Coevolutionary Dynamics and the Conservation of Mutualisms

Bronstein, Judith L.; Dieckmann, Ulf; Ferrière, Régis

doi:10.1017/cbo9780511542022.022

Cited by 63 publications

(42 citation statements)

References 134 publications

(97 reference statements)

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…This results in species C having an indirect positive effect on species B through a direct negative effect on species A. Given the right starting point, a simple loop within a suite of competing species can result in a perpetually shifting state in which species coexist indefinitely in the absence of abiotic heterogeneity or nonequilibrium processes (Karlson and Jackson 1981, Bronstein et al 2004, Laird and Schamp 2006, Kaur et al 2009). Importantly, in nonhierarchical systems, indirect interactions are the central rule of the predictive model that creates the opportunity for traitmediated indirect interactions to be included within the existing conceptual framework.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Morphological variability in tree root architecture indirectly affects coexistence among competitors in the understory

Aschehoug

Callaway

2014

Ecology

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Abstract. Interactions between plants can have strong effects on community structure and function. Variability in the morphological, developmental, physiological, and biochemical traits of plants can influence the outcome of plant interactions and thus have important ecological consequences. However, the ecological ramifications of trait variability in plants are poorly understood and have rarely been tested in the field. We experimentally tested the effects of morphological variation in root architecture of Quercus douglasii trees in the field on interactions between understory plants and community composition. Our results indicate that variability among Q. douglasii tree root systems initiates a striking reversal in the competitive effects of dominant understory grass species on a less common species. Trees with a deeprooted morphology facilitated exotic annual grasses and these annual grasses, in turn, competitively excluded the native perennial bunchgrass, Stipa pulchra. In contrast, Q. douglasii trees with shallow-rooted morphologies directly suppressed the growth of exotic annual grasses and indirectly released S. pulchra individuals from competition with these annual grasses. Morphological variation in the root architecture of Q. douglasii created substantial conditionality in the outcomes of competition among species which enhanced the potential for indirect interactions to sustain coexistence and increase community diversity.

show abstract

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Morphological variability in tree root architecture indirectly affects coexistence among competitors in the understory

Aschehoug

Callaway

2014

Ecology

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…This, and the fact that most organisms rely to some degree on mutualisms (Bronstein et al 2004), has focused attention on the possible indirect effects of climate change on mutualisms (Stachowicz 2001) and the possibility of mutualism breakdown. The negative impacts of mutualism breakdown, however, may be reduced by functional redundancy (Bronstein et al 2004, Kiers et al 2010. Functionally redundant species are those that have the same function within a community; if one species declines in direct response to an environmental change, a functionally similar species can take its place.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Direct and indirect effects of warming on aphids, their predators, and ant mutualists

Barton

Ives

2014

Ecology

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Abstract. Species exist within communities of other interacting species, so an exogenous force that directly affects one species can indirectly affect all other members of the community. In the case of climate change, many species may be affected directly and subsequently initiate numerous indirect effects that propagate throughout the community. Therefore, the net effect of climate change on any one species is a function of the direct and indirect effects. We investigated the direct and indirect effects of climate warming on corn leaf aphids, a pest of corn and other grasses, by performing an experimental manipulation of temperature, predators, and two common aphid-tending ants. Although warming had a positive direct effect on aphid population growth rate, warming reduced aphid abundance when ants and predators were present. This occurred because winter ants, which aggressively defend aphids from predators under control temperatures, were less aggressive toward predators and less abundant when temperatures were increased. In contrast, warming increased the abundance of cornfield ants, but they did not protect aphids from predators with the same vigor as winter ants. Thus, warming broke down the ant-aphid mutualism and counterintuitively reduced the abundance of this agricultural pest.

show abstract

“…However, empirical support for coextinction events is rare. Very few coextinction events have been documented and many of the few documented examples have later been found to be erroneous (Bronstein et al 2004;Clayton and Price 1999;Price et al 2000;Witmer and Cheke 1991). The disparity between theoretical support for mass, common coextinctions (Amaral and Meyer 1999;Koh et al 2004;Plotnick and McKinney 1993) and a distinct lack of supporting empirical data presents a paradox (Dunn et al 2009): why is coextinction so rare?…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Can early loss of affiliates explain the coextinction paradox? An example from Acacia-inhabiting psyllids (Hemiptera: Psylloidea)

Powell

2011

Biodivers Conserv

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Recent models indicate that coextinction events should be numerous but empirical support for coextinction is paradoxically scarce. I investigated whether the coextinction paradox is due to affiliates becoming extinct well ahead of their hosts, with the disjunction masking the coextinction event. Using psyllids (Hemiptera: Psylloidea) on acacias (Mimosaceae: Acacia) in southern Sydney as an example system, I compared the density of affiliate species and the proportion of specialists on threatened versus secure hosts. I observed reduced psyllid species densities on the threatened hosts Acacia pubescens and A. prominens relative to common, sympatric acacias, consistent with the loss of affiliates ahead of host plant extinction. However, contrary to predictions, I found no support for reduced affiliate specialisation on the threatened hosts. Rather, proximity to closely related hosts may be a stronger determinant of the proportion of specialised psyllid species on a host. In addition, generalists, as well as specialists, may be lost from declining plants due to loss of familiarity with rarely-encountered host plants.

show abstract

Coevolutionary Dynamics and the Conservation of Mutualisms

Cited by 63 publications

References 134 publications

Morphological variability in tree root architecture indirectly affects coexistence among competitors in the understory

Morphological variability in tree root architecture indirectly affects coexistence among competitors in the understory

Direct and indirect effects of warming on aphids, their predators, and ant mutualists

Can early loss of affiliates explain the coextinction paradox? An example from Acacia-inhabiting psyllids (Hemiptera: Psylloidea)

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About