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Dryad

Data from: Stoichiometric constraints modulate the effects of temperature and nutrients on biomass distribution and community stability

Cite this dataset

Sentis, Arnaud; Haegeman, Bart; Montoya, Jose (2020). Data from: Stoichiometric constraints modulate the effects of temperature and nutrients on biomass distribution and community stability [Dataset]. Dryad. https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.msbcc2fv2

Abstract

Temperature and nutrients are two of the most important drivers of global change. Both can modify the elemental composition (i.e. stoichiometry) of primary producers and consumers. Yet their combined effect on the stoichiometry, dynamics, and stability of ecological communities remains largely unexplored. To fill this gap, we extended the Rosenzweig-MacArthur consumer-resource model by including thermal dependencies, nutrient dynamics, and stoichiometric constraints on both the primary producer and the consumer. We found that stoichiometric constraints dampen the paradox of enrichment and increased persistence at high nutrient levels. Nevertheless, they also reduced consumer persistence at extreme temperatures. Finally, we also found that stoichiometric constraints can strongly influence biomass distribution across trophic levels by modulating consumer assimilation efficiency and resource growth rates along the environmental gradients. In the Rosenzweig-MacArthur model, consumer biomass exceeded resource biomass for most parameter values whereas, in the stoichiometric model, consumer biomass was strongly reduced and sometimes lower than resource biomass. Our findings highlight the importance of accounting for stoichiometric constraints as they can mediate the temperature and nutrient impact on the dynamics and functioning of ecological communities.

Usage notes

Directions for running code in R

1. Place all R codes in your working directory
2. run the R code "generate starting values" to produce the starting values for the simulations
3. run the R code "Models" for the simulations with the RM and SRM models
4. Plot the results using the R code "Models".

For more information see Sentis, A., B. Haegeman and J. M. Montoya. "Stoichiometric constraints modulate the effects of temperature and nutrients on biomass distribution and community stability." on Biorxiv.