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Rapid loss of glacial ice reveals stream community assembly processes.
Global Change Biol. 2012 Jul; 18(7):2195–204
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18 Jul 2012
Interesting Hypothesis, New Finding
DOI: 10.3410/f.717948401.793453452
The development of no-analogue communities as an expected consequence of ongoing climate change is a topic that has received increasing attention over the past few years. Far-northern and arctic ecosystems may be especially vulnerable to the development of novel communities because of rapid temperature...Continue reading
The development of no-analogue communities as an expected consequence of ongoing climate change is a topic that has received increasing attention over the past few years. Far-northern and arctic ecosystems may be especially vulnerable to the development of novel communities because of rapid temperature increases in such regions. Brown and Milner report the latest results of a long-term study of stream community dynamics in relation to glacial retreat on Wolf Point Creek in Glacier Bay, Alaska, initiated in 1978. Since then, glacial cover in the catchment at the study site has undergone a remarkable decline from 70% to zero. Over the same period, functional diversity and taxonomic richness of the macro-invertebrate stream community have both increased significantly. More interestingly, the authors associate these increases with a shift from environmental niche filtering of community composition by thermal and physical dispersal constraints imposed by glacial cover to a combination of stochastic and deterministic assembly processes as glacial cover diminished. This study thus provides exciting and important insights into both community assembly and potential mechanisms through which climate change may promote the development of no-analogue communities in glacial stream systems that are certain to undergo continued, rapid change with future warming.
Disclosures
None declared
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Post E: F1000Prime Recommendation of [Brown LE and Milner AM, Global Change Biol 2012, 18(7):2195–204]. In F1000Prime, 18 Jul 2012; DOI: 10.3410/f.717948401.793453452. F1000Prime.com/717948401#eval793453452
F1000Prime Recommendations, Dissents and Comments for [Brown LE and Milner AM, Global Change Biol 2012, 18(7):2195–204]. In F1000Prime, 24 May 2013; F1000Prime.com/717948401
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Comment by:
Colin Butler,
University of Canberra
18 Jul 2012, 10:32 PM
18 Jul 2012, 10:32 PM
Interesting choice of words in this evaluation "may be especially vulnerable" - normally I think of vulnerability as associated with an undesirable outcome. From the perspective of global health (and many others viewpoints) rapid glacial melting as described here is indeed undesirable. But from the perspective of life in the stream community (and life generally) it is neutral or even desirable.
"May be especially vulnerable" could have been written "may be especially likely" (to develop novel communities) or even "seem likely" (or "are predicted") to develop novel communities"
"May be especially vulnerable" could have been written "may be especially likely" (to develop novel communities) or even "seem likely" (or "are predicted") to develop novel communities"
Disclosures:
None declared.
