The role of predators in driving warming-prey diversity relationships: An invertebrate perspective

Abstract

Climate warming is one of the key driving forces of biodiversity loss. Yet, our understanding of underlying factors that link warming-biodiversity relationships at both local and regional spatial scales is limited. Here, I review how warming could change local-scale diversity of invertebrate animals. Specifically, I examine whether warming-prey diversity relationships are modulated by changes in predation at higher temperatures. I first review the predictions of bioenergetic models, and then carry out a systematic literature search to find empirical studies that have experimentally tested warming-prey diversity relationships together with warming-predation relationships as well as predation-prey diversity relationships both on land and in water. Empirical studies showed that warming consistently altered predation rates by either increasing or decreasing them. However, warming-prey diversity and predation-prey diversity relationships were inconsistent both on land and in water. Theoretical predictions of positive effects of warming on diversity in resource-rich environments were rarely tested by empirical studies. I suggest that warming-prey diversity and predation-prey diversity relationships can be better understood by incorporating three features of prey species: a) thermal tolerance, b) defense against predation, and c) ability to capture resources in warmer environments. I finally discuss the application of a prey trait-based conceptual framework to predict biodiversity changes from local to regional spatial scales in a warmer world.