How to predict the magnitude of trophic cascades

Based on a study conducted by Borer et al. (2005) called What determines the strength of a trophic cascade?

Certain biological characteristics can be used to predict the strength of a trophic cascade. Predator taxonomy, thermal regulation and herbivore mass-specific metabolic rates describe 31% of the variation in cascade strength. There have been many studies exploring the best indicators for trophic cascade strength. The conclusions in this blog were based on a compilation of 114 studies, and seven different ecosystems. It seems the prime indicator of trophic strength is the biological/behavioral characteristics of the herbivores – grazing efficiency and high predation vulnerability. The efficiency of herbivores and even predators also has a significant effect on trophic cascade strength. The studies show that invertebrate herbivores create stronger cascades than vertebrate herbivores and invertebrate predators. While all of these factors are generally good indicators, plant and herbivore defenses can reduce herbivore efficiency and thus reduce the strength of cascades. It is uncertain whether diversity influences cascade strength. Diversity within trophic levels may limit trophic cascade strength due to compensatory dynamics, but diversity at each of the three levels was not related to cascade intensity. It is believed that the studies could not accurately determine diversity effects because there were not enough subsets of the community to replicate dynamic relationships. Species richness and system productivity appear to have no effect on cascade strength. Theoretically, factors relating to plant palatability (e.g. plant productivity, nutritional quality, turn over rates of plants, etc.) should contribute to cascade strength. These studies give a very good idea of some of the factors that can be used to predict trophic cascade strength, but there are still some unanswered questions. Therefore, of course, this is a topic that needs further studies to clarify some ideas.

E. T. Borer, E. W. Seabloom, J. B. Shurin, K. E. Anderson, C. A. Blanchette, B. Broitman, S. D. Cooper, and B. S. Halpern 2005. ‘What determines the strength of a trophic cascade?’, Ecology, vol.86, pp. 528–537.