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

• Tipo: Artigo em Revista Científica Internacional
• Data: 2016

Autores

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

Revista

Título: Scientific Reports

Vol. 6

ISSN: 2045-2322

Editora: Springer Nature

Indexação

ISI Web of Knowledge - 64 Citações

Scopus - 65 Citações

Outras Informações

ID Authenticus: 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.

Idioma: Inglês

Tipo (Avaliação Docente): Científica

Nº de páginas: 9