Habitat size determine algae biomass in tank-bromeliads |
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Authors: | Nicholas A C Marino Rafael D Guariento Viviane Dib Fernanda D Azevedo Vinicius F Farjalla |
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Institution: | 1.Lab. Limnologia, Departamento Ecologia, Instituto de Biologia,CCS-UFRJ,Rio de Janeiro,Brazil;2.Programa de Pós-Gradua??o em Ecologia,UFRJ (PPGE-UFRJ),Rio de Janeiro,Brazil;3.Núcleo em Ecologia e Desenvolvimento Sustentável de Macaé (NUPEM/UFRJ),Macaé,Brazil |
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Abstract: | The primary goal of this study was to evaluate the relative importance of habitat physical properties, bottom-up and top-down
factors, and their interaction on algae biomass in tank-bromeliads. We sampled algae biomass (chlorophyll-a concentration),
micro-metazoan density, mosquito abundance, and several environmental variables, including nutrient concentrations and characteristics
of the habitat physical structure, in a survey of 64 tank-bromeliads of four different species (Aechmea nudicaulis, Aechmea lingulata, Neoregelia cruenta, and Vriesea neoglutinosa). We analyzed the complete and individual bromeliad species datasets using an information-theoretic model selection approach
(Akaike’s information criterion). Bromeliad species, maximum water volume, and bromeliad diameter comprised the best model
for determining chlorophyll-a concentrations for the complete dataset. The maximum water volume also comprised the best model
to explain chlorophyll-a concentrations in three of four bromeliad species datasets. Interactions between consumers and nutrient
concentration were included in the subsequent models, but they were not statistically significant. Taken together, these results
demonstrate that the impact of habitat size on the associated autotrophic biomass occurs possibly via changes in community
susceptibility to disturbances, particularly drought. We can conclude that habitat size is more important than resource availability
or herbivory on phytotelm autotrophic biomass regulation in these natural microcosms. |
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