Biotic interactions and community dynamics in the semiarid thorn scrub of Bosque Fray Jorge National Park, north-central Chile: A paradigm revisited

Autores
Meserve, Peter L.; Kelt, Douglas A.; Gutiérrez, Julio R.; Previtali, Maria Andrea; Milstead, W. Bryan
Año de publicación
2015
Idioma
inglés
Tipo de recurso
artículo
Estado
versión publicada
Descripción
In 1989, we initiated a long-term field experiment in a semiarid thorn scrub community in north-central Chile. We posited that biotic interactions, particularly predation, interspecific competition, and herbivory assumed a primary top-down role in affecting small mammals and annual plants here. Using a multi-factorial design we selectively excluded vertebrate predators (principally carnivores and raptors) and a large small mammal herbivore, the degu (Octodon degus), from replicated 0.56 ha exclosures located in a valley near the coast in Bosque Fray Jorge National Park. Evidence initially supported effects of predator exclusion on O. degus but not for other small mammals in the assemblage (e.g., Phyllotis darwini, Abrothrix olivaceus). Subsequent years of monitoring have documented that predation has temporary effects on degu numbers, but that populations of this and other small mammals are much more strongly influenced by environmental bottom-up factors (i.e., rainfall). Further, our experimental manipulation has provided no evidence for negative interspecific competition effects on numbers of any small mammal in this assemblage. Degu exclusions, however, have had negative indirect effects on exotic annuals; native annuals appear to outcompete exotics especially during drought years The effect is magnified in all-small mammal exclusions. Since about 2002, selective exclusions of lagomorphs and small mammals have resulted in changes in cover of some perennial shrubs. Also notable has been a fundamental shift in the small mammal composition following the last major El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) event in 2000?2002; degus now comprise a majority of small mammal biomass in the assemblage, and their numbers have become more stable and less temporally variable. This appears to have been caused by a shift in rainfall periodicity from strong interannual fluctuations in response to periodic ENSOs, to a more equitable pattern with more consistent annual rainfall. This represents one of the first documented cases of system-wide biotic phase shifts to a relatively modest change in rainfall regime. This may be indicative of ongoing climate change in the Chilean semiarid region, and we expect that further changes in the community will occur if those trends continue.
Fil: Meserve, Peter L.. University of Illinois; Estados Unidos
Fil: Kelt, Douglas A.. University of California; Estados Unidos
Fil: Gutiérrez, Julio R.. Universidad de La Serena; Chile
Fil: Previtali, Maria Andrea. Universidad Nacional del Litoral. Facultad de Humanidades y Ciencias. Departamento de Ciencias Naturales; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Santa Fe; Argentina
Fil: Milstead, W. Bryan. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency; Estados Unidos
Materia
Long Term Studies
Populations
Community Ecology
Small Mammals
Nivel de accesibilidad
acceso abierto
Condiciones de uso
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.5/ar/
Repositorio
CONICET Digital (CONICET)
Institución
Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas
OAI Identificador
oai:ri.conicet.gov.ar:11336/46342

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spelling Biotic interactions and community dynamics in the semiarid thorn scrub of Bosque Fray Jorge National Park, north-central Chile: A paradigm revisitedMeserve, Peter L.Kelt, Douglas A.Gutiérrez, Julio R.Previtali, Maria AndreaMilstead, W. BryanLong Term StudiesPopulationsCommunity EcologySmall Mammalshttps://purl.org/becyt/ford/1.6https://purl.org/becyt/ford/1In 1989, we initiated a long-term field experiment in a semiarid thorn scrub community in north-central Chile. We posited that biotic interactions, particularly predation, interspecific competition, and herbivory assumed a primary top-down role in affecting small mammals and annual plants here. Using a multi-factorial design we selectively excluded vertebrate predators (principally carnivores and raptors) and a large small mammal herbivore, the degu (Octodon degus), from replicated 0.56 ha exclosures located in a valley near the coast in Bosque Fray Jorge National Park. Evidence initially supported effects of predator exclusion on O. degus but not for other small mammals in the assemblage (e.g., Phyllotis darwini, Abrothrix olivaceus). Subsequent years of monitoring have documented that predation has temporary effects on degu numbers, but that populations of this and other small mammals are much more strongly influenced by environmental bottom-up factors (i.e., rainfall). Further, our experimental manipulation has provided no evidence for negative interspecific competition effects on numbers of any small mammal in this assemblage. Degu exclusions, however, have had negative indirect effects on exotic annuals; native annuals appear to outcompete exotics especially during drought years The effect is magnified in all-small mammal exclusions. Since about 2002, selective exclusions of lagomorphs and small mammals have resulted in changes in cover of some perennial shrubs. Also notable has been a fundamental shift in the small mammal composition following the last major El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) event in 2000?2002; degus now comprise a majority of small mammal biomass in the assemblage, and their numbers have become more stable and less temporally variable. This appears to have been caused by a shift in rainfall periodicity from strong interannual fluctuations in response to periodic ENSOs, to a more equitable pattern with more consistent annual rainfall. This represents one of the first documented cases of system-wide biotic phase shifts to a relatively modest change in rainfall regime. This may be indicative of ongoing climate change in the Chilean semiarid region, and we expect that further changes in the community will occur if those trends continue.Fil: Meserve, Peter L.. University of Illinois; Estados UnidosFil: Kelt, Douglas A.. University of California; Estados UnidosFil: Gutiérrez, Julio R.. Universidad de La Serena; ChileFil: Previtali, Maria Andrea. Universidad Nacional del Litoral. Facultad de Humanidades y Ciencias. Departamento de Ciencias Naturales; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Santa Fe; ArgentinaFil: Milstead, W. Bryan. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency; Estados UnidosAcademic Press Ltd - Elsevier Science Ltd2015-09info:eu-repo/semantics/articleinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersionhttp://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_6501info:ar-repo/semantics/articuloapplication/pdfapplication/pdfhttp://hdl.handle.net/11336/46342Meserve, Peter L.; Kelt, Douglas A.; Gutiérrez, Julio R.; Previtali, Maria Andrea; Milstead, W. Bryan; Biotic interactions and community dynamics in the semiarid thorn scrub of Bosque Fray Jorge National Park, north-central Chile: A paradigm revisited; Academic Press Ltd - Elsevier Science Ltd; Journal of Arid Environments; 126; 9-2015; 81-880140-1963CONICET DigitalCONICETenginfo:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/doi/10.1016/j.jaridenv.2015.08.016info:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/url/https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0140196315300409info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccesshttps://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.5/ar/reponame:CONICET Digital (CONICET)instname:Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas2025-09-29T09:33:44Zoai:ri.conicet.gov.ar:11336/46342instacron:CONICETInstitucionalhttp://ri.conicet.gov.ar/Organismo científico-tecnológicoNo correspondehttp://ri.conicet.gov.ar/oai/requestdasensio@conicet.gov.ar; lcarlino@conicet.gov.arArgentinaNo correspondeNo correspondeNo correspondeopendoar:34982025-09-29 09:33:44.384CONICET Digital (CONICET) - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicasfalse
dc.title.none.fl_str_mv Biotic interactions and community dynamics in the semiarid thorn scrub of Bosque Fray Jorge National Park, north-central Chile: A paradigm revisited
title Biotic interactions and community dynamics in the semiarid thorn scrub of Bosque Fray Jorge National Park, north-central Chile: A paradigm revisited
spellingShingle Biotic interactions and community dynamics in the semiarid thorn scrub of Bosque Fray Jorge National Park, north-central Chile: A paradigm revisited
Meserve, Peter L.
Long Term Studies
Populations
Community Ecology
Small Mammals
title_short Biotic interactions and community dynamics in the semiarid thorn scrub of Bosque Fray Jorge National Park, north-central Chile: A paradigm revisited
title_full Biotic interactions and community dynamics in the semiarid thorn scrub of Bosque Fray Jorge National Park, north-central Chile: A paradigm revisited
title_fullStr Biotic interactions and community dynamics in the semiarid thorn scrub of Bosque Fray Jorge National Park, north-central Chile: A paradigm revisited
title_full_unstemmed Biotic interactions and community dynamics in the semiarid thorn scrub of Bosque Fray Jorge National Park, north-central Chile: A paradigm revisited
title_sort Biotic interactions and community dynamics in the semiarid thorn scrub of Bosque Fray Jorge National Park, north-central Chile: A paradigm revisited
dc.creator.none.fl_str_mv Meserve, Peter L.
Kelt, Douglas A.
Gutiérrez, Julio R.
Previtali, Maria Andrea
Milstead, W. Bryan
author Meserve, Peter L.
author_facet Meserve, Peter L.
Kelt, Douglas A.
Gutiérrez, Julio R.
Previtali, Maria Andrea
Milstead, W. Bryan
author_role author
author2 Kelt, Douglas A.
Gutiérrez, Julio R.
Previtali, Maria Andrea
Milstead, W. Bryan
author2_role author
author
author
author
dc.subject.none.fl_str_mv Long Term Studies
Populations
Community Ecology
Small Mammals
topic Long Term Studies
Populations
Community Ecology
Small Mammals
purl_subject.fl_str_mv https://purl.org/becyt/ford/1.6
https://purl.org/becyt/ford/1
dc.description.none.fl_txt_mv In 1989, we initiated a long-term field experiment in a semiarid thorn scrub community in north-central Chile. We posited that biotic interactions, particularly predation, interspecific competition, and herbivory assumed a primary top-down role in affecting small mammals and annual plants here. Using a multi-factorial design we selectively excluded vertebrate predators (principally carnivores and raptors) and a large small mammal herbivore, the degu (Octodon degus), from replicated 0.56 ha exclosures located in a valley near the coast in Bosque Fray Jorge National Park. Evidence initially supported effects of predator exclusion on O. degus but not for other small mammals in the assemblage (e.g., Phyllotis darwini, Abrothrix olivaceus). Subsequent years of monitoring have documented that predation has temporary effects on degu numbers, but that populations of this and other small mammals are much more strongly influenced by environmental bottom-up factors (i.e., rainfall). Further, our experimental manipulation has provided no evidence for negative interspecific competition effects on numbers of any small mammal in this assemblage. Degu exclusions, however, have had negative indirect effects on exotic annuals; native annuals appear to outcompete exotics especially during drought years The effect is magnified in all-small mammal exclusions. Since about 2002, selective exclusions of lagomorphs and small mammals have resulted in changes in cover of some perennial shrubs. Also notable has been a fundamental shift in the small mammal composition following the last major El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) event in 2000?2002; degus now comprise a majority of small mammal biomass in the assemblage, and their numbers have become more stable and less temporally variable. This appears to have been caused by a shift in rainfall periodicity from strong interannual fluctuations in response to periodic ENSOs, to a more equitable pattern with more consistent annual rainfall. This represents one of the first documented cases of system-wide biotic phase shifts to a relatively modest change in rainfall regime. This may be indicative of ongoing climate change in the Chilean semiarid region, and we expect that further changes in the community will occur if those trends continue.
Fil: Meserve, Peter L.. University of Illinois; Estados Unidos
Fil: Kelt, Douglas A.. University of California; Estados Unidos
Fil: Gutiérrez, Julio R.. Universidad de La Serena; Chile
Fil: Previtali, Maria Andrea. Universidad Nacional del Litoral. Facultad de Humanidades y Ciencias. Departamento de Ciencias Naturales; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Santa Fe; Argentina
Fil: Milstead, W. Bryan. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency; Estados Unidos
description In 1989, we initiated a long-term field experiment in a semiarid thorn scrub community in north-central Chile. We posited that biotic interactions, particularly predation, interspecific competition, and herbivory assumed a primary top-down role in affecting small mammals and annual plants here. Using a multi-factorial design we selectively excluded vertebrate predators (principally carnivores and raptors) and a large small mammal herbivore, the degu (Octodon degus), from replicated 0.56 ha exclosures located in a valley near the coast in Bosque Fray Jorge National Park. Evidence initially supported effects of predator exclusion on O. degus but not for other small mammals in the assemblage (e.g., Phyllotis darwini, Abrothrix olivaceus). Subsequent years of monitoring have documented that predation has temporary effects on degu numbers, but that populations of this and other small mammals are much more strongly influenced by environmental bottom-up factors (i.e., rainfall). Further, our experimental manipulation has provided no evidence for negative interspecific competition effects on numbers of any small mammal in this assemblage. Degu exclusions, however, have had negative indirect effects on exotic annuals; native annuals appear to outcompete exotics especially during drought years The effect is magnified in all-small mammal exclusions. Since about 2002, selective exclusions of lagomorphs and small mammals have resulted in changes in cover of some perennial shrubs. Also notable has been a fundamental shift in the small mammal composition following the last major El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) event in 2000?2002; degus now comprise a majority of small mammal biomass in the assemblage, and their numbers have become more stable and less temporally variable. This appears to have been caused by a shift in rainfall periodicity from strong interannual fluctuations in response to periodic ENSOs, to a more equitable pattern with more consistent annual rainfall. This represents one of the first documented cases of system-wide biotic phase shifts to a relatively modest change in rainfall regime. This may be indicative of ongoing climate change in the Chilean semiarid region, and we expect that further changes in the community will occur if those trends continue.
publishDate 2015
dc.date.none.fl_str_mv 2015-09
dc.type.none.fl_str_mv info:eu-repo/semantics/article
info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion
http://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_6501
info:ar-repo/semantics/articulo
format article
status_str publishedVersion
dc.identifier.none.fl_str_mv http://hdl.handle.net/11336/46342
Meserve, Peter L.; Kelt, Douglas A.; Gutiérrez, Julio R.; Previtali, Maria Andrea; Milstead, W. Bryan; Biotic interactions and community dynamics in the semiarid thorn scrub of Bosque Fray Jorge National Park, north-central Chile: A paradigm revisited; Academic Press Ltd - Elsevier Science Ltd; Journal of Arid Environments; 126; 9-2015; 81-88
0140-1963
CONICET Digital
CONICET
url http://hdl.handle.net/11336/46342
identifier_str_mv Meserve, Peter L.; Kelt, Douglas A.; Gutiérrez, Julio R.; Previtali, Maria Andrea; Milstead, W. Bryan; Biotic interactions and community dynamics in the semiarid thorn scrub of Bosque Fray Jorge National Park, north-central Chile: A paradigm revisited; Academic Press Ltd - Elsevier Science Ltd; Journal of Arid Environments; 126; 9-2015; 81-88
0140-1963
CONICET Digital
CONICET
dc.language.none.fl_str_mv eng
language eng
dc.relation.none.fl_str_mv info:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/doi/10.1016/j.jaridenv.2015.08.016
info:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/url/https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0140196315300409
dc.rights.none.fl_str_mv info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.5/ar/
eu_rights_str_mv openAccess
rights_invalid_str_mv https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.5/ar/
dc.format.none.fl_str_mv application/pdf
application/pdf
dc.publisher.none.fl_str_mv Academic Press Ltd - Elsevier Science Ltd
publisher.none.fl_str_mv Academic Press Ltd - Elsevier Science Ltd
dc.source.none.fl_str_mv reponame:CONICET Digital (CONICET)
instname:Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas
reponame_str CONICET Digital (CONICET)
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instname_str Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas
repository.name.fl_str_mv CONICET Digital (CONICET) - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas
repository.mail.fl_str_mv dasensio@conicet.gov.ar; lcarlino@conicet.gov.ar
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