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<p>Wetlands are some of the most productive and important ecosystems in the world. Within the Great Salt Lake ecosystem of the Pacific Flyway, North America, wetlands provide essential food resources for migratory waterbirds and are essential for their population viability. We conducted waterbird exclosure studies in a sheet flow wetland in Farmington Bay of Great Salt Lake focusing on predation effects on the most dominant food item, the ecosystem engineers, chironomid larvae. We found that waterbirds focused on larvae in larger size classes and that chironomid larvae densities, biomass and energy values per unit area were some of the highest estimated in the Great Salt Lake ecosystem. Chironomid larvae appeared to have bottom-up control of waterbirds, while waterbirds’ size selective feeding activity and excrement contributed to what we call a ‘density-dependent, mutualistic positive feedback loop’ that can affect the entire ecosystem function. These findings can be incorporated into ecosystem function models and can be used by managers concerned with protection of these crucial wetlands.</p>

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Ecosystem Effects of Waterbird Predation on Keystone Chironomid Larvae in a Highly Productive Wetland of Great Salt Lake, UT, USA

  • 期刊论文

  • 出版模式：

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  • 发表日期：

    2026年3月6日

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  • David C. Richards,
  • Theron G. Miller

摘要

Wetlands are some of the most productive and important ecosystems in the world. Within the Great Salt Lake ecosystem of the Pacific Flyway, North America, wetlands provide essential food resources for migratory waterbirds and are essential for their population viability. We conducted waterbird exclosure studies in a sheet flow wetland in Farmington Bay of Great Salt Lake focusing on predation effects on the most dominant food item, the ecosystem engineers, chironomid larvae. We found that waterbirds focused on larvae in larger size classes and that chironomid larvae densities, biomass and energy values per unit area were some of the highest estimated in the Great Salt Lake ecosystem. Chironomid larvae appeared to have bottom-up control of waterbirds, while waterbirds’ size selective feeding activity and excrement contributed to what we call a ‘density-dependent, mutualistic positive feedback loop’ that can affect the entire ecosystem function. These findings can be incorporated into ecosystem function models and can be used by managers concerned with protection of these crucial wetlands.