Presence of multiple parasitoids decreases host survival under warming, but parasitoid performance also decreases

Abstract

Current global changes are reshaping ecological communities and modifying environmental conditions. We need to recognize the combined impact of these biotic and abiotic factors on species interactions, community dynamics and ecosystem functioning. Specifically, the strength of predator-prey interactions often depends on the presence of other natural enemies: it weakens with competition and interference, or strengthens with facilitation. Such effects of multiple predators on prey are likely to be affected by changes in the abiotic environment, altering top-down control, a key structuring force in both natural and agricultural ecosystems. Here, we investigated how warming alters the effects of multiple predators on prey suppression using a dynamic model coupled with empirical laboratory experiments with Drosophila-parasitoid communities. While multiple parasitoids enhanced top-down control under warming, parasitoid performance generally declined when another parasitoid was present due to competitive interactions, which could reduce top-down control in the long-term. Our study highlights the importance of accounting for interactive effects between abiotic and biotic factors to better predict community dynamics in a rapidly changing world, and thus better preserve ecosystem functioning and services such as biological control.