Phosphorus supply shifts the quotas of multiple elements in algae and Daphnia: ionomic basis of stoichiometric constraints

Abstract

The growth rate hypothesis posits that the rate of protein synthesis is constrained by phosphorus (P) supply. P scarcity invokes differential expression of genes involved in processing of most if not all elements encompassing an individual (the ionome). Whether such ionome‐wide adjustments to P supply impact growth and trophic interactions remains unclear. We quantified the ionomes of a resource‐consumer pair in contrasting P supply conditions. Consumer growth penalty was driven by not only P imbalance between trophic levels but also imbalances in other elements, reflecting complex physiological adjustments made by both the resource and the consumer. Mitigating such imbalances requires energy and should impact the efficiency at which assimilated nutrients are converted to biomass. Correlated shifts in the handling of multiple elements, and variation in the supplies of such elements could underlie vast heterogeneity in the rates at which organisms and ecosystems accrue biomass as a function of P supply.

Sexual Dimorphism in the Multielemental Stoichiometric Phenotypes and Stoichiometric Niches of Spiders

“…We conclude that in studies dealing with ecological stoichiometry, samples should be divided according to sex because under/overrepresentation of a specific sex may influence the results. Importantly, the observed patterns suggest that stoichiometric relations between atoms of more elements than the commonly studied C, N and P may shape ecological interactions and the functioning of food webs, which is also confirmed by the results of the limited studies on multielemental ecological stoichiometry published to date (e.g., [8,24,38]). Recently, the role of Na limitation in shaping ecological interactions was emphasized [39]; however, approximately twenty-five elements build molecules driving the functioning of every living organism on Earth, and much research is still needed in the area of multielemental stoichiometry [5,8,29].…”

“…Recently, the role of Na limitation in shaping ecological interactions was emphasized [39]; however, approximately twenty-five elements build molecules driving the functioning of every living organism on Earth, and much research is still needed in the area of multielemental stoichiometry [5,8,29]. This is made even more complicated by the fact that the concentration of every element composing the organismal body influences the concentrations of all other elements, and all of them are strongly interrelated [38]. Therefore, it is essential to consider multielemental ratios in studies dealing with ecological stoichiometry.…”

Stoichiometric niche, nutrient partitioning and resource allocation in a solitary bee are sex-specific and phosphorous is allocated mainly to the cocoon

“…Recently, the role of Na limitation in shaping ecological interactions was emphasized 34 ; however, approximately 25 elements build molecules driving the functioning of every living organism on Earth 3 . The current study suggests that stoichiometric relations among all elements-not only C, N and P-may shape nutrient cycling (e.g., via relocation of stoichiometrically specific pollen and deposition of stoichiometrically specific detritus) and ecological interactions in ecosystems (e.g., bee-plant coevolution via bee needs for stoichiometrically balanced pollen); however, these relations are complicated via sexual dimension (described above) and via the interrelationship of elemental concentrations 60 .…”

Hidden layers of density dependence in consumer feeding rates

“…Beyond consumer–resource interactions, standard growth‐response (Tilman, 1977, 1982; Rothhaupt, 1988; Dybzinski & Tilman, 2007; Letten et al ., 2018) and models of enzyme kinetics (Michaelis & Menten, 1913) applied to plant and microbial systems are both mathematical equivalents to the single‐resource Holling Type II functional response, yet are routinely adopted in multi‐resource contexts (Descamps‐Julien & Gonzalez, 2005; Kleinhesselink & Adler, 2015; Letten et al ., 2018). This occurs despite the tremendous utility that exists in identifying scenarios in which access to multiple resources synergistically promotes or retards growth (Sperfeld et al ., 2012; Jeyasingh et al ., 2020). Indeed, from trophic interactions and growth models to epistasis (Poelwijk et al ., 2016; Sailer & Harms, 2017a,b) and drug–drug interactions (Tekin et al ., 2018; Katzir et al ., 2019), there are countless areas of biology in which researchers are interested in ways to quantify similar forms of non‐independence and non‐additivity.…”