Food web structure in Mediterranean streams: exploring stabilizing forces in these ecosystems

• Published in: Aquatic ecology Vol. 46; no. 3; pp. 311 - 324
• Main Authors: Sánchez-Carmona, R., Encina, L., Rodríguez-Ruiz, A., Rodríguez-Sánchez, M. V., Granado-Lorencio, C.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dordrecht Springer Netherlands 01.09.2012; Springer; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Analysis; Aquatic ecology; Aquatic ecosystems; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Creeks & streams; Ecosystems; Fishes; Food chains; Freshwater & Marine Ecology; Life Sciences; Mediterranean Area; MED; Food webs; Structural properties; Mediterranean stream; Trophic interactions
• ISSN: 1386-2588; 1573-5125
• DOI: 10.1007/s10452-012-9400-5

We constructed the food webs of six Mediterranean streams in order to determine ecological generalities derived from analysis of their structure and to explore stabilizing forces within these ecosystems. Fish, macroinvertebrates, primary producers and detritus are the components of the studied food webs. Analysis focused on a suite of food web properties that describe species’ trophic habits, linkage complexity and food chains. A great structural similarity was found in analyzed food webs; we therefore suggest average values for the structural properties of Mediterranean stream food webs. Percentage of omnivorous species was positively correlated with connectance, and there was a predominance of intermediate trophic level species that had established simple links with detritus. In short, our results suggest that omnivory and the weak interactions of detritivores have a stabilizing role in these food webs.