Canopy vs. understory: Does tree diversity affect bee and wasp communities and their natural enemies across forest strata?

Sobek, Stephanie; Tscharntke, Teja; Scherber, Christoph; Schiele, Susanne; Steffan‐Dewenter, Ingolf

doi:10.1016/j.foreco.2009.04.026

Cited by 108 publications

(102 citation statements)

References 47 publications

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“…Moreover, no previous study focused on leaf‐chewing assemblages. Inconsistent results obtained by previous studies suggest that the vertical patterns of parasitism are guild‐, latitude‐, or site‐dependent (Chaij et al., 2016; Morris et al., 2015; Paniagua et al., 2009; Sobek, Tscharntke, Scherber, Schiele, & Steffan‐Dewenter, 2009). The parasitism rate decreased as the season progressed, in accordance with another study on leaf‐chewing Lepidoptera in a temperate forest (Le Corff, Marquis, & Whitfield, 2000).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Vertical canopy gradient shaping the stratification of leaf‐chewer–parasitoid interactions in a temperate forest

Šigut

Šigutová

Šipoš

et al. 2018

Ecology and Evolution

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Knowledge about herbivores and their parasitoids in forest canopies remains limited, despite their diversity and ecological importance. Thus, it is important to understand the factors that shape the herbivore–parasitoid community structure, particularly the effect of vertical gradient. We investigated a quantitative community dataset of exposed and semiconcealed leaf‐chewing larvae and their parasitoids along a vertical canopy gradient in a temperate forest. We sampled target insects using an elevated work platform in a 0.2 ha broadleaf deciduous forest plot in the Czech Republic. We analyzed the effect of vertical position among three canopy levels (first [lowest], second [middle], and third [highest]) and tree species on community descriptors (density, diversity, and parasitism rate) and food web structure. We also analyzed vertical patterns in density and parasitism rate between exposed and semiconcealed hosts, and the vertical preference of the most abundant parasitoid taxa in relation to their host specificity. Tree species was an important determinant of all community descriptors and food web structure. Insect density and diversity varied with the vertical gradient, but was only significant for hosts. Both host guilds were most abundant in the second level, but only the density of exposed hosts declined in the third level. Parasitism rate decreased from the first to third level. The overall parasitism rate did not differ between guilds, but semiconcealed hosts suffered lower parasitism in the third level. Less host‐specific taxa (Ichneumonidae, Braconidae) operated more frequently lower in the canopy, whereas more host‐specific Tachinidae followed their host distribution. The most host‐specific Chalcidoidea preferred the third level. Vertical stratification of insect density, diversity, and parasitism rate was most pronounced in the tallest tree species. Therefore, our study contradicts the general paradigm of weak arthropod stratification in temperate forest canopies. However, in the network structure, vertical variation might be superseded by variation among tree species.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…(2009). In brief, in temperate forests, tree diversity might be an important predictor of herbivore and parasitoid distribution patterns, and, hence, parasitism rates.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Vertical canopy gradient shaping the stratification of leaf‐chewer–parasitoid interactions in a temperate forest

Šigut

Šigutová

Šipoš

et al. 2018

Ecology and Evolution

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“…However, for parasitoids and host -parasitoid systems evidence for cross-taxon congruence with tree species richness or other coarse measures of habitat heterogeneity is sparse and inconclusive. Depending on the study system, parasitoid abundance and species richness increased [13][14][15], were unrelated [43] or declined [44] with habitat heterogeneity, but no study considered descriptors of PD such as tree MPD. As introduced above, a plant community's PD is a suitable surrogate for overall niche availability and habitat heterogeneity [21,23], and more diverse evolutionary lineages will result in more diverse microhabitats.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Tree phylogenetic diversity promotes host–parasitoid interactions

et al. 2016

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Evidence from grassland experiments suggests that a plant community's phylogenetic diversity (PD) is a strong predictor of ecosystem processes, even stronger than species richness per se. This has, however, never been extended to species-rich forests and host-parasitoid interactions. We used cavitynesting Hymenoptera and their parasitoids collected in a subtropical forest as a model system to test whether hosts, parasitoids, and their interactions are influenced by tree PD and a comprehensive set of environmental variables, including tree species richness. Parasitism rate and parasitoid abundance were positively correlated with tree PD. All variables describing parasitoids decreased with elevation, and were, except parasitism rate, dependent on host abundance. Quantitative descriptors of host-parasitoid networks were independent of the environment. Our study indicates that host-parasitoid interactions in species-rich forests are related to the PD of the tree community, which influences parasitism rates through parasitoid abundance. We show that effects of tree community PD are much stronger than effects of tree species richness, can cascade to high trophic levels, and promote trophic interactions. As during habitat modification phylogenetic information is usually lost nonrandomly, even species-rich habitats may not be able to continuously provide the ecosystem process parasitism if the evolutionarily most distinct plant lineages vanish.

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“…In both tropical and temperate forests, canopies can provide resources which are seasonally unavailable in the understory (Ulyshen et al 2010) and can offer nesting sites for specialized saproxylic organisms (Sobek et al 2009;Ulyshen et al 2011b). In certain conditions, the canopy layer may also work as aggregation point for several flying insects during mating swarming (Birtele & Hardersen 2012;Stireman et al 2012).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Yet, only few studies have focused on highly mobile (and highly diverse) insects as dipterans or hymenopterans of the canopy of temperate forests (Preisser et al 1998;Sperber et al 2004;Thunes et al 2004;Vance et al 2007;Pucci 2008;Stireman 2008;Sobek et al 2009;Ulyshen et al 2010Ulyshen et al , 2011aUlyshen et al , 2011bBirtele & Hardersen 2012;Stireman et al 2012;Di Giovanni et al 2015). In this study, we analyzed the community composition of solitary wasps belonging to Ampulicidae, Crabronidae and Sphecidae (the three families of Apoidea Spheciformes present in Italy) of understory and canopy of the Natural Reserve of "Bosco della Fontana", a temperate plain forest in North Italy.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Vertical stratification of selected Hymenoptera in a remnant forest of the Po Plain (Italy, Lombardy) (Hymenoptera: Ampulicidae, Crabronidae, Sphecidae)

2017

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Communities of the canopy of temperate forests are still relatively unexplored. Furthermore, very little is known on how vertical stratification for some insect groups is related to biological strategies. In this study, we investigated the community composition of both canopy and understory of the families Ampulicidae, Crabronidae and Sphecidae (Hymenoptera) of the Natural Reserve of "Bosco della Fontana", a remnant lowland forest in northeastern Italy. Observed patterns in vertical stratification have been related to species foraging habits. Our study reveals that the bulk of the community of Spheciformes of the understory consists of species predating dipterans and spiders, while species associated with the canopy are mainly predators of sap-sucking honeydew producers and epiphyte grazers, like aphids, thrips, and barkflies. Comparing the communities of canopy and understory may lead to a better understanding of species ecology and provides useful information to forest managers.

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Canopy vs. understory: Does tree diversity affect bee and wasp communities and their natural enemies across forest strata?

Cited by 108 publications

References 47 publications

Vertical canopy gradient shaping the stratification of leaf‐chewer–parasitoid interactions in a temperate forest

Vertical canopy gradient shaping the stratification of leaf‐chewer–parasitoid interactions in a temperate forest

Tree phylogenetic diversity promotes host–parasitoid interactions

Vertical stratification of selected Hymenoptera in a remnant forest of the Po Plain (Italy, Lombardy) (Hymenoptera: Ampulicidae, Crabronidae, Sphecidae)

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