Publication Details |
| Category | Text Publication |
| Reference Category | Journals |
| DOI | 10.1038/srep02036 |
| Title (Primary) | Chemical and natural stressors combined: from cryptic effects to population extinction |
| Author | Gergs, A.; Zenker, A.; Grimm, V.; Preuss, T.G. |
| Journal | Scientific Reports |
| Year | 2013 |
| Department | OESA |
| Volume | 3 |
| Page From | art. 2036 |
| Language | englisch |
| Keywords | Population dynamics; Freshwater ecology; Ecological modelling; Environmental sciences |
| UFZ wide themes | RU5; |
| Abstract | In addition to natural stressors, populations are increasingly exposed to chemical pollutants released into the environment. We experimentally demonstrate the loss of resilience for Daphnia magna populations that are exposed to a combination of natural and chemical stressors even though effects on population size of a single stressor were cryptic, i.e. hard to detect statistically. Data on Daphnia population demography and along with model-based exploration of our predator-prey system revealed that direct trophic interactions changed the population size-structure and thereby increased population vulnerability to the toxicant which acts in a size selective manner. Moreover, population vulnerability to the toxicant increases with predator size and predation intensity whereas indirect trait-mediated interactions via predator kairomones may buffer chemical effects to a certain extent. Our study demonstrates that population size can be a poor endpoint for risk assessments of chemicals and that ignoring disturbance interactions can lead to severe underestimation of extinction risk. |
| Persistent UFZ Identifier | https://www.ufz.de/index.php?en=20939&ufzPublicationIdentifier=13793 |
| Gergs, A., Zenker, A., Grimm, V., Preuss, T.G. (2013): Chemical and natural stressors combined: from cryptic effects to population extinction Sci. Rep. 3 , art. 2036 |
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