Habitat structure mediates top–down effects of spiders and ants on herbivores

Sanders, Dirk; Nickel, Herbert; Grützner, Thomas; Platner, Christian

doi:10.1016/j.baae.2007.01.003

Cited by 59 publications

(33 citation statements)

References 33 publications

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“…It has long been noticed that, as the habitat complexity increased, more refuges can be used by herbivores, which leads to reduced prey capture rates (Crowder & Cooper 1982). For example, when plants were cut to a simplified structure, the top-down effect of ants and spiders on herbivores became weaker (Sanders, Nickel, Grutzner, & Platner 2008). Furthermore, the reward quality and quantity of plants for ants can vary with the size of the plant/branch (Miller 2014), which can lead to different ant-herbivore-plant interactions.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mixed effects of ant–aphid mutualism on plants across different spatial scales

Zhang

2015

Basic and Applied Ecology

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mixed effects of ant–aphid mutualism on plants across different spatial scales

Zhang

2015

Basic and Applied Ecology

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“…Vegetation structure was, compared to plant species diversity or plant composition, a better variable to predict the distribution of the spider. As found by Sanders et al (2008), vegetation height negatively affected the presence of A. bruennichi. The importance of vegetation structure for spiders (McNett and Rypstra 2000;Rypstra and Carter 1995) as well as for arthropods in general (e.g., Perner et al 2005) is well supported.…”

Section: Bottom-up Effectsmentioning

confidence: 63%

“…Species abundance in local communities is the result of a combination of bottom-up and top-down forces, however studies considering both effects simultaneously are much rarer than those focussing on a single direction (Walker and Jones 2001). For example, spider abundance is often seen as bottom-up regulated by prey availability (e.g., Greenstone 1984;Halaj, Ross, & Moldenke 1998;Harwood, Sunderland, & Symondson 2001), or in the specific case of web-building spiders by the physical structure of the vegetation (Halaj et al 1998;McNett and Rypstra 2000;Pearson 2009;Rypstra and Carter 1995;Sanders, Nickel, Grutzner, & Platner 2008;Topping and Lövei 1997). Spiders are also preyed upon by a variety of natural enemies (Foelix 2010), but surprisingly the contribution of top-down processes to their regulation has rarely been assessed (e.g., Askenmo, von Broemssen, Eckman, & Jansson 1977;Spiller and Schoener 1994).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Direct and indirect bottom-up and top-down forces shape the abundance of the orb-web spider Argiope bruennichi

Bruggisser

Sandau

Blandenier

et al. 2012

Basic and Applied Ecology

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Species abundance in local communities is determined by bottom-up and top-down processes, which can act directly and indirectly on the focal species. Studies examining these effects simultaneously are rare. Here we explore the direct top-down and direct and indirect bottom-up forces regulating the abundance and predation success of an intermediate predator, the webbuilding spider Argiope bruennichi (Araneae: Araneidae). We manipulated plant diversity (2, 6, 12 or 20 sown species) in 9 wildflower strips in a region of intensive farmland. To identify the major factors regulating the distribution and abundance of A. bruennichi, we quantified three characteristics of vegetation (species diversity, composition and vegetation structure) as well as the spider's prey community and natural enemies. The distribution and abundance of A. bruennichi was regulated by combined bottom-up and top-down processes as well as by direct and indirect interactions between trophic levels. Four main factors were identified: (1) the strong direct effect of vegetation structure, (2) the positive effect of plant species diversity, which affected spider abundance directly and indirectly through increased densities and size of flower-visiting prey species, (3) the positive or negative direct effects of different plant species, and (4) the strongly negative direct effect of predacious hornets. The advantage of taking a global approach to understand the regulation of species abundance is highlighted first by the quantification of the relative importance of factors, with a surprisingly strong effect of hornet predators, and second by the discovery of a direct effect of plant diversity, which raises intriguing questions about habitat selection by this spider. ZusammenfassungDie Abundanz einer Art in einer lokalen Gemeinschaft wird durch bottom-up-und top-down-Prozesse bestimmt, die direkt oder indirekt auf die betrachtete Art wirken können. Studien, die beide Effekte gleichzeitig untersuchen, sind selten. Hier untersuchen wir die direkten top-down-und die direkten und indirekten bottom-up-Effekte, die die Abundanz und den Fangerfolg der Radnetzspinne Argiope bruennichi (Araneae: Araneidae) bestimmen. Wir manipulierten die Pflanzendiversität (2, 6, 12 bzw. 20 ausgesäte Arten) in neun Blühstreifen in einer Region mit intensiver landwirtschaftlicher Nutzung. Um die wichtigsten Faktoren, die die Verteilung und Abundanz von A. bruennichi bestimmten, zu identifizieren, quantifizierten wir drei Eigenschaften der Vegetation (Artendiversität, Zusammensetzung und Struktur der Vegetation) sowie das Beutespektrum der Spinne und 1 Published in Basic and Applied Ecology 13, issue 8, 706-714, 2012 which should be used for any reference to this work ihre natürlichen Feinde. Die Verteilung und Abundanz von A. bruennichi wurde von kombinierten bottom-up-und top-down-Prozessen sowie durch direkte und indirekte Interaktionen zwischen den trophischen Ebenen gesteuert. Vier Hauptfaktoren wurden identifiziert: (1) der starke direkte Einfluss der Vegetationsst...

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“…This effect is also observed in their natural enemies (Halaj et al, 2000a, b;Ribas et al, 2003;Sperber et al, 2004;Sanders et al, 2008), even though some studies have failed to find this relationship (Riihimaki et al, 2005;Vehvilainen et al, 2008). Conversely, even though the diversity of natural enemies increase, large plants can provide herbivores with more enemy-free space due to their size and architectural complexity (Lawton, 1983;Jeffries and Lawton, 1984;Heisswolf et al, 2005;Obermaier et al, 2008).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 83%

“…Several studies have shown a positive relationship between the structural complexity of vegetation and diversity of predators (Halaj et al, 2000a, b;Klein et al, 2002;Ribas et al, 2003;Souza 2007;Sanders et al, 2008). Souza and Martins (2005) in a study using artificial branches concluded that the architecture of the branches is the most important factor that determines the abundance of spiders associated with plants.…”

Section: Response Variablementioning

confidence: 99%

Vertical stratification and effect of petiole and dry leaf size on arthropod feeding guilds in Cecropia pachystachya(Urticaceae)

et al. 2015

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This study aimed to test for vertical stratification and the effects of dry leaf size on herbivore and predator arthropods and petiole length on insect borers in Cecropia pachystachya. The leaves were sampled in three strata: attached to the plant, suspended on the vegetation and on the ground. We detected vertical stratification only in the guild of predator arthropods associated with dry leaves, with lower richness and abundance in the attached stratum. In addition, larger leaves positively affected the insect herbivore fauna, whereas the richness and abundance of insect borers increased with petiole length. The greater isolation of leaves attached to trees relative to the surrounding vegetation likely creates greater difficulty for dispersal and colonization by non-winged predators such as spiders. Larger dry leaves provide more shelter against predators and climate variations for insect herbivores. Moreover, larger petioles increase the availability of resources and nesting sites for insect borers. These results are consistent with other studies that found a similarity in the structure of feeding guilds across vertical strata and with studies that showed an increase in species richness and abundance of free-feeding insect herbivores with increasing structural complexity of their host.Keywords: insect herbivores, bark beetles, predators, habitat complexity, resource availability.Estratificação vertical e efeito do tamanho de pecíolos e folhas secas de Cecropia pachystachya sobre guildas alimentares de artrópodes (Urticaceae) ResumoOs objetivos do presente trabalho foram testar as hipóteses de que existe estratificação vertical e efeito do tamanho de folhas secas de Cecropia pachystachya sobre artrópodes herbívoros e predadores, e efeito do tamanho dos pecíolos sobre insetos brocadores. As folhas foram amostradas em três estratos: presas à planta, caídas sobre a vegetação e no solo. Foi verificada estratificação vertical apenas para os artrópodes predadores, com menor riqueza e abundância no estrato presa. Além disso, folhas maiores afetam positivamente a fauna de insetos herbívoros, enquanto que a riqueza e abundância de brocadores aumentam com o tamanho do pecíolo. O maior isolamento das folhas presas em relação à vegetação do entorno provavelmente determina maior dificuldade de dispersão e colonização por predadores não alados, como aranhas. Folhas secas maiores oferecem maiores áreas de refúgio e abrigo contra predadores e variações climáticas para insetos herbívoros. Além disso, maiores pecíolos aumentam a disponibilidade de alimento e locais para nidificação dos insetos brocadores. Estes resultados são consistentes com estudos que encontraram uma similaridade na estrutura de guildas alimentares entre estratos verticais. Corroboram também estudos que mostram o aumento da riqueza e abundância de insetos herbívoros de vida livre com o aumento da complexidade estrutural do hospedeiro.Palavras-chave: insetos herbívoros, brocadores, predadores, complexidade do habitat, disponibilidade de recurso.

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Habitat structure mediates top–down effects of spiders and ants on herbivores

Cited by 59 publications

References 33 publications

Mixed effects of ant–aphid mutualism on plants across different spatial scales

Mixed effects of ant–aphid mutualism on plants across different spatial scales

Direct and indirect bottom-up and top-down forces shape the abundance of the orb-web spider Argiope bruennichi

Vertical stratification and effect of petiole and dry leaf size on arthropod feeding guilds in Cecropia pachystachya(Urticaceae)

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