These tiny crustaceans from the order Cladocera form the basis of the trophic pyramid and therefore play ... which makes them an important component of aquatic ecosystems. Moreover, the tiny ...

The findings, published in the journal Current Biology, external, are an example of an "inverted trophic pyramid": the average biomass in the channel is skewed towards predators rather than prey.

"Any major changes in this primary food source could have a catastrophic effect on the entire trophic pyramid," she said, referring to key roles of plants as "producers" within the food chain in ...