(Press-News.org) Contact information: Joanne Fryer
joanne.fryer@bristol.ac.uk
44-011-733-17276
University of Bristol
Creatures of influence
New model identifies critical species in food webs and social networks
In the children's game "Jenga", removing the wrong block from a tower of wooden blocks can cause the entire tower to collapse. In the same way, removing certain species from an ecosystem can cause a collapse in ecological function. A common scientific question has been to identify these critical species in different ecosystems and an international research team has developed mathematical tools that can estimate which species are most influential in a food web.
The researchers from the University of Bristol, the Max Planck Institute for Physics of Complex Systems and the US Geological Survey have taken a new modeling approach to the question. The team, using the new mathematical tools, found that long-lived, generalist top predators — such as otters— play the most influential roles within a food web. The findings are published today [Wednesday 6 November] in Proceedings of the Royal Society B.
Helge Aufderheide of the Max Planck Institute and University of Bristol, who led the research, said: "The interactions in an ecosystem are so complex that one can often only guess about the roles that each species plays. Therefore, knowing how to find the key players makes all the difference for understanding where to focus studies."
Long-lived, generalist top predators can highly influence ecosystems because they feed on different types of prey that occupy different parts of the food web. For example, otters feed on a wide variety of aquatic prey and can influence multiple species throughout the course of their relatively long lifespan. Removing otters from the ecosystem would cause long-term disruptions to all those species, a theory that the new models can now confirm for other species and ecosystems.
Understanding how the gain or loss of a single species affects a complex food web has been a difficult mathematical challenge, and the new findings provide fundamental insights into complex natural systems. The new study offers a rule of thumb to help other studies focus their research and data collection on species in order of their expected importance, and increase the efficiency of their research effort.
Kevin Lafferty, an author of the paper from USGS, said: "As a biologist who studies food webs, I'm hopeful that we can use this approach to help focus our field work."
The new approach has non-ecological applications as well. Even though the research team applied the computational tools on food webs, their approach also can be applied to other types of complex systems —from electricity grids to online social networks — to identify influential components.
###
Paper: Predicting community responses in the face of imperfect knowledge and network complexity by Helge Aufderheide (1,2), Lars Rudolf (2), Thilo Gross (2), and Kevin D. Lafferty (3), Proceedings of the Royal Society B, 6 November 2013.
Creatures of influence
New model identifies critical species in food webs and social networks
2013-11-06
ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:
Experts recommend universal diabetes testing for pregnant women at first prenatal visit
2013-11-06
Experts recommend universal diabetes testing for pregnant women at first prenatal visit
Endocrine Society publishes Clinical Practice Guideline on diabetes and pregnancy
Chevy Chase, MD—The Endocrine Society today issued a Clinical Practice Guideline (CPG) ...
Study links intestinal bacteria to rheumatoid arthritis
2013-11-06
Study links intestinal bacteria to rheumatoid arthritis
Findings suggest bacterial disturbances in the gut may play a role in autoimmune attacks on the joints, point the way to novel treatments and diagnostics
Researchers ...
Exercise program in senior centers helps reduce pain and improve mobility of participants
2013-11-06
Exercise program in senior centers helps reduce pain and improve mobility of participants
Hospital for Special Surgery study shows program helps reduce arthritis pain for Asian seniors
Experts say it's never too late to reap the benefits of exercise, and a program ...
Staying alive in the high and dry
2013-11-06
Staying alive in the high and dry
How plants in arid lands gain nutrients to survive
WOODS HOLE, MA—The vast sagebrush landscapes of the western United States are one of the largest ecosystems in North America. Long, cold winters and hot, dry summers characterize ...
November story tips from Oak Ridge National Laboratory
2013-11-06
November story tips from Oak Ridge National Laboratory
ENGINES – Miniature maximization . . .
Improving efficiency and performance of tiny engines like those used in remote-controlled planes is the focus of a report that may thrust the technology into this ...
Temple researchers uncover clues to how existing heart drugs work
2013-11-06
Temple researchers uncover clues to how existing heart drugs work
Discovery raises prospects for new therapies
(Philadelphia, PA) – Some of the most commonly prescribed drugs for the treatment of heart failure are beta-blockers and nitrates, which ...
Researchers find black hole in globular cluster
2013-11-06
Researchers find black hole in globular cluster
Last year when researchers discovered two black holes in a globular cluster, they weren't sure if their presence was a common occurrence or a unique stroke of luck
Last year when a team of astronomers led by a Michigan ...
Breakthrough by Temple researchers could lead to new treatment for heart attack
2013-11-06
Breakthrough by Temple researchers could lead to new treatment for heart attack
(Philadelphia, PA) – The stop and start of blood flow to the heart during and after a heart attack causes severe damage to heart cells, reducing their capacity to function ...
Calculating the risk: Child sexual assault
2013-11-06
Calculating the risk: Child sexual assault
Affluent girls residing in two-parent homes are much less likely to be sexually assaulted than other female youth, according to a new study from the University of Iowa. The research revealed that when family income reaches 400 ...
Effects of chronic stress can be traced to your genes
2013-11-06
Effects of chronic stress can be traced to your genes
Researchers find similar stress response characteristics in mice and humans
COLUMBUS, Ohio – New research shows that chronic stress changes gene activity in immune cells before they reach the bloodstream. With ...
LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:
Salk scientist Joseph Ecker awarded McClintock Prize for Plant Genetics and Genome Studies
ADHD: Women are diagnosed five years later than men, despite symptoms appearing at the same age.
Power plants may emit more pollution during government shutdowns
Increasing pressures for conformity de-skilling and demotivating teachers, study warns
Researchers develop smarter menstrual product with potential for wearable health monitoring
Microwaves for energy-efficient chemical reactions
MXene current collectors could reduce size, improve recyclability of Li-ion batteries
Living near toxic sites linked to aggressive breast cancer
New discovery could open door to male birth control
Wirth elected Fellow of American Physical Society
The Journal of Nuclear Medicine Ahead-of-Print Tip Sheet: October 10, 2025
Destined to melt
Attitudes, not income, drive energy savings at home
The playbook for perfect polaritons
‘Disease in a dish’ study of progressive MS finds critical role for unusual type of brain cell
Solar-powered method lights the way to a ‘de-fossilized’ chemical industry
Screen time linked to lower academic achievement among Ontario elementary students
One-year outcomes after traumatic brain injury and early extracranial surgery in the TRACK-TBI Study
Enduring outcomes of COVID-19 work absences on the US labor market
Affirmative action repeal and racial and ethnic diversity in us medical school admissions
Cancer progression illuminated by new multi-omics tool
Screen time and standardized academic achievement tests in elementary school
GLP-1RA order fills and out-of-pocket costs by race, ethnicity, and indication
Study finds HEPA purifiers alone may not be enough to reduce viral exposure in schools
UVA Health developing way to ID people at risk of dangerous lung scarring even before symptoms appear
How can we know when curing cancer causes myocarditis?
Male infertility in Indian men linked to lifestyle choices and hormonal imbalances
An acoustofluidic device for sample preparation and detection of small extracellular vesicles
The advent of nanotechnology has ushered in a transformative era for oncology, offering unprecedented capabilities for targeted drug delivery and controlled release. This paradigm shift enhances thera
A prototype LED as thin as wallpaper — that glows like the sun
[Press-News.org] Creatures of influenceNew model identifies critical species in food webs and social networks