Predators and prey interact at small spatial scales, but during their lifetime disperse at much larger spatial scales. Trophic metacommunity theory proposes that dispersal is a critical processes that determines food webs structure at small and large scales. The application of metacommunity theory to empirical systems remains elusive because key parameters such as dispersal and interaction strengths have been very difficult to quantify. Here we develop a novel approach that combines population genomics with mesocosm experiments to parameterize a metacommunity model. Using genotyping-by-sequencing, we characterized the dispersal kernels of a predator - prey pair living in a phytotelm metacommunity. We found that the prey dispersed up to 25 km while the predator dispersed only 200 m. We then quantified a functional response for these species using feeding trials. Even without invoking differences in the abiotic niche, our empirically parameterized simulation model produced patterns of population survival and occupancy that were consistent with past observations on the natural system. Importantly we found that these patterns were more likely to be found with simulations based on our observed values than in other regions of potential parameter space. This suggests that the observed dispersal kernels contribute to the dynamics of these species in the metacommunity.

中文翻译：

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种群之间的基因组变异提供了对元群落生存原因的深入了解

捕食者和猎物在小空间尺度上相互作用，但在它们的一生中分散在更大的空间尺度上。营养元群落理论提出，扩散是决定小规模和大规模食物网结构的关键过程。元社区理论在经验系统中的应用仍然难以捉摸，因为分散和交互强度等关键参数很难量化。在这里，我们开发了一种新方法，将种群基因组学与中宇宙实验相结合，以参数化元社区模型。使用基因分型测序，我们表征了生活在植物群落中的捕食者 - 猎物对的分散内核。我们发现猎物的分散距离可达 25 公里，而捕食者的分散距离仅为 200 米。然后，我们使用喂养试验量化了这些物种的功能反应。即使没有援引非生物生态位的差异，我们的经验参数化模拟模型也产生了与过去对自然系统的观察一致的种群生存和居住模式。重要的是，我们发现，与潜在参数空间的其他区域相比，基于我们观察到的值的模拟更有可能发现这些模式。这表明观察到的分散内核有助于这些物种在元群落中的动态。重要的是，我们发现，与潜在参数空间的其他区域相比，基于我们观察到的值的模拟更有可能发现这些模式。这表明观察到的分散内核有助于这些物种在元群落中的动态。重要的是，我们发现，与潜在参数空间的其他区域相比，基于我们观察到的值的模拟更有可能发现这些模式。这表明观察到的分散内核有助于这些物种在元群落中的动态。