Climate drives the geography of marine consumption by changing predator communities

• DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2005255117
• Publication Date: 2020-10-27T00:43:17Z
• Authors: Matthew A. Whalen; Ross D. B. Whippo; John J. Stachowicz; Paul H. York; Erin Aiello; Teresa Alcoverro; Andrew H. Altieri; Lisandro Benedett...; Camilla Bertolini; Midoli Bresch; Fabio Bulleri; Paul E. Carnell; Stéphanie Cimon; Rod M. Connolly; Mathieu Cusson; Meredith S. Diskin; Elrika D’Souza; Augusto A. V. Flores; F. Joel Fodrie; Aaron W. E. Galloway; Leo C. Gaskins; Olivia J. Graham; Torrance C. Hanley; Christopher J. He...; Clara M. Hereu; Margot Hessing-Lewis; Kevin A. Hovel; Brent B. Hughes; A. Randall Hughes; Kristin M. Hultgren; Holger Jänes; Dean S. Janiak; Lane N. Johnston; Pablo Jorgensen; Brendan P. Kelaher; Claudia Kruschel; Brendan S. Lanham; Kun-Seop Lee; Jonathan S. Lefcheck; Enrique Lozano-Ál...; Peter I. Macreadie; Zachary L. Monteith; Nessa E. O’Connor; Andrew D. Olds; Jennifer K. O’Leary; Christopher J. Pa...; Oscar Pino; Alistair G. B. Poore; Michael A. Rasheed; Wendel W. Raymond; Katrin Reiss; O. Kennedy Rhoades; Max T. Robinson; Paige G. Ross; Francesca Rossi; Thomas A. Schlacher; Janina Seemann; Brian R. Silliman; Delbert L. Smee; Martin Thiel; Richard K. F. Uns...; Brigitta I. van T...; Adriana Vergés; Mallarie E. Yeager; Bree K. Yednock; Shelby L. Ziegler; J. Emmett Duffy
• Keywords: Marine ecosystem; Consumption

The global distribution of primary production and consumption by humans (fisheries) is well-documented, but we have no map linking the central ecological process within food webs to temperature other drivers. Using standardized assays that span 105° latitude on four continents, show rates bait generalist predators in shallow marine ecosystems are tightly linked both composition consumer assemblages. Unexpectedly, peaked at midlatitudes (25 35°) Northern Southern Hemispheres across seagrass unvegetated sediment habitats. This pattern contrasts with terrestrial systems, where biotic interactions reportedly weaken away from equator, it parallels an emerging a subtropical peak biodiversity. higher was closely related type consumers present, which explained better than density, biomass, species diversity, or habitat. Indeed, apparent effect mostly driven temperature-associated turnover community composition. Our findings reinforce key influence climate warming altered highlight its implications for functioning Earth's ecosystems.