FOR 2716: Spatial community ecology in highly dynamic landscapes: from island biogeography to metaecosystems - TP03: Trait-based terrestrial consumer metacommunities (DynaCom)

Basic data for this project

Description

In coastal ecosystems, invertebrate consumer communities are strongly shaped by colonization and extinction dynamics that are driven by species´ traits such as body size, mobility or trophic position.In the proposed subproject, we will combine experimental approaches (experimental islands, mesocosms) and observational approaches in salt marsh systems to study community dynamics in invertebrates. A wide range of taxa will be studied both above and below ground. We will build on existing experience in multitrophic networks to develop novel approaches to community ecology. Trophic positions and roles will be inferred from stable isotope, fatty acid and molecular analyses, in close collaboration with plant, stoichiometry and modelling subprojects (SP1, 2, 5, 8, 9).In work package 1, we will study the structure of coastal animal communities and their spatiotemporal dynamics, sampling along five transects from the pioneer zone to upper salt marsh on three islands in the North Sea (Spiekeroog, Wangerooge, Norderney) and on twelve experimental islands. In work package 2, we will determine the trophic structure of coastal animal communities using (i) bulk stable isotope signatures (15N, 13C) (ii) fatty acids and amino acids and (iii) molecular analysis of gut contents.In work packages 3 and 4, we will assess traits driving extinction/emigration and colonization processes.Overall, the proposed subproject will allow novel insights into community structure and dynamics in highly dynamic intertidal ecosystems.