Complexity related to behavior of stability in modeled coastal zone ecosystems
Keywords:
Stability, Mass-balanced model, Simulation, Complexity in ecosystem, ecopathAbstract
Based on four published mass-balanced ecosystem models from coastal zones, we studied the relationships of stability to some characteristics in ecosystems. Three attributes of stability, persistence, magnitude of changes in biomass and resilience, were analyzed using the ecopath and ecosim software. For each published model, five versions were obtained by randomly modifying connectance to change complexity. Simulation experiments were performed over 60 years and then stability attributes quantified. We found complexity was not closely related to stability. A high number of pools made the system less resilient, and a high connectance made them more resilient and more persistent. Our results suggest that ecosystems with generalist feeding species, without a preferred prey, have increased recovery time and more obvious disturbances. No clear effect was found when different trophic levels were disturbed in an ecosystem.
References
Arreguín-Sánchez, F., Valero-Pacheco, E. and Chávez, E.A. 1993. “A trophic box model of the coastal fish communities of the south-western Gulf of Mexico”. In Trophic Models of Aquatic Ecosystems, Edited by: Christensen, V. and Pauly, D. 197–197. Manila: ICLARM-DANIDA. In
Briand, F. 1983. Environmental control of food web structure. Ecology, 64(2): 253–263.
Christensen, V. 1995. Ecosystem maturity—towards quantification. Ecol. Model., 77: 3–32.
Christensen, V. and Pauly, D. 1996. Ecopath for Windows—A Users Guide, Manila: ICLARM.
De la Cruz-Agüero, G. 1993. “A preliminary model of Mandinga Lagoon, Veracruz, México”. In Trophic Models of Aquatic Ecosystems, Edited by: Christensen, V. and Pauly, D. 193–193. Manila: ICLARM-DANIDA. In
De Paula e Silva, R., Sousa, M.I. and Caramelo, A.M. 1993. “The Maputo Bay ecosystem (Mozambique)”. In Trophic Models of Aquatic Ecosystems, Edited by: Christensen, V. and Pauly, D. 214–214. Manila: ICLARM-DANIDA. In
Frank, D.A. and McNaughton, S.J. 1991. Stability increase with diversity in plant communities: empirical evidence from the 1988 Yellowstone drought. Oikos, 62: 360–362.
Gardner, M.R. and Ashby, W.R. 1970. Connectance of large dynamic (cybernetic) systems: critical values for stability. Nature, 228: 784–784.
Gilpin, M.E. 1975. Limit cycles in competition communities. Am. Nat., 109: 51–60.
Hunter, M.D. and Price, P.W. 1992. Playing chutes and ladders: heterogeneity and the roles of bottom-up and top-down forces in natural communities. Ecology, 73(3): 724–732.
King, A.W. and Pimm, S.L. 1983. Complexity, diversity and stability: a reconciliation of theoretical and empirical results. Am. Nat., 122: 229–239.
Mackinson, S., Venier, J., Kelson, J., Buckworth, R., Wada, Y. and Buchary, E.A. 1996. “Strait of Georgia model”. In 1. Mass-Balance Models of Northeastern Pacific Ecosystems, 4, Edited by: Pauly, D. and Christensen, V. 63–63. Canada: University of British Columbia. In
Margalef, R. 1980. “Diversidad, estabilidad y madurez en los sistemas naturales”. In Conceptos Unificadores en Ecología, Edited by: Van Dobben, W.H. and Lowe-MacConnell, R.H. 190–190. Barcelona: Editorial Blume. In
May, R.M. 1973. Stability and complexity in model ecosystems, USA: Princeton University Press. NJ
May, R.M. 1980. “Estabilidad en los ecosistemas: Algunos Comentarios”. In Conceptos Unificadores en Ecología, Edited by: Van Dobben, W.H. and Lowe-MacConnell, R.H. 203–203. Barcelona: Editorial Blume. In
McNaughton, S.J. 1985. Ecology of a Grazing Ecosystem: The Serengeti. Ecol. Monogr., 55: 259–294.
Odum, E.P. 1969. The strategy of ecosystem development. Science, 164: 262–270.
Paine, R.T. 1984. “Some approaches to modeling multispecies systems”. In Exploitation of Marine Communities, Edited by: May, R.M. 191–191. Berlin: Springer. In
Pauly, D., Soriano-Bartz, M.L. and Palomares, M.L.D. 1993. “Improved construction, parametrization and interpretation of steady-state ecosystem models”. In Trophic Models of Aquatic Ecosystems, Edited by: Christensen, V. and Pauly, D. 1–1. Manila: ICLARM-DANIDA. In
Pimm, S.L. 1991. The Balance of Nature?, Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
Seitz, A. 1994. “The concept of ecological stability applied to aquatic ecosystems”. In Freshwater Field Tests for Hazard Assessment of Chemicals, Edited by: Hill, I.R., Heimbach, F., Leeuwangh, P. and Mattiessen, P. 3–3. Florida: Lewis. In
Tilman, D. 1996. Biodiversity: population versus ecosystem stability. Ecology, 77(2): 350–363.
Tilman, D. and Downing, J.A. 1994. Biodiversity and stability in grasslands. Nature, 367: 363–365.
Ulanowicz, R.E. 1986. Growth and Development: Ecosystems Phenomenology, New York: Springer.
Vasconcellos, M.C., Mackinson, S., Sloman, K. and Pauly, D. 1997. The stability of trophic mass-balance models of marine ecosystems: a comparative analysis. Ecol. Model., 100: 125–134.
Walters, C., Christensen, V. and Pauly, D. 1997. Structuring dynamic models of exploited ecosystem from trophic mass-balance assessments. Rev. Fish Biol. Fish., 7: 139–172.
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Manuscripts must be original. They must not be published or be under consideration for publication elsewhere, in whole or in part. It is required that the lead author of accepted papers complete and sign the MSU Press AEHM Author Publishing Agreement and provide it to the publisher upon acceptance.
