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The Asymmetric Response Concept explains ecological consequences of multiple stressor exposure and release.

Authors :
Vos M
Hering D
Gessner MO
Leese F
Schäfer RB
Tollrian R
Boenigk J
Haase P
Meckenstock R
Baikova D
Bayat H
Beermann A
Beisser D
Beszteri B
Birk S
Boden L
Brauer V
Brauns M
Buchner D
Burfeid-Castellanos A
David G
Deep A
Doliwa A
Dunthorn M
Enß J
Escobar-Sierra C
Feld CK
Fohrer N
Grabner D
Hadziomerovic U
Jähnig SC
Jochmann M
Khaliq S
Kiesel J
Kuppels A
Lampert KP
Le TTY
Lorenz AW
Madariaga GM
Meyer B
Pantel JH
Pimentel IM
Mayombo NS
Nguyen HH
Peters K
Pfeifer SM
Prati S
Probst AJ
Reiner D
Rolauffs P
Schlenker A
Schmidt TC
Shah M
Sieber G
Stach TL
Tielke AK
Vermiert AM
Weiss M
Weitere M
Sures B
Source :
The Science of the total environment [Sci Total Environ] 2023 May 10; Vol. 872, pp. 162196. Date of Electronic Publication: 2023 Feb 11.
Publication Year :
2023

Abstract

Our capacity to predict trajectories of ecosystem degradation and recovery is limited, especially when impairments are caused by multiple stressors. Recovery may be fast or slow and either complete or partial, sometimes result in novel ecosystem states or even fail completely. Here, we introduce the Asymmetric Response Concept (ARC) that provides a basis for exploring and predicting the pace and magnitude of ecological responses to, and release from, multiple stressors. The ARC holds that three key mechanisms govern population, community and ecosystem trajectories. Stress tolerance is the main mechanism determining responses to increasing stressor intensity, whereas dispersal and biotic interactions predominantly govern responses to the release from stressors. The shifting importance of these mechanisms creates asymmetries between the ecological trajectories that follow increasing and decreasing stressor intensities. This recognition helps to understand multiple stressor impacts and to predict which measures will restore communities that are resistant to restoration.<br />Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.<br /> (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Subjects

Subjects :
Ecosystem
Rivers

Details

Language :
English
ISSN :
1879-1026
Volume :
872
Database :
MEDLINE
Journal :
The Science of the total environment
Publication Type :
Academic Journal
Accession number :
36781140
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.162196