@article{GergsZenkerGrimmetal.2013,
  author    = {Gergs, Andre and Zenker, Armin and Grimm, Volker and Preuss, Thomas G.},
  title     = {Chemical and natural stressors combined from cryptic effects to population extinction},
  series = {Scientific reports},
  volume    = {3},
  journal   = {Scientific reports},
  number    = {2},
  publisher = {Nature Publ. Group},
  address   = {London},
  issn      = {2045-2322},
  doi       = {10.1038/srep02036},
  pages     = {8},
  year      = {2013},
  abstract  = {In addition to natural stressors, populations are increasingly exposed to chemical pollutants released into the environment. We experimentally demonstrate the loss of resilience for Daphnia magna populations that are exposed to a combination of natural and chemical stressors even though effects on population size of a single stressor were cryptic, i.e. hard to detect statistically. Data on Daphnia population demography and along with model-based exploration of our predator-prey system revealed that direct trophic interactions changed the population size-structure and thereby increased population vulnerability to the toxicant which acts in a size selective manner. Moreover, population vulnerability to the toxicant increases with predator size and predation intensity whereas indirect trait-mediated interactions via predator kairomones may buffer chemical effects to a certain extent. Our study demonstrates that population size can be a poor endpoint for risk assessments of chemicals and that ignoring disturbance interactions can lead to severe underestimation of extinction risk.},
  language  = {en}
}