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Changes in global and regional precipitation regimes are among the most pervasive components of climate change. Intensification of rainfall cycles, ranging from frequent downpours to severe droughts, could cause widespread, but largely unknown, alterations to trophic structure and ecosystem function. We conducted multi-site coordinated experiments to show how variation in the quantity and evenness of rainfall modulates trophic structure in 210 natural freshwater microcosms (tank bromeliads) across Central and South America (18°N to 29°S). The biomass of smaller organisms (detritivores) was higher under more stable hydrological conditions. Conversely, the biomass of predators was highest when rainfall was uneven, resulting in top-heavy biomass pyramids. These results illustrate how extremes of precipitation, resulting in localized droughts or flooding, can erode the base of freshwater food webs, with negative implications for the stability of trophic dynamics.
Laboratory of Multitrophic Interactions and Biodiversity Department of Animal Biology Institute of Biology University of Campinas (UNICAMP)
Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ecologia Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ) CP 68020
Departamento de Ecologia Instituto de Biologia Centro de Ciências da Saúde Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro PO Box 68020
Centre for the Synthesis and Analysis of Biodiversity (CESAB-FRB)
Laboratoire Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Environnement Université de Toulouse CNRS
Department of Forest and Conservation Sciences University of British Columbia
Department of Biology University of Puerto Rico - Mayagüez Campus
AMAP Univ. Montpellier CIRAD CNRS INRAE IRD
UMR ECOFOG CIRAD CNRS INRAE AgroParisTech Université de Guyane Université des Antilles
Université Clermont-Auvergne CNRS LMGE (Laboratoire Microorganismes: Génome et Environnement)
Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias Instituto de Investigaciones en Ciencias Agrarias de Rosario IICAR-CONICET-UNR Universidad Nacional de Rosario S2125ZAA
ESE Ecology and Ecosystem Health INRAE Agrocampus Ouest
Department of Watershed Sciences and the Ecology Center Utah State University
Department of Zoology and Botany University of São Paulo State (UNESP/IBILCE). 15054 - 000
Departmento de Ciencias Biológicas Universidad de los Andes
Departmento de Ciencias Biológicas Universidad de Caldas
Department of Zoology & Biodiversity Research Centre University of British Columbia
Queen Mary University of London School of Biological and Chemical Sciences
School of Life Sciences University of Essex
Université de Montreal Montreal
Institute of Biological Sciences Universidade Federal do Pará
Department of Zoology and Botany University of São Paulo State (UNESP/IBILCE). 15054 - 000
