A meta‐analysis of resource pulse–consumer interactions

Abstract

Resource pulses are infrequent, large-magnitude, and short-duration events of increased resource availability. They include a diverse set of extreme events in a wide range of ecosystems, but identifying general patterns among the diversity of pulsed resource phenomena in nature remains an important challenge. Here we present a meta-analysis of resource pulse-consumer interactions that addresses four key questions: (1) Which characteristics of pulsed resources best predict their effects on consumers? (2) Which characteristics of consumers best predict their responses to resource pulses? (3) How do the effects of resource pulses differ in different ecosystems? (4) What are the indirect effects of resource pulses in communities? To investigate these questions, we built a data set of diverse pulsed resource-consumer interactions from around the world, developed metrics to compare the effects of resource pulses across disparate systems, and conducted multilevel regression analyses to examine the manner in which variation in the characteristics of resource pulseconsumer interactions affects important aspects of consumer responses.Resource pulse magnitude, resource trophic level, resource pulse duration, ecosystem type and subtype, consumer response mechanisms, and consumer body mass were found to be key explanatory factors predicting the magnitude, duration, and timing of consumer responses. Larger consumers showed more persistent responses to resource pulses, and reproductive responses were more persistent than aggregative responses. Aquatic systems showed shorter temporal lags between peaks of resource availability and consumer response compared to terrestrial systems, and temporal lags were also shorter for smaller consumers compared to larger consumers. The magnitude of consumer responses relative to their resource pulses was generally smaller for the direct consumers of primary resource pulses, compared to consumers at greater trophic distances from the initial resource pulse. In specific systems, this data set showed both attenuating and amplifying indirect effects. We consider the mechanistic processes behind these patterns and their implications for the ecology of resource pulses.

Nitrogen/carbon metabolism in response to NH4+ pulse for two submersed macrophytes

“…Resource pulse, defined as occasional and dramatic increase in resource availability, is a widespread phenomenon in nature and has profound effects on ecosystem (Yang et al, , 2010. For example, water input following a long dry periods stimulates nitrogen (N) mineralization and facilitates N movement to roots in arid and semiarid ecosystems (Chesson et al, 2004;James and Richards 2005).…”

Anticipation and tracking of pulsed resources drive population dynamics in eastern chipmunks

“…Resource pulses are typically defined as infrequent episodes of resource availability that are large in magnitude and short in duration (Yang et al 2008). Insect outbreaks and the synchronous, but intermittent, production of large seed crops by plant populations (i.e., mast) are well-known examples of resource pulses (reviewed in Yang et al 2010). Population dynamics of consumers are particularly sensitive to variation in food abundance (Jones et al 1998, Yang et al 2010.…”

“…Insect outbreaks and the synchronous, but intermittent, production of large seed crops by plant populations (i.e., mast) are well-known examples of resource pulses (reviewed in Yang et al 2010). Population dynamics of consumers are particularly sensitive to variation in food abundance (Jones et al 1998, Yang et al 2010. For example, the reproductive events of many species have frequently been shown to track pulsed resources (Ostfeld et al 1996, Clotfelter et al 2007, Yang et al 2010.…”

“…Population dynamics of consumers are particularly sensitive to variation in food abundance (Jones et al 1998, Yang et al 2010. For example, the reproductive events of many species have frequently been shown to track pulsed resources (Ostfeld et al 1996, Clotfelter et al 2007, Yang et al 2010. Furthermore, the prolonged absence of resources between pulse events can constrain key fitness components (e.g., survival and reproductive rates) and contribute to population collapse (reviewed in White 2008).…”

“…Furthermore, the prolonged absence of resources between pulse events can constrain key fitness components (e.g., survival and reproductive rates) and contribute to population collapse (reviewed in White 2008). A resulting key feature of the consumerresource interaction is a strong lagged demographic response of consumer communities to food abundance (Jones et al 1998, Ostfeld and Keesing 2000, Yang et al 2010. Such a lag may cause juveniles to enter the population when food abundance is low, potentially reducing their survival compared to juveniles born prior to or during resource pulse events (White 2008).…”