Publication Details

Category Text Publication
Reference Category Journals
DOI 10.1016/j.ecolmodel.2022.110007
Licence creative commons licence
Title (Primary) MASTIFF: A mechanistic model for cross-scale analyses of the functioning of multiple stressed riverine ecosystems
Author Meier, L.; Brauns, M.; Grimm, V.; Weitere, M.; Frank, K. ORCID logo
Source Titel Ecological Modelling
Year 2022
Department OESA; FLOEK; iDiv
Volume 470
Page From art. 110007
Language englisch
Topic T5 Future Landscapes
Supplements https://ars.els-cdn.com/content/image/1-s2.0-S0304380022001181-mmc1.pdf
Keywords Modeling; Riverine ecosystems; Drift and dispersal; Multiple stressors; Functioning; Biocontrol of eutrophication
Abstract Riverine ecosystems provide various ecosystem services. One of these services is the biological control of eutrophication by grazing macroinvertebrates. However, riverine ecosystems are subject to numerous stressors that affect community structure, functions, and stability properties. To manage rivers in response to these stressors, a better understanding of the ecological functions underlying services is needed. This requires consideration of local and regional processes, which requires a metacommunity approach that links local food webs through drift and dispersal. This takes into account long-distance interactions that can compensate for local effects of stressors. Our modular model MASTIFF (Multiple Aquatic STressors In Flowing Food webs) is stage-structured, spatially explicit, and includes coupled food webs consisting of benthic resource-consumer interactions between biofilm and three competing macroinvertebrate functional types. River segments are unidirectionally connected through organismal drift and bidirectionally connected through dispersal. Climate and land use stressors along the river can be accounted for. Biocontrol of biofilm eutrophication is used as an exemplary functional indicator. We present the model and the underlying considerations, and show in an exemplary application that explicit consideration of drift and dispersal is essential for understanding the spatiotemporal biocontrol of eutrophication. The combination of drift and dispersal reduced eutrophication events. While dispersal events were linked to specific periods in the species life cycles and therefore had limited potential to control, drift was ubiquitous and thus responded more readily to changing habitat conditions. This indicates that drift is an important factor for coping with stress situations. Finally, we outline and discuss the potential and possibilities of MASTIFF as a tool for mechanistic, cross-scale analyses of multiple stressors to advance knowledge of riverine ecosystem functioning.
Persistent UFZ Identifier https://www.ufz.de/index.php?en=20939&ufzPublicationIdentifier=26115
Meier, L., Brauns, M., Grimm, V., Weitere, M., Frank, K. (2022):
MASTIFF: A mechanistic model for cross-scale analyses of the functioning of multiple stressed riverine ecosystems
Ecol. Model. 470 , art. 110007 10.1016/j.ecolmodel.2022.110007