Hidden impacts of environmental stressors on freshwater communities could be revealed at lower concentrations by correlation of abundances network analyses: An example with herbicides glyphosate, 2,4‐D, and their mixtures

Abstract

AbstractMultiple stressors affect freshwater systems worldwide. Ecotoxicological studies are often focused on the abundance analysis of their communities. In this study, I discuss the possibility of incorporating correlation networks to earlier bring to light the possible hidden effects of environmental stressors on community interactions. A re‐analysis of the published data from an experiment where the herbicides glyphosate, 2,4‐D and their mixtures were applied in microcosms revealed that correlation networks can detect impacts on the community interactions at herbicide concentrations lower than those in which abundances were drastically modified. I propose the correlation of abundances network analysis (CANA) as a new approach for ecotoxicological freshwater community studies.