The role of predators in driving warming-prey diversity relationships: An invertebrate perspective

TY - JOUR

T1 - The role of predators in driving warming-prey diversity relationships: An invertebrate perspective

AU - Thakur, Madhav P.

N1 - 7081, TE

PY - 2020

Y1 - 2020

N2 - Climate warming is one of the key driving forces of biodiversity loss. Yet, our understanding of underlying factors that link warming-biodiversity relationships at both local and regional spatial scales is limited. Here, I review how warming could change local-scale diversity of invertebrate animals. Specifically, I examine whether warming-prey diversity relationships are modulated by changes in predation at higher temperatures. I first review the predictions of bioenergetic models, and then carry out a systematic literature search to find empirical studies that have experimentally tested warming-prey diversity relationships together with warming-predation relationships as well as predation-prey diversity relationships both on land and in water. Empirical studies showed that warming consistently altered predation rates by either increasing or decreasing them. However, warming-prey diversity and predation-prey diversity relationships were inconsistent both on land and in water. Theoretical predictions of positive effects of warming on diversity in resource-rich environments were rarely tested by empirical studies. I suggest that warming-prey diversity and predation-prey diversity relationships can be better understood by incorporating three features of prey species: a) thermal tolerance, b) defense against predation, and c) ability to capture resources in warmer environments. I finally discuss the application of a prey trait-based conceptual framework to predict biodiversity changes from local to regional spatial scales in a warmer world.

AB - Climate warming is one of the key driving forces of biodiversity loss. Yet, our understanding of underlying factors that link warming-biodiversity relationships at both local and regional spatial scales is limited. Here, I review how warming could change local-scale diversity of invertebrate animals. Specifically, I examine whether warming-prey diversity relationships are modulated by changes in predation at higher temperatures. I first review the predictions of bioenergetic models, and then carry out a systematic literature search to find empirical studies that have experimentally tested warming-prey diversity relationships together with warming-predation relationships as well as predation-prey diversity relationships both on land and in water. Empirical studies showed that warming consistently altered predation rates by either increasing or decreasing them. However, warming-prey diversity and predation-prey diversity relationships were inconsistent both on land and in water. Theoretical predictions of positive effects of warming on diversity in resource-rich environments were rarely tested by empirical studies. I suggest that warming-prey diversity and predation-prey diversity relationships can be better understood by incorporating three features of prey species: a) thermal tolerance, b) defense against predation, and c) ability to capture resources in warmer environments. I finally discuss the application of a prey trait-based conceptual framework to predict biodiversity changes from local to regional spatial scales in a warmer world.

KW - Top-down control

KW - Invertebrates

KW - Prey coexistence

KW - Foraging rates

KW - Metabolic theory

KW - Dispersal

KW - Metacommunities

KW - Thermal heterogeneity

KW - NIOO

KW - Plan_S-Compliant_NO

U2 - 10.1016/j.baae.2020.06.001

DO - 10.1016/j.baae.2020.06.001

M3 - Article

SN - 1439-1791

VL - 47

SP - 23

EP - 34

JO - Basic and Applied Ecology

JF - Basic and Applied Ecology

ER -