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 · 22 July 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,

Significance Organisms’ responses to climate change can result in altered species interactions, with cascading effects on communities and ecosystems. Understanding these processes is especially relevant in the rapidly warming Arctic, where faster decomposition of stored soil carbon is expected to result in positive carbon feedbacks to the atmosphere. We provide evidence that warmer temperatures alter the cascading effects of wolf spiders, an abundant and widespread predator, on ecosystem functioning. Specifically, we find that warming tends to reverse the effect of high spider densities on fungal-feeding Collembola and ultimately leads to slower decomposition rates. Our work demonstrates that climate change can alter the nature of predator effects on decomposition, resulting in unexpected changes in ecosystem function with potentially important global implications.

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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 Journal Issue: 32 Vol. 115; ISSN 0027-8424

Publisher:: Proceedings of the National Academy of SciencesCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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