Extreme rainfall events and their effects on the community structure and ecosystem functioning

• Grant number: 17/26243-8
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• Start date: September 01, 2018
• End date: January 31, 2023
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Ecology - Theoretical Ecology
• Principal Investigator: Gustavo Quevedo Romero
• Grantee: Pablo Augusto Poleto Antiqueira
• Host Institution: Instituto de Biologia (IB). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Campinas , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 19/08474-8 - Freshwater ecosystems under climate change: impacts across multiple levels of organisation, AP.PFPMCG.TEM

Abstract

High species extinction rates and climate change are among the major anthropogenic consequences threatening and modifying ecosystems. Although an increase in extreme precipitation events and variations are expected for the next decades, we still need empirical evidence addressing the consequences of these effects on the biodiversity and ecosystem functioning. A major limitation of conducting empirical studies is the difficulty in performing manipulative field experiments, exposed to natural conditions, and addressing ecological issues in a realistic and robust way, besides replicating capacity. In this study we will use tank bromeliads as a model system to investigate the effects of changes in rainfall regimes (mean daily intensity and dispersion of rainfall around this mean), predicted by several current climate models, in two distinct Restinga environments that vary in terms of biotic and abiotic characteristics. This study will address three current issues with important and complementary ecological approaches. First, we will investigate how changes in rainfall patterns influence the community trophic structure, e.g., predator-prey and detritus-resource ratios. Second, we will examine how changes in precipitation affect the alpha and beta diversity of macro and microorganisms (microfauna, algae and bacteria) and whether this impact differs between different biological groups in distinct environments. Finally, we will investigate how changes in rainfall patterns alter ecosystem functioning in different environments, mediated by the diversity, abundance and biomass of macro and microorganisms. Combined, our results will generate a broad predictive framework, supported by empirical data, of how climate change, predicted for the next decades, directly and indirectly affect biodiversity, ecosystem functioning, and interaction between their components.

Scientific publications

(11)

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

ROMERO, GUSTAVO Q.; MARINO, NICHOLAS A. C.; MACDONALD, A. ANDREW M.; CEREGHINO, REGIS; TRZCINSKI, M. KURTIS; MERCADO, DIMARIS ACOSTA; LEROY, CELINE; CORBARA, BRUNO; FARJALLA, VINICIUS F.; BARBERIS, IGNACIO M.; et al. Extreme rainfall events alter the trophic structure in bromeliad tanks across the Neotropics. NATURE COMMUNICATIONS, v. 11, n. 1, JUN 25 2020. (16/01209-9, 14/04603-4, 17/26243-8, 12/51143-3, 17/09052-4)

BELCHIOR, MATHEUS M.; CAMAROTA, FLAVIO; ANTIQUEIRA, PABLO A. P.; NEVES, FREDERICO S.. A neotropical mistletoe influences herbivory of its host plant by driving changes in the associated insect community. NATURWISSENSCHAFTEN, v. 109, n. 3, p. 10-pg., 2022-06-01. (17/26243-8)

REZENDE, FELIPE; ANTIQUEIRA, PABLO A. P.; PETCHEY, OWEN L.; VELHO, LUIZ FELIPE M.; RODRIGUES, LUZIA C.; ROMERO, GUSTAVO Q.. Trophic downgrading decreases species asynchrony and community stability regardless of climate warming. ECOLOGY LETTERS, v. 24, n. 12, SEP 2021. (14/04603-4, 19/08474-8, 17/26243-8, 18/12225-0)

NASH, LIAM N.; ANTIQUEIRA, PABLO A. P.; ROMERO, GUSTAVO Q.; DE OMENA, PAULA M.; KRATINA, PAVEL. Warming of aquatic ecosystems disrupts aquatic-terrestrial linkages in the tropics. Journal of Animal Ecology, v. 90, n. 7, p. 1623-1634, JUL 2021. (17/26243-8, 17/09052-4, 19/08474-8, 14/04603-4)

MOI, DIEISON ANDRE; ALVES, DIEGO CORREA; ANTIQUEIRA, PABLO AUGUSTO POLETO; THOMAZ, SIDINEI MAGELA; TEIXEIRA DE MELLO, FRANCO; BONECKER, CLAUDIA COSTA; RODRIGUES, LUZIA CLEIDE; GARCIA-RIOS, RAUL; MORMUL, ROGER PAULO. Ecosystem Shift from Submerged to Floating Plants Simplifying the Food Web in a Tropical Shallow Lake. ECOSYSTEMS, v. 24, n. 3, p. 628-639, APR 2021. (17/26243-8)

ANTIQUEIRA, PABLO AUGUSTO P.; PETCHEY, OWEN L.; REZENDE, FELIPE; MACHADO VELHO, LUIZ FELIPE; RODRIGUES, LUZIA CLEIDE; ROMERO, GUSTAVO QUEVEDO. arming and top predator loss drive direct and indirect effects on multiple trophic groups within and across ecosystem. Journal of Animal Ecology, v. 91, n. 2, DEC 2021. (17/09052-4, 19/08474-8, 17/26243-8, 18/12225-0)

NASH, LIAM N. N.; ZORZETTI, LUCAS W. W.; ANTIQUEIRA, PABLO A. P.; CARBONE, CHRIS; ROMERO, GUSTAVO Q. Q.; KRATINA, PAVEL. Latitudinal patterns of aquatic insect emergence driven by climate. GLOBAL ECOLOGY AND BIOGEOGRAPHY, v. 32, n. 8, p. 13-pg., 2023-05-05. (19/08474-8, 17/26243-8, 18/12225-0)

MOI, DIEISON A.; ROMERO, GUSTAVO Q.; JEPPESEN, ERIK; KRATINA, PAVEL; ALVES, DIEGO C.; ANTIQUEIRA, PABLO A. P.; DE MELLO, FRANCO TEIXEIRA; FIGUEIREDO, BRUNO R. S.; BONECKER, CLAUDIA C.; PIRES, ALINY P. F.; et al. egime shifts in a shallow lake over 12 years: Consequences for taxonomic and functional diversities, and ecosystem multifunctionalit. Journal of Animal Ecology, v. 91, n. 3, p. 551-565, MAR 2022. (19/08474-8, 17/26243-8, 18/12225-0)

ANTIQUEIRA, PABLO A. P.; DE OMENA, PAULA M.; GONCALVES-SOUZA, THIAGO; VIEIRA, CAMILA; MIGLIORINI, GUSTAVO H.; KERSCH-BECKER, MONICA F.; BERNABE, TIAGO N.; RECALDE, FATIMA C.; BENAVIDES-GORDILLO, SANDRA; ROMERO, GUSTAVO Q.. Precipitation and predation risk alter the diversity and behavior of pollinators and reduce plant fitness. Oecologia, v. 192, n. 3, p. 745-753, MAR 2020. (17/26243-8)

ROMERO, GUSTAVO Q.; MOI, DIEISON A.; NASH, LIAM N.; ANTIQUEIRA, PABLO A. P.; MORMUL, ROGER P.; KRATINA, PAVEL. Pervasive decline of subtropical aquatic insects over 20 years driven by water transparency, non-native fish and stoichiometric imbalance. BIOLOGY LETTERS, v. 17, n. 6, JUN 9 2021. (17/26243-8, 18/12225-0, 19/08474-8)

MOI, DIEISON ANDRE; ALVES, DIEGO CORREA; SOUZA FIGUEIREDO, BRUNO RENALY; POLETO ANTIQUEIRA, PABLO AUGUSTO; DE MELLO, FRANCO TEIXEIRA; JEPPESEN, ERIK; ROMERO, GUSTAVO QUEVEDO; MORMUL, ROGER PAULO; BONECKER, CLAUDIA COSTA. Non-native fishes homogenize native fish communities and reduce ecosystem multifunctionality in tropical lakes over 16 years. Science of The Total Environment, v. 769, MAY 15 2021. (17/26243-8, 17/09052-4)