Effects of Nitrogen Deposition on Insect Herbivory: Implications for Community and Ecosystem Processes

Throop, Heather L.; Lerdau, Manuel

doi:10.1007/s10021-003-0225-x

Cited by 281 publications

(304 citation statements)

References 179 publications

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“…Ecologists have long recognized that productivity can impact the strength of top-down control, as the effects of predators depend largely on the abundance of prey species, which are often influenced by nutrient limitation [26,27,38]. Specifically, nutrient subsidies have been suggested to enhance prey quality and abundance, ultimately leading to stronger top-down effects [39].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Adaptive genetic variation mediates bottom-up and top-down control in an aquatic ecosystem

et al. 2015

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Research in eco-evolutionary dynamics and community genetics has demonstrated that variation within a species can have strong impacts on associated communities and ecosystem processes. Yet, these studies have centred around individual focal species and at single trophic levels, ignoring the role of phenotypic variation in multiple taxa within an ecosystem. Given the ubiquitous nature of local adaptation, and thus intraspecific variation, we sought to understand how combinations of intraspecific variation in multiple species within an ecosystem impacts its ecology. Using two species that co-occur and demonstrate adaptation to their natal environments, black cottonwood (Populus trichocarpa) and three-spined stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus), we investigated the effects of intraspecific phenotypic variation on both top-down and bottom-up forces using a large-scale aquatic mesocosm experiment. Black cottonwood genotypes exhibit genetic variation in their productivity and consequently their leaf litter subsidies to the aquatic system, which mediates the strength of top-down effects from stickleback on prey abundances. Abundances of four common invertebrate prey species and available phosphorous, the most critically limiting nutrient in freshwater systems, are dictated by the interaction between genetic variation in cottonwood productivity and stickleback morphology. These interactive effects fit with ecological theory on the relationship between productivity and topdown control and are comparable in strength to the effects of predator addition. Our results illustrate that intraspecific variation, which can evolve rapidly, is an under-appreciated driver of community structure and ecosystem function, demonstrating that a multi-trophic perspective is essential to understanding the role of evolution in structuring ecological patterns.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Adaptive genetic variation mediates bottom-up and top-down control in an aquatic ecosystem

et al. 2015

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“…Gilliam (2006) identified general patterns of this response: initial increases in cover, decreases in richness from loss of N-efficient species, decreases in species evenness from increasing dominance of few nitrophilic species, and loss of biodiversity from decreases in richness and evenness. Gilliam (2006) developed a conceptual model to explain this decline: (1) alteration of interspecific competition giving a competitive advantage to nitrophilic species (Price and Morgan 2007), (2) increased herbivory on sensitive species by increasing foliar quality and decreasing secondary defense compounds (Throop and Lerdau 2004), (3) decreased frequency of mycorrhizal infection (decreasing survivorship of mycorrhizae-dependent species; Lilleskov andBruns 2001, Read andPerez-Moreno 2003), (4) increased disease (Mitchell et al 2003), and (5) increased invasive species (Luken 2003, Cassidy et al 2004, Ehrenfeld 2004. A recent hypothesis-the N homogeneity hypothesis (Gilliam 2006)-predicts declines in biodiversity of impacted forests from excess N deposition that decreases naturally high spatial heterogeneity in soil N availability (Hutchings et al 2003, Small andMcCarthy 2003), maintaining high species diversity of the herbaceous layer.…”

Section: Temperate Forestsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Global assessment of nitrogen deposition effects on terrestrial plant diversity: a synthesis

Bobbink

Hicks

Galloway

et al. 2010

Ecological Applications

2,292

1,710

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Abstract. Atmospheric nitrogen (N) deposition is a recognized threat to plant diversity in temperate and northern parts of Europe and North America. This paper assesses evidence from field experiments for N deposition effects and thresholds for terrestrial plant diversity protection across a latitudinal range of main categories of ecosystems, from arctic and boreal systems to tropical forests. Current thinking on the mechanisms of N deposition effects on plant diversity, the global distribution of G200 ecoregions, and current and future (2030) estimates of atmospheric N-deposition rates are then used to identify the risks to plant diversity in all major ecosystem types now and in the future.This synthesis paper clearly shows that N accumulation is the main driver of changes to species composition across the whole range of different ecosystem types by driving the competitive interactions that lead to composition change and/or making conditions unfavorable for some species. Other effects such as direct toxicity of nitrogen gases and aerosols, long-term negative effects of increased ammonium and ammonia availability, soil-mediated effects of acidification, and secondary stress and disturbance are more ecosystem-and site-specific and often play a supporting role. N deposition effects in mediterranean ecosystems have now been identified, leading to a first estimate of an effect threshold. Importantly, ecosystems thought of as not N limited, such as tropical and subtropical systems, may be more vulnerable in the regeneration phase, in situations where heterogeneity in N availability is reduced by atmospheric N deposition, on sandy soils, or in montane areas.Critical loads are effect thresholds for N deposition, and the critical load concept has helped European governments make progress toward reducing N loads on sensitive ecosystems. More needs to be done in Europe and North America, especially for the more sensitive ecosystem types, including several ecosystems of high conservation importance.The results of this assessment show that the vulnerable regions outside Europe and North America which have not received enough attention are ecoregions in eastern and southern Asia (China, India), an important part of the mediterranean ecoregion (California, southern Europe), and in the coming decades several subtropical and tropical parts of Latin America and Africa. Reductions in plant diversity by increased atmospheric N deposition may be more widespread than first thought, and more targeted studies are required in low background areas, especially in the G200 ecoregions.

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“…Release of N r to the atmosphere has resulted in elevated deposition of N to terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, altering the N cycle at regional and global scales (Vitousek et al, 1997;Galloway et al, 2003). Excess N deposition is a potentially serious threat to biodiversity of many groups of organisms, including diversity of plants (Strengbom et al, 2002;Nordin et al, 2006;Clark & Tilman, 2008), microorganisms (Frey et al, 2004;Carfrae et al, 2006) and animals (Throop & Lerdau, 2004;Xu et al, 2006).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of experimental nitrogen additions on plant diversity in an old‐growth tropical forest

Gilliam

et al. 2010

Global Change Biology

253

185

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Response of plant biodiversity to increased availability of nitrogen (N) has been investigated in temperate and boreal forests, which are typically N-limited, but little is known in tropical forests. We examined the effects of artificial N additions on plant diversity (species richness, density and cover) of the understory layer in an N saturated old-growth tropical forest in southern China to test the following hypothesis: N additions decrease plant diversity in N saturated tropical forests primarily from N-mediated changes in soil properties. Experimental additions of N were administered at the following levels from July 2003 to July 2008: no addition (Control); 50 kg N ha À1 yr À1 (Low-N); 100 kg N ha À1 yr À1 (Medium-N), and 150 kg N ha À1 yr À1 (High-N). Results showed that no understory species exhibited positive growth response to any level of N addition during the study period. Although low-to-medium levels of N addition ( 100 kg N ha À1 yr À1 ) generally did not alter plant diversity through time, high levels of N addition significantly reduced species diversity. This decrease was most closely related to declines within tree seedling and fern functional groups, as well as to significant increases in soil acidity and Al mobility, and decreases in Ca availability and fine-root biomass. This mechanism for loss of biodiversity provides sharp contrast to competitionbased mechanisms suggested in studies of understory communities in other forests. Our results suggest that high-N additions can decrease plant diversity in tropical forests, but that this response may vary with rate of N addition.

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Effects of Nitrogen Deposition on Insect Herbivory: Implications for Community and Ecosystem Processes

Cited by 281 publications

References 179 publications

Adaptive genetic variation mediates bottom-up and top-down control in an aquatic ecosystem

Adaptive genetic variation mediates bottom-up and top-down control in an aquatic ecosystem

Global assessment of nitrogen deposition effects on terrestrial plant diversity: a synthesis

Effects of experimental nitrogen additions on plant diversity in an old‐growth tropical forest

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