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Spatial resolution and location impact group structure in a marine food web
  • Mikael Ohlsson,
  • Anna Eklöf
Mikael Ohlsson
Linköping University

Corresponding Author:[email protected]

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Anna Eklöf
Linköping University
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Abstract

Ecological processes in food webs depend on species interactions. By identifying broad-scaled interaction patterns, important information on species ecological roles may be revealed. Here, we use the group model to examine how spatial resolution and proximity influence the group structure. We examine a dataset from the Barents Sea, with species occurrences for both the whole region and 25 subregions. Specifically, we test how the group structure in the networks differ comparing i) the regional metaweb to subregions and ii) subregion to subregion. We find that more than half the species in the metaweb change groups when compared to subregions. Between subregions, networks with similar group structure are usually spatially related. Interestingly, although species overlap is important for similarity in group structure, there are notable exceptions. Our results highlight that species ecological roles differ depending on fine-scaled differences in patterns of interactions, and that local network characteristics are important to consider.
21 Nov 2019Submitted to Ecology Letters
26 Nov 2019Submission Checks Completed
26 Nov 2019Assigned to Editor
26 Nov 2019Reviewer(s) Assigned
17 Dec 2019Review(s) Completed, Editorial Evaluation Pending
27 Dec 2019Editorial Decision: Revise Major
20 Mar 20201st Revision Received
23 Mar 2020Assigned to Editor
23 Mar 2020Submission Checks Completed
25 Mar 2020Reviewer(s) Assigned
17 Apr 2020Review(s) Completed, Editorial Evaluation Pending
27 Apr 2020Editorial Decision: Revise Minor
08 May 20202nd Revision Received
11 May 2020Assigned to Editor
11 May 2020Submission Checks Completed
20 May 2020Review(s) Completed, Editorial Evaluation Pending
20 May 2020Editorial Decision: Accept