Disease-mediated bottom-up regulation: An emergent virus affects a keystone prey, and alters the dynamics of trophic webs

• Type: Article in International Scientific Journal
• Date: 2016

Authors

Monterroso, P (Author) Other; Garrote, G (Author) Other; Serronha, A (Author) Other; Santos, E (Author) Other; Delibes Mateos, M (Author) Other; Abrantes, J (Author) Other; Perez de Ayala, RP (Author) Other; Silvestre, F (Author) Other; Carvalho, J (Author) Other; Vasco, I (Author) Other; Lopes, AM (Author) Other; Maio, E (Author) Other; Magalhaes, MJ (Author) Other; Mills, LS (Author) Other; Esteves, PJ (Author) FCUP; Angel Simon, MA (Author) Other; Alves, PC (Author) FCUP

Journal

Title: Scientific Reports

Vol. 6

ISSN: 2045-2322

Publisher: Springer Nature

Indexing

ISI Web of Knowledge - 64 Citations

Scopus - 65 Citations

Other information

Authenticus ID: P-00M-620

DOI: 10.1038/srep36072

Abstract (EN): Emergent diseases may alter the structure and functioning of ecosystems by creating new biotic interactions and modifying existing ones, producing cascading processes along trophic webs. Recently, a new variant of the rabbit haemorrhagic disease virus (RHDV2 or RHDVb) arguably caused widespread declines in a keystone prey in Mediterranean ecosystems - the European rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus). We quantitatively assess the impact of RHDV2 on natural rabbit populations and in two endangered apex predator populations: the Iberian lynx (Lynx pardinus) and the Spanish Imperial eagle (Aquila adalberti). We found 60-70% declines in rabbit populations, followed by decreases of 65.7% in Iberian lynx and 45.5% in Spanish Imperial eagle fecundities. A revision of the web of trophic interactions among rabbits and their dependent predators suggests that RHDV2 acts as a keystone species, and may steer Mediterranean ecosystems to management-dependent alternative states, dominated by simplified mesopredator communities. This model system stresses the importance of diseases as functional players in the dynamics of trophic webs.

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific

No. of pages: 9