Beyond the Plankton Ecology Group (PEG) Model: Mechanisms Driving Plankton Succession

TY - JOUR

T1 - Beyond the Plankton Ecology Group (PEG) Model: Mechanisms Driving Plankton Succession

AU - Sommer, U.

AU - Adrian, R.

AU - De Senerpont Domis, L.N.

AU - Elser, J.J.

AU - Gaedke, U.

AU - Ibelings, B.W.

AU - Jeppesen, E.

AU - Lürling, M.

AU - Molinero, J.C.

AU - Mooij, W.M.

AU - Van Donk, E.

AU - Winder, M.

N1 - Reporting year: 2012 Metis note: 5334; WAG; AqE

PY - 2012

Y1 - 2012

N2 - The seasonal succession of plankton is an annually repeated process of community assembly during which all major external factors and internal interactions shaping communities can be studied. A quarter of a century ago, the state of this understanding was described by the verbal plankton ecology group (PEG) model. It emphasized the role of physical factors, grazing and nutrient limitation for phytoplankton, and the role of food limitation and fish predation for zooplankton. Although originally targeted at lake ecosystems, it became also adopted by marine plankton ecologists. Since then, a suite of ecological interactions previously underestimated in importance have become research foci: overwintering of key organisms, the microbial food web, parasitism, and food quality as a limiting factor and an extended role of higher order predators. A review of the impact of these novel interactions on plankton seasonal succession reveals limited effects on gross seasonal biomass patterns, but strong effects on species replacements.

AB - The seasonal succession of plankton is an annually repeated process of community assembly during which all major external factors and internal interactions shaping communities can be studied. A quarter of a century ago, the state of this understanding was described by the verbal plankton ecology group (PEG) model. It emphasized the role of physical factors, grazing and nutrient limitation for phytoplankton, and the role of food limitation and fish predation for zooplankton. Although originally targeted at lake ecosystems, it became also adopted by marine plankton ecologists. Since then, a suite of ecological interactions previously underestimated in importance have become research foci: overwintering of key organisms, the microbial food web, parasitism, and food quality as a limiting factor and an extended role of higher order predators. A review of the impact of these novel interactions on plankton seasonal succession reveals limited effects on gross seasonal biomass patterns, but strong effects on species replacements.

KW - international

U2 - 10.1146/annurev-ecolsys-110411-160251

DO - 10.1146/annurev-ecolsys-110411-160251

M3 - Article

SN - 1543-592X

VL - 43

SP - 429

EP - 448

JO - Annual Review of Ecology Evolution and Systematics

JF - Annual Review of Ecology Evolution and Systematics

ER -