- search hit 1 of 1
Energetic equivalence underpins the size structure of tree and phytoplankton communities
- The size structure of autotroph communities – the relative abundance of small vs. large individuals – shapes the functioning of ecosystems. Whether common mechanisms underpin the size structure of unicellular and multicellular autotrophs is, however, unknown. Using a global data compilation, we show that individual body masses in tree and phytoplankton communities follow power-law distributions and that the average exponents of these individual size distributions (ISD) differ. Phytoplankton communities are characterized by an average ISD exponent consistent with three-quarter-power scaling of metabolism with body mass and equivalence in energy use among mass classes. Tree communities deviate from this pattern in a manner consistent with equivalence in energy use among diameter size classes. Our findings suggest that whilst universal metabolic constraints ultimately underlie the emergent size structure of autotroph communities, divergent aspects of body size (volumetric vs. linear dimensions) shape the ecological outcome of metabolicThe size structure of autotroph communities – the relative abundance of small vs. large individuals – shapes the functioning of ecosystems. Whether common mechanisms underpin the size structure of unicellular and multicellular autotrophs is, however, unknown. Using a global data compilation, we show that individual body masses in tree and phytoplankton communities follow power-law distributions and that the average exponents of these individual size distributions (ISD) differ. Phytoplankton communities are characterized by an average ISD exponent consistent with three-quarter-power scaling of metabolism with body mass and equivalence in energy use among mass classes. Tree communities deviate from this pattern in a manner consistent with equivalence in energy use among diameter size classes. Our findings suggest that whilst universal metabolic constraints ultimately underlie the emergent size structure of autotroph communities, divergent aspects of body size (volumetric vs. linear dimensions) shape the ecological outcome of metabolic scaling in forest vs. pelagic ecosystems.…
Author details: | Daniel M. PerkinsORCiD, Andrea PernaORCiD, Rita AdrianORCiDGND, Pedro CermeñoORCiD, Ursula GaedkeORCiDGND, Maria Huete-Ortega, Ethan P. White, Gabriel Yvon-DurocherORCiD |
---|---|
URN: | urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus4-425695 |
DOI: | https://doi.org/10.25932/publishup-42569 |
ISSN: | 1866-8372 |
Title of parent work (English): | Postprints der Universität Potsdam : Mathematisch-Naturwissenschaftliche Reihe |
Publication series (Volume number): | Zweitveröffentlichungen der Universität Potsdam : Mathematisch-Naturwissenschaftliche Reihe (684) |
Publication type: | Postprint |
Language: | English |
Date of first publication: | 2019/03/15 |
Publication year: | 2019 |
Publishing institution: | Universität Potsdam |
Release date: | 2019/03/15 |
Tag: | abundance; allometry; biomass; cell-size; distributions; forest structure; general quantitative theory; marine-phytoplankton; metabolic ecology; scaling relationships |
Issue: | 684 |
Number of pages: | 8 |
Source: | Nature Communications 10 (2019), Art. 255 DOI 10.1038/s41467-018-08039-3 |
Organizational units: | Mathematisch-Naturwissenschaftliche Fakultät |
DDC classification: | 5 Naturwissenschaften und Mathematik / 50 Naturwissenschaften / 500 Naturwissenschaften und Mathematik |
Peer review: | Referiert |
Publishing method: | Open Access |
License (German): | CC-BY-SA - Namensnennung, Weitergabe zu gleichen Bedingungen 4.0 International |
External remark: | Bibliographieeintrag der Originalveröffentlichung/Quelle |