Warming reverses top-down effects of predators on belowground ecosystem function in Arctic tundra

Koltz, Amanda M.; Classen, Aimée T.; Wright, Justin P.

doi:10.1073/pnas.1808754115

Title: Warming reverses top-down effects of predators on belowground ecosystem function in Arctic tundra

Journal Article · Mon Jul 23 00:00:00 EDT 2018 · Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1808754115· OSTI ID:1461247

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Department of Biology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63130,, Department of Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708,
The Rubenstein School of Environment &, Natural Resources, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT 05405,, The Gund Institute for Environment, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT 05405
Department of Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708,

Predators can disproportionately impact the structure and function of ecosystems relative to their biomass. These effects may be exacerbated under warming in ecosystems like the Arctic, where the number and diversity of predators are low and small shifts in community interactions can alter carbon cycle feedbacks. Here, we show that warming alters the effects of wolf spiders, a dominant tundra predator, on belowground litter decomposition. Specifically, while high densities of wolf spiders result in faster litter decomposition under ambient temperatures, they result, instead, in slower decomposition under warming. Higher spider densities are also associated with elevated levels of available soil nitrogen, potentially benefiting plant production. Changes in decomposition rates under increased wolf spider densities are accompanied by trends toward fewer fungivorous Collembola under ambient temperatures and more Collembola under warming, suggesting that Collembola mediate the indirect effects of wolf spiders on decomposition. The unexpected reversal of wolf spider effects on Collembola and decomposition suggest that in some cases, warming does not simply alter the strength of top-down effects but, instead, induces a different trophic cascade altogether. Our results indicate that climate change-induced effects on predators can cascade through other trophic levels, alter critical ecosystem functions, and potentially lead to climate feedbacks with important global implications. Furthermore, given the expected increase in wolf spider densities with climate change, our findings suggest that the observed cascading effects of this common predator on detrital processes could potentially buffer concurrent changes in decomposition rates.

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Research Organization:: Univ. of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE Office of Science (SC), Biological and Environmental Research (BER)

Grant/Contract Number:: SC0010562

OSTI ID:: 1461247

Alternate ID(s):: OSTI ID: 1501423

Journal Information:: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, Journal Name: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America Vol. 115 Journal Issue: 32; ISSN 0027-8424

Publisher:: Proceedings of the National Academy of SciencesCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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Cited by: 39 works

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