Biotic interactions are an unexpected yet critical control on the complexity of an abiotically driven polar ecosystem

Charles K. Lee; Daniel C. Laughlin; Eric M. Bottos; Tancredi Caruso; Kurt Joy; John E. Barrett; Lars Brabyn; Uffe N. Nielsen; Byron J. Adams; Diana H. Wall; David W. Hopkins; Stephen B. Pointing; Ian R. McDonald; Don A. Cowan; Jonathan C. Banks; Glen A. Stichbury; Irfon Jones; Peyman Zawar-Reza; Marwan Katurji; Ian D. Hogg; Ashley D. Sparrow; Bryan C. Storey; T. G. Allan Green; S. Craig Cary

doi:10.1038/s42003-018-0274-5

Biotic interactions are an unexpected yet critical control on the complexity of an abiotically driven polar ecosystem

Charles K. Lee, Daniel C. Laughlin, Eric M. Bottos, Tancredi Caruso, Kurt Joy, John E. Barrett, Lars Brabyn, Uffe N. Nielsen, Byron J. Adams, Diana H. Wall, David W. Hopkins, Stephen B. Pointing, Ian R. McDonald, Don A. Cowan, Jonathan C. Banks, Glen A. Stichbury, Irfon Jones, Peyman Zawar-Reza, Marwan Katurji, Ian D. HoggAshley D. Sparrow, Bryan C. Storey, T. G. Allan Green, S. Craig Cary

Western Sydney University

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

46 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Abiotic and biotic factors control ecosystem biodiversity, but their relative contributions remain unclear. The ultraoligotrophic ecosystem of the Antarctic Dry Valleys, a simple yet highly heterogeneous ecosystem, is a natural laboratory well-suited for resolving the abiotic and biotic controls of community structure. We undertook a multidisciplinary investigation to capture ecologically relevant biotic and abiotic attributes of more than 500 sites in the Dry Valleys, encompassing observed landscape heterogeneities across more than 200 km2. Using richness of autotrophic and heterotrophic taxa as a proxy for functional complexity, we linked measured variables in a parsimonious yet comprehensive structural equation model that explained significant variations in biological complexity and identified landscape-scale and fine-scale abiotic factors as the primary drivers of diversity. However, the inclusion of linkages among functional groups was essential for constructing the best-fitting model. Our findings support the notion that biotic interactions make crucial contributions even in an extremely simple ecosystem.

Original language	English
Article number	62
Number of pages	10
Journal	Communications Biology
Volume	2
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-018-0274-5
Publication status	Published - 2019

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Keywords

McMurdo Dry Valleys (Antarctica)
biodiversity
food chains (ecology)

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10.1038/s42003-018-0274-5

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Lee, C. K., Laughlin, D. C., Bottos, E. M., Caruso, T., Joy, K., Barrett, J. E., Brabyn, L., Nielsen, U. N., Adams, B. J., Wall, D. H., Hopkins, D. W., Pointing, S. B., McDonald, I. R., Cowan, D. A., Banks, J. C., Stichbury, G. A., Jones, I., Zawar-Reza, P., Katurji, M., ... Cary, S. C. (2019). Biotic interactions are an unexpected yet critical control on the complexity of an abiotically driven polar ecosystem. Communications Biology, 2, Article 62. https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-018-0274-5

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abstract = "Abiotic and biotic factors control ecosystem biodiversity, but their relative contributions remain unclear. The ultraoligotrophic ecosystem of the Antarctic Dry Valleys, a simple yet highly heterogeneous ecosystem, is a natural laboratory well-suited for resolving the abiotic and biotic controls of community structure. We undertook a multidisciplinary investigation to capture ecologically relevant biotic and abiotic attributes of more than 500 sites in the Dry Valleys, encompassing observed landscape heterogeneities across more than 200 km2. Using richness of autotrophic and heterotrophic taxa as a proxy for functional complexity, we linked measured variables in a parsimonious yet comprehensive structural equation model that explained significant variations in biological complexity and identified landscape-scale and fine-scale abiotic factors as the primary drivers of diversity. However, the inclusion of linkages among functional groups was essential for constructing the best-fitting model. Our findings support the notion that biotic interactions make crucial contributions even in an extremely simple ecosystem.",

keywords = "McMurdo Dry Valleys (Antarctica), biodiversity, food chains (ecology)",

author = "Lee, {Charles K.} and Laughlin, {Daniel C.} and Bottos, {Eric M.} and Tancredi Caruso and Kurt Joy and Barrett, {John E.} and Lars Brabyn and Nielsen, {Uffe N.} and Adams, {Byron J.} and Wall, {Diana H.} and Hopkins, {David W.} and Pointing, {Stephen B.} and McDonald, {Ian R.} and Cowan, {Don A.} and Banks, {Jonathan C.} and Stichbury, {Glen A.} and Irfon Jones and Peyman Zawar-Reza and Marwan Katurji and Hogg, {Ian D.} and Sparrow, {Ashley D.} and Storey, {Bryan C.} and Green, {T. G. Allan} and Cary, {S. Craig}",

year = "2019",

doi = "10.1038/s42003-018-0274-5",

language = "English",

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journal = "Communications Biology",

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Lee, CK, Laughlin, DC, Bottos, EM, Caruso, T, Joy, K, Barrett, JE, Brabyn, L, Nielsen, UN, Adams, BJ, Wall, DH, Hopkins, DW, Pointing, SB, McDonald, IR, Cowan, DA, Banks, JC, Stichbury, GA, Jones, I, Zawar-Reza, P, Katurji, M, Hogg, ID, Sparrow, AD, Storey, BC, Green, TGA & Cary, SC 2019, 'Biotic interactions are an unexpected yet critical control on the complexity of an abiotically driven polar ecosystem', Communications Biology, vol. 2, 62. https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-018-0274-5

TY - JOUR

T1 - Biotic interactions are an unexpected yet critical control on the complexity of an abiotically driven polar ecosystem

AU - Lee, Charles K.

AU - Laughlin, Daniel C.

AU - Bottos, Eric M.

AU - Caruso, Tancredi

AU - Joy, Kurt

AU - Barrett, John E.

AU - Brabyn, Lars

AU - Nielsen, Uffe N.

AU - Adams, Byron J.

AU - Wall, Diana H.

AU - Hopkins, David W.

AU - Pointing, Stephen B.

AU - McDonald, Ian R.

AU - Cowan, Don A.

AU - Banks, Jonathan C.

AU - Stichbury, Glen A.

AU - Jones, Irfon

AU - Zawar-Reza, Peyman

AU - Katurji, Marwan

AU - Hogg, Ian D.

AU - Sparrow, Ashley D.

AU - Storey, Bryan C.

AU - Green, T. G. Allan

AU - Cary, S. Craig

PY - 2019

Y1 - 2019

N2 - Abiotic and biotic factors control ecosystem biodiversity, but their relative contributions remain unclear. The ultraoligotrophic ecosystem of the Antarctic Dry Valleys, a simple yet highly heterogeneous ecosystem, is a natural laboratory well-suited for resolving the abiotic and biotic controls of community structure. We undertook a multidisciplinary investigation to capture ecologically relevant biotic and abiotic attributes of more than 500 sites in the Dry Valleys, encompassing observed landscape heterogeneities across more than 200 km2. Using richness of autotrophic and heterotrophic taxa as a proxy for functional complexity, we linked measured variables in a parsimonious yet comprehensive structural equation model that explained significant variations in biological complexity and identified landscape-scale and fine-scale abiotic factors as the primary drivers of diversity. However, the inclusion of linkages among functional groups was essential for constructing the best-fitting model. Our findings support the notion that biotic interactions make crucial contributions even in an extremely simple ecosystem.

AB - Abiotic and biotic factors control ecosystem biodiversity, but their relative contributions remain unclear. The ultraoligotrophic ecosystem of the Antarctic Dry Valleys, a simple yet highly heterogeneous ecosystem, is a natural laboratory well-suited for resolving the abiotic and biotic controls of community structure. We undertook a multidisciplinary investigation to capture ecologically relevant biotic and abiotic attributes of more than 500 sites in the Dry Valleys, encompassing observed landscape heterogeneities across more than 200 km2. Using richness of autotrophic and heterotrophic taxa as a proxy for functional complexity, we linked measured variables in a parsimonious yet comprehensive structural equation model that explained significant variations in biological complexity and identified landscape-scale and fine-scale abiotic factors as the primary drivers of diversity. However, the inclusion of linkages among functional groups was essential for constructing the best-fitting model. Our findings support the notion that biotic interactions make crucial contributions even in an extremely simple ecosystem.

KW - McMurdo Dry Valleys (Antarctica)

KW - biodiversity

KW - food chains (ecology)

UR - http://handle.westernsydney.edu.au:8081/1959.7/uws:51780

U2 - 10.1038/s42003-018-0274-5

DO - 10.1038/s42003-018-0274-5

M3 - Article

SN - 2399-3642

VL - 2

JO - Communications Biology

JF - Communications Biology

M1 - 62

ER -

Biotic interactions are an unexpected yet critical control on the complexity of an abiotically driven polar ecosystem

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