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Elemental and biochemical nutrient limitation of zooplankton: a meta-analysis
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  • Patrick Thomas,
  • Charlotte Kunze,
  • Dedmer Van de Waal,
  • Helmut Hillebrand,
  • Maren Striebel
Patrick Thomas
University of Oldenburg

Corresponding Author:[email protected]

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Charlotte Kunze
University of Oldenburg
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Dedmer Van de Waal
Netherlands Institute of Ecology
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Helmut Hillebrand
University of Oldenburg
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Maren Striebel
University of Oldenburg
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Abstract

Primary consumers in aquatic ecosystems are frequently limited by the quality of their food, often expressed as phytoplankton elemental and biochemical composition. Effects of these food quality indicators vary across studies, and the relative importance of elemental (nitrogen and phosphorus) versus biochemical (fatty acid and sterol) limitation in aquatic food webs has been debated. Here we present results of a meta-analysis using >100 experimental studies, which confirms that limitation by N, P, essential fatty acids, and sterols all have significant negative effects on zooplankton performance. However, effects varied by grazer response (growth versus reproduction), specific manipulation, and across taxa. P limitation had greater effects on zooplankton growth than fatty acids, but P and fatty acid limitation had equal effects on reproduction. Furthermore, we show that nutrient co-limitation in zooplankton occurs, that indirect effects induced by P limitation exceed direct effects of mineral P limitation, that effects of nutrient amendments using laboratory phytoplankton isolates exceed those using natural field communities, and that algal physiology mediates zooplankton responses to nutrient limitation. Our meta-analysis reconciles contrasting views about the role of various food quality indicators, and their interactions, for zooplankton performance, and provides a mechanistic understanding of how environmental change affects trophic transfer.
28 Feb 2022Submitted to Ecology Letters
01 Mar 2022Submission Checks Completed
01 Mar 2022Assigned to Editor
04 Mar 2022Reviewer(s) Assigned
10 Apr 2022Review(s) Completed, Editorial Evaluation Pending
11 Apr 2022Editorial Decision: Revise Major
10 Jun 20221st Revision Received
13 Jun 2022Submission Checks Completed
13 Jun 2022Assigned to Editor
13 Jun 2022Reviewer(s) Assigned
09 Jul 2022Review(s) Completed, Editorial Evaluation Pending
11 Jul 2022Editorial Decision: Revise Major
09 Sep 20222nd Revision Received
12 Sep 2022Submission Checks Completed
12 Sep 2022Assigned to Editor
14 Sep 2022Review(s) Completed, Editorial Evaluation Pending
14 Sep 2022Editorial Decision: Accept
Dec 2022Published in Ecology Letters volume 25 issue 12 on pages 2776-2792. 10.1111/ele.14125