Bottom-up effects of host-plant species diversity and top-down effects of ants interactively increase plant performance

Moreira, Xoaquín; Mooney, Kailen A.; Zas, Rafael; Sampedro, Luís

doi:10.1098/rspb.2012.0893

Cited by 54 publications

(81 citation statements)

References 48 publications

(73 reference statements)

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“…Most studies have been restricted to measuring plant diversity-mediated effects on predator or parasitoid abundance and diversity [2,6,13,20,48,49] as well as predation or parasitism rates [20], but almost no studies have documented the consequences of such effects on herbivory and plant growth. One exception is a recent study by Moreira et al [7] showing that higher recruitment of predatory ants with increasing plant species diversity resulted in positive direct and indirect effects of ants on aphids and plant growth, respectively. Similarly, Haddad et al [2] reported for a temperate grassland that higher primary production with increasing plant diversity was associated with a substantial increase in the ratio of natural enemy (predators, parasitoids) to herbivore abundance in diverse plant patches.…”

Section: Effects Of Plant Diversity On Plant-insect Herbivore and Hermentioning

confidence: 97%

“…Interestingly, some of the previously described studies addressing feedbacks (e.g. [7]) looked at effects of ants, a particularly important group of predatory omnivores which may in some cases act as herbivore mutualists. In this sense, we note that although there are a vast number of studies on the effects of diversity on enemies of herbivores, almost no attention has been given to herbivore mutualists.…”

Section: Effects Of Plant Diversity On Plant-insect Herbivore and Hermentioning

confidence: 99%

“…[1 ,2-8,9 ]). Studies have found that plant diversity positively influences arthropod diversity and abundance [3,4,8,10], and alters plant-arthropod and arthropod-arthropod interactions [3,7,11,12]. These findings emphasize that conserving and manipulating plant diversity in natural and managed systems, respectively, is crucial for maintaining ecosystem function [13][14][15].…”

mentioning

confidence: 94%

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Plant diversity effects on insect herbivores and their natural enemies: current thinking, recent findings, and future directions

Moreira

Abdala‐Roberts

Rasmann

et al. 2016

Current Opinion in Insect Science

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168

152

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A rich body of theory has been developed to predict the effects of plant diversity on communities at higher trophic levels and the mechanisms underpinning such effects. However, there are currently a number of key gaps in knowledge that have hindered the development of a predictive framework of plant diversity effects on consumers. For instance, we still know very little about how the magnitude of plant trait variation (e.g. intraspecific vs. inter-specific), as well as the identity and combined effects of plant, herbivore and natural enemy traits, mediate plant diversity effects on consumers. Moreover, the fine-scale mechanisms (e.g. changes in consumer behaviour or recruitment responses) underlying such diversity effects in many cases remain elusive or have been overlooked. In addition, most studies of plant diversity effects on associated consumers have been developed under a static, unidirectional (bottom-up) framework of effects on herbivores and predators without taking into account the potential for dynamic feedbacks across trophic levels. Here we seek to address these key gaps in knowledge as well as to capitalize on recent advances and emerging frameworks in plant biodiversity research. In doing so, we provide new insights as well as recommendations which will stimulate new research and advance this field of study. IntroductionThe consequences of plant intra-specific and inter-specific diversity on associated faunas have been the focus of much research over the last decade (e.g. [1 ,2-8,9 ]). Studies have found that plant diversity positively influences arthropod diversity and abundance [3,4,8,10], and alters plant-arthropod and arthropod-arthropod interactions [3,7,11,12]. These findings emphasize that conserving and manipulating plant diversity in natural and managed systems, respectively, is crucial for maintaining ecosystem function [13][14][15].A rich body of theory has been developed to predict the effects of plant diversity on communities at higher trophic levels ([16-22], see Box 1). Despite this vast collection of theory behind plant diversity effects on associated faunas and the large number of empirical studies conducted thus far, formal evaluations of the mechanisms behind the observed patterns have been developed in natural communities (but see [20] for e.g. in agricultural systems). In addition, there are also a number of key gaps in knowledge that have hindered the development of a predictive framework of plant diversity effects on higher trophic levels ( Figure 1). For example, we generally ignore how the magnitude of variation in plant traits (e.g. interspecific vs. intra-specific diversity) or the identity (including independent and interactive effects of multiple traits) of plant traits determines such effects. Similarly, many studies have lacked an explicit evaluation of the influence of herbivore traits such as diet breadth, mobility and feeding behaviour, and the underlying mechanisms for diversity effects on consumer abundance or behaviour remain elusive (e.g. effects of diversit...

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Section: Effects Of Plant Diversity On Plant-insect Herbivore and Hermentioning

confidence: 97%

Section: Effects Of Plant Diversity On Plant-insect Herbivore and Hermentioning

confidence: 99%

mentioning

confidence: 94%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Plant diversity effects on insect herbivores and their natural enemies: current thinking, recent findings, and future directions

Moreira

Abdala‐Roberts

Rasmann

et al. 2016

Current Opinion in Insect Science

Self Cite

168

152

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show abstract

“…Despite recent advances in the study of plant diversity effects on food web dynamics [4,6,10], the relative importance of these two mechanisms remains understudied. Here, we investigated the bottom-up effects of plant genetic diversity on multi-trophic communities and the mechanistic pathways by which plant genetic diversity may vary in their influence on interactions between higher trophic levels.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…enemies and mutualists of herbivores (see [3,4,10], and the scheme represented in figure 1). The pathways for plant diversity to affect herbivore enemies or mutualists can be classified into two types [11].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Influence of plant genetic diversity on interactions between higher trophic levels

Moreira

Mooney

2013

Biol. Lett.

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While the ecological consequences of plant diversity have received much attention, the mechanisms by which intraspecific diversity affects associated communities remains understudied. We report on a field experiment documenting the effects of patch diversity in the plant Baccharis salicifolia (genotypic monocultures versus polycultures of four genotypes), ants (presence versus absence) and their interaction on ant-tended aphids, ants and parasitic wasps, and the mechanistic pathways by which diversity influences their multi-trophic interactions. Five months after planting, polycultures (versus monocultures) had increased abundances of aphids (threefold), ants (3.2-fold) and parasitoids (1.7-fold) owing to non-additive effects of genetic diversity. The effect on aphids was direct, as plant genetic diversity did not mediate ant-aphid, parasitoid-aphid or ant-parasitoid interactions. This increase in aphid abundance occurred even though plant growth (and thus aphid resources) was not higher in polycultures. The increase in ants and parasitoids was an indirect effect, due entirely to higher aphid abundance. Ants reduced parasitoid abundance by 60 per cent, but did not affect aphid abundance or plant growth, and these top-down effects were equivalent between monocultures and polycultures. In summary, intraspecific plant diversity did not increase primary productivity, but nevertheless had strong effects across multiple trophic levels, and effects on both herbivore mutualists and enemies could be predicted entirely as an extension of plant-herbivore interactions.

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Plant‐derived differences in the composition of aphid honeydew and their effects on colonies of aphid‐tending ants

Pringle

Novo

Ableson

et al. 2014

Ecology and Evolution

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In plant–ant–hemipteran interactions, ants visit plants to consume the honeydew produced by phloem-feeding hemipterans. If genetically based differences in plant phloem chemistry change the chemical composition of hemipteran honeydew, then the plant's genetic constitution could have indirect effects on ants via the hemipterans. If such effects change ant behavior, they could feed back to affect the plant itself. We compared the chemical composition of honeydews produced by Aphis nerii aphid clones on two milkweed congeners, Asclepias curassavica and Asclepias incarnata, and we measured the responses of experimental Linepithema humile ant colonies to these honeydews. The compositions of secondary metabolites, sugars, and amino acids differed significantly in the honeydews from the two plant species. Ant colonies feeding on honeydew derived from A. incarnata recruited in higher numbers to artificial diet, maintained higher queen and worker dry weight, and sustained marginally more workers than ants feeding on honeydew derived from A. curassavica. Ants feeding on honeydew from A. incarnata were also more exploratory in behavioral assays than ants feeding from A. curassavica. Despite performing better when feeding on the A. incarnata honeydew, ant workers marginally preferred honeydew from A. curassavica to honeydew from A. incarnata when given a choice. Our results demonstrate that plant congeners can exert strong indirect effects on ant colonies by means of plant-species-specific differences in aphid honeydew chemistry. Moreover, these effects changed ant behavior and thus could feed back to affect plant performance in the field.

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Bottom-up effects of host-plant species diversity and top-down effects of ants interactively increase plant performance

Cited by 54 publications

References 48 publications

Plant diversity effects on insect herbivores and their natural enemies: current thinking, recent findings, and future directions

Plant diversity effects on insect herbivores and their natural enemies: current thinking, recent findings, and future directions

Influence of plant genetic diversity on interactions between higher trophic levels

Plant‐derived differences in the composition of aphid honeydew and their effects on colonies of aphid‐tending ants

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