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JPR Advance Access published online on October 17, 2005
Journal of Plankton Research, doi:10.1093/plankt/fbi086
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© The Author 2005. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oxfordjournals.org
Received July 17, 2005
Accepted October 7, 2005

Article

Daphnia as keystone predators: effects on phytoplankton diversity and grazing resistance

Orlando Sarnelle 1*

1 Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824

* To whom correspondence should be addressed.
Orlando Sarnelle, E-mail: sarnelle{at}msu.edu


  Abstract

Theory predicts that a predator can promote coexistence among competing prey, and so enhance prey diversity (the keystone predation effect), by fostering dominance of slow-growing, consumption-resistant prey. In contrast, if the predator promotes dominance by fast-growing vulnerable prey, theory predicts that the predator is unlikely to promote prey diversity. Theory is silent about keystone predation effects when the predator does not cause a net change in the vulnerability of the prey assemblage. I present experimental evidence that Daphnia can act as a keystone predator without causing a net change in the grazing resistance of the phytoplankton assemblage. No change in resistance was observed despite strong Daphnia effects on the species composition of the phytoplankton.

Communicating Editor: KJ Flynn
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