Data for: “Scaling the effects of size and temperature on animal consumption rates from individuals to populations in a subtropical reef fish"

1. Measuring how temperature and body size drive individual consumption rates is fundamental to predict how climate change might shape population-level consumption pressure. Yet, such measurements remain rare. Here we fill this gap by parametrizing a theoretical model inspired by the Metabolic Theory of Ecology (MTE) with laboratory experiments using an abundant cryptobenthic herbivorous-detritivorous fish, <i>Scartella cristata</i>.2. We derive corollaries of the theory at the population level which allow researchers to quantify how population-level consumption rates might change under alternative scenarios of thermal regime and size distribution. We simulate multiple future scenarios by combining our model parameter estimates with field surveys of <i>S. cristata</i> size structure at different years and thermal regimes.3. We find that while body size exhibits stronger effects across individuals of different sizes, small increments in average thermal regime are more likely to alter population-level consumption pressure.4. Our study helps quantify and formalize how heterotrophic metabolism will further constrain primary production in a changing world.

1. 解析温度与体型如何驱动个体摄食率，是预测气候变化如何塑造种群水平摄食压力的核心基础，但此类实测数据仍较为匮乏。本研究以广布的隐蔽底栖植食-腐食性鱼类纹唇盘鱼（Scartella cristata）为研究对象，通过室内实验对受生态学代谢理论（Metabolic Theory of Ecology, MTE）启发构建的理论模型进行参数化，以此填补这一研究空白。
2. 我们推导了该理论在种群水平上的推论，借此可量化种群摄食率在不同热制度与体型分布情景下的变化规律。我们将模型参数估计结果与不同年份、不同热制度下纹唇盘鱼（S. cristata）体型结构的野外调查数据相结合，模拟了多种未来情景。
3. 研究发现，尽管体型对不同个体的摄食率影响更强，但平均热状况的小幅提升更易改变种群水平的摄食压力。
4. 本研究有助于量化并明确在全球变化背景下，异养代谢将如何进一步制约初级生产力。