Eco-evolutionary Feedbacks from Non-target Species Influence Harvest Yield and Sustainability

Authored by Michael T Kinnison, Zachary T Wood, Eric P Palkovacs

Date Published: 2018

DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-24555-0

Sponsors: United States National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) United States National Science Foundation (NSF)

Platforms: No platforms listed

Model Documentation: Other Narrative Mathematical description

Model Code URLs: Model code not found

Abstract

Evolution in harvested species has become a major concern for its potential to affect yield, sustainability, and recovery. However, the current singular focus on harvest-mediated evolution in target species overlooks the potential for evolution in non-target members of communities. Here we use an individual-based model to explore the scope and pattern of harvest-mediated evolution at non-target trophic levels and its potential feedbacks on abundance and yield of the harvested species. The model reveals an eco-evolutionary trophic cascade, in which harvest at top trophic levels drives evolution of greater defense or competitiveness at subsequently lower trophic levels, resulting in alternating feedbacks on the abundance and yield of the harvested species. The net abundance and yield effects of these feedbacks depends on the intensity of harvest and attributes of non-target species. Our results provide an impetus and framework to evaluate the role of non-target species evolution in determining fisheries yield and sustainability.

Tags

Predator-prey system Conservation biology Rapid evolution Life-history evolution Trophic cascades Fisheries-induced evolution Contemporary evolution Phenotypic plasticity Food-web complexity Mosquitofish gambusia-affinis