Publications [#279400] of Stuart L. Pimm

Papers Published

1. Pimm, SL; Kitching, RL, The determinants of food chain lengths., Oikos, vol. 50 no. 3 (January, 1987), pp. 302-307, JSTOR, ISSN 0030-1299 [doi]
   (last updated on 2023/06/01)

   Abstract:
   Reviews natural variation in the food chains of phytotelmata - water-filled plant-bodies. Here the role of disturbances may be the major factor in determining their food chains. Tadpoles of a small frog actually avoid the most productive systems. Larvae of a chironomid show a slight increase in numbers with level of energy input, but most importantly, it was slow to colonize - waiting for its prey (species of saprophagous chironomids) to attain approximately constant numbers and size. Data indicate that frequent disturbances would remove these predators from the system resulting in the 2 trophic level systems found in tree holes elsewhere.-from Authors