pattern of similarities among their autecological traits. The results suggest that, at least over the spatial and temporal scale of this experiment, autecological traits are indeed a useful guide to grouping species for studies of system dynamics.