A REVIEW OF TRAIT-MEDIATED INDIRECT INTERACTIONS IN ECOLOGICAL COMMUNITIES

A REVIEW OF TRAIT-MEDIATED INDIRECT INTERACTIONS IN ECOLOGICAL COMMUNITIES

2003 | EARL E. WERNER1,3 AND SCOTT D. PEACOR2
This paper reviews empirical studies documenting trait-mediated indirect interactions (TMIIs) in food webs. Traditional models and conceptual frameworks in community ecology assume that interactions between species are intrinsic and density-dependent, but TMIIs challenge this assumption by showing that species can alter their phenotypes in response to the presence of other species, thereby changing the per capita effect of the reacting species on others. These trait changes can reinforce or oppose density-mediated effects and have been largely overlooked. The paper highlights the broad mechanistic basis for TMIIs and reviews evidence from various simple three- to four-species food webs, finding strong quantitatively significant effects in aquatic and terrestrial systems. Studies addressing the relative magnitudes of density- and trait-mediated effects suggest that trait effects can be as strong or stronger than density effects. The authors conclude that ecological communities are rich with TMIIs arising from trait plasticity, which are quantitatively important to community dynamics. They also suggest future research directions, emphasizing the need to understand the mechanisms and impacts of TMIIs.This paper reviews empirical studies documenting trait-mediated indirect interactions (TMIIs) in food webs. Traditional models and conceptual frameworks in community ecology assume that interactions between species are intrinsic and density-dependent, but TMIIs challenge this assumption by showing that species can alter their phenotypes in response to the presence of other species, thereby changing the per capita effect of the reacting species on others. These trait changes can reinforce or oppose density-mediated effects and have been largely overlooked. The paper highlights the broad mechanistic basis for TMIIs and reviews evidence from various simple three- to four-species food webs, finding strong quantitatively significant effects in aquatic and terrestrial systems. Studies addressing the relative magnitudes of density- and trait-mediated effects suggest that trait effects can be as strong or stronger than density effects. The authors conclude that ecological communities are rich with TMIIs arising from trait plasticity, which are quantitatively important to community dynamics. They also suggest future research directions, emphasizing the need to understand the mechanisms and impacts of TMIIs.
Reach us at info@study.space