Effects of tree species diversity on a community of weaver spiders in a tropical forest plantation

Esquivel-Gómez, Luis; Abdala‐Roberts, Luis; Pinkus-Rendón, Miguel; Parra-Tabla, Vı́ctor

doi:10.1111/btp.12352

Cited by 20 publications

(16 citation statements)

References 54 publications

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“…A very similar pattern was found in a temperate tree diversity experiment [37], concurring with the strong tree species-specific patterns for spider abundance reported earlier [33]. In contrast, species richness and abundance of web-building spiders on mahogany (Swietenia macrophylla) was higher in mixtures of tropical tree plantations than in mahogany monocultures [44].…”

Section: Spiderssupporting

confidence: 86%

The Influence of Tree Diversity on Natural Enemies—a Review of the “Enemies” Hypothesis in Forests

Staab

Schuldt

2020

Curr Forestry Rep

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Purpose of Review Natural enemies are an important component for forest functioning. By consuming herbivores, they can be effective top-down regulators of potential pest species. Tree mixtures are generally expected to have larger predator and parasitoid populations compared to monocultures. This assumption is based on the “enemies” hypothesis, a classical ecological concept predicting a positive relationship between plant diversity (and complexity) and natural enemies, which, in turn, should increase top-down control in more diverse environments. However, the “enemies” hypothesis has mostly been tested and supported in relatively simple agricultural ecosystems. Until recently, research in forests was sparse. We summarize the upcoming knowledge-base for forests and identify forest characteristics likely shaping relationships between tree diversity, natural enemies (abundance, species richness, diversity), and top-down control. We further identify possible implications for mixed species forestry and key knowledge gaps. Recent Findings Tree diversity (almost exclusively quantified as tree species richness) does not consistently increase enemy abundance, diversity, or result in herbivore control. Tests of the “enemies” hypothesis are largely based on aboveground natural enemies (mainly generalists) and have highly variable outcomes across taxa and study systems, sometimes even finding a decrease in predator diversity with increasing tree diversity. Recurrent effects of tree species identity and composition indicate that a closer focus on tree functional and phylogenetic diversity might help to foster a mechanistic understanding of the specific circumstances under which tree diversity can promote top-down control. Summary Our review suggests that the “enemies” hypothesis may not unambiguously apply to forests. With trees as structurally complex organisms, even low-diversity forests can maintain a high degree of habitat heterogeneity and may provide niches for many predator and parasitoid species, possibly blurring correlations between tree and natural enemy diversity. Several further factors, such as latitude, identity effects, intraguild predation, or functional and phylogenetic components of biodiversity, may confound the predictions of the “enemies” hypothesis. We identify topics needing more research to fully understand under which conditions tree diversity increases natural enemy diversity and top-down control—knowledge that will be crucial for forest management.

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Section: Spiderssupporting

confidence: 86%

The Influence of Tree Diversity on Natural Enemies—a Review of the “Enemies” Hypothesis in Forests

Staab

Schuldt

2020

Curr Forestry Rep

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“…Host specificity among herbivores arises from interspecific differences in tree morphology, physiology, and phenology, with adaptations to these becoming increasingly host species-specific over time 10 , 26 . From the assemblage composition analyses, and similar to previous work 27 , we suggest that arthropod specialization towards different tree species does not seem to be restricted only to folivores, but might also shift beyond lower trophic levels to include predatory arthropods 28 . Also, the assemblages of herbivores and predators, along with the ants, but not detritivores or tourists, were strongly explained by host same-species cover (the canopy cover of tree species similar to focal tree species within a plot).…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 85%

Tree canopy arthropods have idiosyncratic responses to plant ecophysiological traits in a warm temperate forest complex

Swart

Samways

Roets

2020

Sci Rep

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Biodiversity studies on forest canopies often have narrow arthropod taxonomic focus, or refer to a single species of tree. In response, and to better understand the wide range of drivers of arthropod diversity in tree canopies, we conducted a large-scale, multi-taxon study which (a) included effect of immediate surroundings of an individual tree on plant physiological features, and (b), how these features affect compositional and functional arthropod diversity, in a warm, southern Afro-temperate forest. We found that tree species differed significantly in plant physiological features and arthropod diversity patterns. Surprisingly, we found negative correlation between surrounding canopy cover, and both foliar carbon and arthropod diversity in host trees, regardless of tree species. Subtle, tree intraspecific variation in physiological features correlated significantly with arthropod diversity measures, but direction and strength of correlations differed among tree species. These findings illustrate great complexity in how canopy arthropods respond to specific tree species, to immediate surroundings of host trees, and to tree physiological features. We conclude that in natural forests, loss of even one tree species, as well as homogenization of the crown layer and/or human-induced environmental change, could lead to profound and unpredictable canopy arthropod biodiversity responses, threatening forest integrity.

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“…volatile organic compounds, induced defences, Zakir et al., ) or other processes independent of leaf traits (e.g. top–down control by predators, Esquivel‐Gómez, Abdala‐Roberts, Pinkus‐Rendón, & Parra‐Tabla, ; Moreira, Mooney, et al., ; Muiruri, Rainio, & Koricheva, ) could account for the effect of neighbour diversity and identity on insect herbivory. This is in accordance with the results of a previous study using the same experimental design but focusing on oak ( Q. robur , Castagneyrol et al., ) which showed that despite clear effects of tree neighbours on leaf traits, traits poorly explained variation in leaf insect herbivory (Castagneyrol et al., ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Anti‐herbivore defences and insect herbivory: Interactive effects of drought and tree neighbours

2018

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1. How much a plant is attacked by insect herbivores likely depends on its apparency and ability to produce defensive traits, which may be modified by neighbouring plants and abiotic conditions. Yet, how much the direct and trait-mediated effects of neighbours on herbivory is modified by abiotic factors is still unknown.2. By using a tree diversity experiment in SW France, we measured leaf insect herbivory (chewers and miners), nutritional quality (water content, C/N ratio, sugar and starch content) and chemical defences (total polyphenolics and condensed tannins) on birch (Betula pendula) trees growing in monocultures and mixtures with oak, pine or both species. We alleviated water stress by irrigating trees in half of the plots while trees remained unwatered (i.e. drought-stressed) in the other half.3. Overall, insect herbivory was higher among heterospecific neighbours, which corresponds to associational susceptibility. Consistent with this finding, leaves had lower amount of anti-herbivore defences among heterospecific neighbours. In turn, insects caused more damage in drought-stressed conditions, but such effect was independent of leaf chemistry. We also found that the effect of tree species diversity on herbivory was contingent of drought conditions as associational susceptibility only occurred in drought-stressed trees. The independent and interactive effects of neighbour diversity and irrigation on leaf herbivory remained significant after accounting for birch apparency and leaf chemistry, suggesting that unmeasured plant traits or some other mechanisms not associated with plant trait variation and apparency might be involved in the observed herbivory patterns. 4.Synthesis. By demonstrating that associational effects are contingent upon abiotic constraints, we bring new insights into our understanding of the mechanisms driving diversity-resistance relationships across climatic gradients. K E Y W O R D S associational effects, Betula pendula, biodiversity, chewers, forest, insect herbivory, miners, ORPHEE experiment 2044 | Journal of Ecology CASTAGNEYROL ET AL.

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Effects of tree species diversity on a community of weaver spiders in a tropical forest plantation

Cited by 20 publications

References 54 publications

The Influence of Tree Diversity on Natural Enemies—a Review of the “Enemies” Hypothesis in Forests

The Influence of Tree Diversity on Natural Enemies—a Review of the “Enemies” Hypothesis in Forests

Tree canopy arthropods have idiosyncratic responses to plant ecophysiological traits in a warm temperate forest complex

Anti‐herbivore defences and insect herbivory: Interactive effects of drought and tree neighbours

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