Data Archive

HF211

Modeling Foundation Species in Food Webs

Related Publications

Data

hf211-01: MatLab code for model runs and output. Built and run under MatLab R2011a.
hf211-02: MatLab code for iterating each time step (Equations 2a and 2b in Baiser et al. 2013). Called by hf211-01-fex1.txt.

Overview

Lead: Aaron Ellison
Investigators: Benjamin Baiser, Nathaniel Whitaker
Contact: Information Manager
Start date:
End date:
Status: complete
Location: Global
Latitude: -90 to +90 degrees
Longitude: -180 to +180 degrees
Elevation:
Datum: WGS84
Taxa:
Release date: 2023
Language: English
EML file: knb-lter-hfr.211.5
DOI: digital object identifier
EDI: data package
DataONE: data package
Related links:

Study type: modeling
Research topic: ecological informatics and modelling
LTER core area: primary production, population studies
Keywords: food webs, metabolism, modeling, trophic structure
Abstract:
Foundation species are basal species that play an important role in determining community composition by physically structuring ecosystems and modulating ecosystem processes. Foundation species largely operate via non-trophic interactions, presenting a challenge to incorporating them into food-web models. Here, we used non-linear, bioenergetic predator-prey models to explore the role of foundation species and their non-trophic effects. We explored four types of models in which the foundation species reduced the metabolic rates of species in a specific trophic position. We examined the outcomes of each of these models for six metabolic rate “treatments” in which the foundation species altered the metabolic rates of associated species by one-tenth to ten times their allometric baseline metabolic rates. For each model simulation, we looked at how foundation species influenced food-web structure during community assembly and the subsequent change in food-web structure when the foundation species was removed. When a foundation species lowered the metabolic rate of only basal species the resultant webs were complex, species-rich, and robust to foundation species removals. On the other hand, when a foundation species lowered the metabolic rate of only consumer species, all species, or no species the resultant webs were species poor and the subsequent removal of the foundation species webs resulted in the further loss of species and complexity. This suggests that in nature we should look for foundation species to predominantly facilitate basal species.
Methods:
Models were built and run under MatLab R2011a. For equation details, please see: Baiser, B., N. Whitaker, and A. M. Ellison, 2013, Modeling foundation species in food webs, Ecosphere 4.
Organization: Harvard Forest. 324 North Main Street, Petersham, MA 01366, USA. Phone (978) 724-3302. Fax (978) 724-3595.
Project: The Harvard Forest Long-Term Ecological Research (LTER) program examines ecological dynamics in the New England region resulting from natural disturbances, environmental change, and human impacts. (ROR).
Funding: National Science Foundation LTER grants: DEB-8811764, DEB-9411975, DEB-0080592, DEB-0620443, DEB-1237491, DEB-1832210.
Use: This dataset is released to the public under Creative Commons CC0 1.0 (No Rights Reserved). Please keep the dataset creators informed of any plans to use the dataset. Consultation with the original investigators is strongly encouraged. Publications and data products that make use of the dataset should include proper acknowledgement.
License: Creative Commons Zero v1.0 Universal (CC0-1.0)
Citation: Ellison A. 2023. Modeling Foundation Species in Food Webs. Harvard Forest Data Archive: HF211 (v.5). Environmental Data Initiative: https://doi.org/10.6073/pasta/0032621b62e1531b105b5a290a7a7452.

Detailed Metadata

hf211-01: MatLab code for model runs and output. Built and run under MatLab R2011a.

Compression: none
Format: Matlab script
Type: script

hf211-02: MatLab code for iterating each time step (Equations 2a and 2b in Baiser et al. 2013). Called by hf211-01-fex1.txt.