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Scaling metabolism from organisms to ecosystems

Author

Listed:
  • Brian J. Enquist

    (University of Arizona
    Center for Applied Biodiversity Science)

  • Evan P. Economo

    (University of Arizona)

  • Travis E. Huxman

    (University of Arizona)

  • Andrew P. Allen

    (University of New Mexico)

  • Danielle D. Ignace

    (University of Arizona)

  • James F. Gillooly

    (University of New Mexico)

Abstract

Understanding energy and material fluxes through ecosystems is central to many questions in global change biology and ecology1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11. Ecosystem respiration is a critical component of the carbon cycle1,5,6,7 and might be important in regulating biosphere response to global climate change1,2,3. Here we derive a general model of ecosystem respiration based on the kinetics of metabolic reactions11,12,13 and the scaling of resource use by individual organisms14,15. The model predicts that fluxes of CO2 and energy are invariant of ecosystem biomass, but are strongly influenced by temperature, variation in cellular metabolism and rates of supply of limiting resources (water and/or nutrients). Variation in ecosystem respiration within sites, as calculated from a network of CO2 flux towers5,7, provides robust support for the model's predictions. However, data indicate that variation in annual flux between sites is not strongly dependent on average site temperature or latitude. This presents an interesting paradox with regard to the expected temperature dependence. Nevertheless, our model provides a basis for quantitatively understanding energy and material flux between the atmosphere and biosphere.

Suggested Citation

  • Brian J. Enquist & Evan P. Economo & Travis E. Huxman & Andrew P. Allen & Danielle D. Ignace & James F. Gillooly, 2003. "Scaling metabolism from organisms to ecosystems," Nature, Nature, vol. 423(6940), pages 639-642, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:nature:v:423:y:2003:i:6940:d:10.1038_nature01671
    DOI: 10.1038/nature01671
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    Cited by:

    1. James H Larson & Jon M Vallazza & Brent C Knights, 2019. "Estimating the degree to which distance and temperature differences drive changes in fish community composition over time in the upper Mississippi River," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 14(12), pages 1-13, December.
    2. Rebecca L. Kordas & Samraat Pawar & Dimitrios-Georgios Kontopoulos & Guy Woodward & Eoin J. O’Gorman, 2022. "Metabolic plasticity can amplify ecosystem responses to global warming," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-8, December.
    3. Harris, Lora A. & Brush, Mark J., 2012. "Bridging the gap between empirical and mechanistic models of aquatic primary production with the metabolic theory of ecology: An example from estuarine ecosystems," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 233(C), pages 83-89.
    4. Christian Hilbe & Maria Kleshnina & Kateřina Staňková, 2023. "Evolutionary Games and Applications: Fifty Years of ‘The Logic of Animal Conflict’," Dynamic Games and Applications, Springer, vol. 13(4), pages 1035-1048, December.
    5. Song, Dong-Ming & Jiang, Zhi-Qiang & Zhou, Wei-Xing, 2009. "Statistical properties of world investment networks," Physica A: Statistical Mechanics and its Applications, Elsevier, vol. 388(12), pages 2450-2460.
    6. Seppelt, Ralf & Müller, Felix & Schröder, Boris & Volk, Martin, 2009. "Challenges of simulating complex environmental systems at the landscape scale: A controversial dialogue between two cups of espresso," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 220(24), pages 3481-3489.

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