Nature Communications (Jan 2018)

A unifying theory for top-heavy ecosystem structure in the ocean

  • C. Brock Woodson,
  • John R. Schramski,
  • Samantha B. Joye

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-017-02450-y
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 9, no. 1
pp. 1 – 8

Abstract

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Evidence of inverted trophic pyramids in marine food webs has been enigmatic owing to lack of theoretical support. Here, Woodson et al. use metabolic and size-spectra theory to show that inverted pyramids are possible when food webs have generalist predators and consumers with large body sizes.