Experimental Evidence for Spatial Self-Organization and Its Emergent Effects in Mussel Bed Ecosystem

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Experimental Evidence for Spatial Self-Organization and Its Emergent Effects in Mussel Bed Ecosystem

Meeresbiologie - Science

Geschrieben von: Vincent

Science 31 October 2008:
Vol. 322. no. 5902, pp. 739 - 742
DOI: 10.1126/science.1163952

Reports
Experimental Evidence for Spatial Self-Organization and Its Emergent Effects in Mussel Bed Ecosystems
Johan van de Koppel,1* Joanna C. Gascoigne,2 Guy Theraulaz,3 Max Rietkerk,4 Wolf M. Mooij,5 Peter M. J. Herman1

Spatial self-organization is the main theoretical explanation for the global occurrence of regular or otherwise coherent spatial patterns in ecosystems. Using mussel beds as a model ecosystem, we provide an experimental demonstration of spatial self-organization. Under homogeneous laboratory conditions, mussels developed regular patterns, similar to those in the field. An individual-based model derived from our experiments showed that interactions between individuals explained the observed patterns. Furthermore, a field study showed that pattern formation affected ecosystem-level processes in terms of improved growth and resistance to wave action. Our results imply that spatial self-organization is an important determinant of the structure and functioning of ecosystems, and it needs to be considered in their conservation.

1 Spatial Ecology Department, the Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Post Office Box 140, 4400 AC Yerseke, Netherlands.
2 School of Ocean Sciences, University of Wales Bangor, Askew Street, Menai Bridge LL59 5AB, UK.
3 Centre de Recherches sur la Cognition Animale, CNRS UMR 5169, Universite Paul Sabatier 118, Route de Narbonne, 31062 Toulouse Cedex 04, France.
4 Department of Environmental Sciences, Copernicus Institute, Utrecht University, Post Office Box 80115, 3508 TC Utrecht, Netherlands.
5 Aquatic Food Webs Department, Netherlands Institute of Ecology, Rijksstraatweg 6, 3631 AC, Nieuwersluis, Netherlands.

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Mussels and Self-Organization

The concept of spatial self-organization, where small-scale interactions between individual organisms drive large-scale spatial patterns, is the main explanation for coherent spatial patterns in a wide range of terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. Van de Koppel et al. (p. 739) present an experimental test of the mechanisms underlying spatial self-organization in an ecosystem--mussels on the seabed. Regular spatial patterns emerge in a mussel bed under experimentally controlled conditions, which modeling suggests arise from interactions between individual mussels. A subsequent field study showed the positive effects of self-organization on ecosystem-level processes, in particular, secondary production and resistance to wave disturbance, pointing to the need for conservation of spatial structure within ecosystems.