Physiological effects of diet mixing on consumer fitness: a meta‐analysis

Lefcheck, Jonathan S.; Whalen, Matthew A.; Davenport, Theresa M.; Stone, Joshua P.; Duffy, J. Emmett

doi:10.1890/12-0192.1

Cited by 92 publications

(148 citation statements)

References 40 publications

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“…This can be explained by the opposite effects of tree richness on herbivory and pathogen damage (see also Hantsch et al., 2014; Schuldt et al., 2010, 2015). Herbivore assemblages in our study system are dominated by generalists (Zhang et al., 2017), which can benefit from the diversity of resources available in more diverse tree communities (Lefcheck, Whalen, Davenport, Stone, & Duffy, 2013; Zhang et al., 2017). In contrast, most foliar fungal pathogens are highly host‐specific and their passive mode of dispersal makes them dependent on the density of suitable hosts in their surroundings (Hantsch et al., 2014), which is highest in monocultures and decreases with increasing tree species richness.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Herbivore and pathogen effects on tree growth are additive, but mediated by tree diversity and plant traits

Schuldt

Hönig

Liu

et al. 2017

Ecology and Evolution

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Herbivores and fungal pathogens are key drivers of plant community composition and functioning. The effects of herbivores and pathogens are mediated by the diversity and functional characteristics of their host plants. However, the combined effects of herbivory and pathogen damage, and their consequences for plant performance, have not yet been addressed in the context of biodiversity–ecosystem functioning research. We analyzed the relationships between herbivory, fungal pathogen damage and their effects on tree growth in a large‐scale forest‐biodiversity experiment. Moreover, we tested whether variation in leaf trait and climatic niche characteristics among tree species influenced these relationships. We found significant positive effects of herbivory on pathogen damage, and vice versa. These effects were attenuated by tree species richness—because herbivory increased and pathogen damage decreased with increasing richness—and were most pronounced for species with soft leaves and narrow climatic niches. However, herbivory and pathogens had contrasting, independent effects on tree growth, with pathogens decreasing and herbivory increasing growth. The positive herbivory effects indicate that trees might be able to (over‐)compensate for local damage at the level of the whole tree. Nevertheless, we found a dependence of these effects on richness, leaf traits and climatic niche characteristics of the tree species. This could mean that the ability for compensation is influenced by both biodiversity loss and tree species identity—including effects of larger‐scale climatic adaptations that have been rarely considered in this context. Our results suggest that herbivory and pathogens have additive but contrasting effects on tree growth. Considering effects of both herbivory and pathogens may thus help to better understand the net effects of damage on tree performance in communities differing in diversity. Moreover, our study shows how species richness and species characteristics (leaf traits and climatic niches) can modify tree growth responses to leaf damage under real‐world conditions.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Herbivore and pathogen effects on tree growth are additive, but mediated by tree diversity and plant traits

Schuldt

Hönig

Liu

et al. 2017

Ecology and Evolution

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“…Alfalfa crops seem to act as a habitatisland surrounded by unsuitable habitat for Little Bustards, such as fruit-tree orchard and ploughs (Silva et al 2004), hence a decrease in the surface of alfalfa or isolation from each other could entail the abandonment of the area by the Little Bustard (Saunders et al 1991, Brotons et al 2004, as has been recently described by Morales et al (2015) for the Tagus valley. Second, the benefits of a diverse diet on the fitness, growth, or survivorship has been reported for several species, particularly herbivorous ones (Lefcheck et al 2013) so it is likely that a narrow diet composed mainly of alfalfa does not meet the complete range of nutrients needed by Little Bustards. In fact, as stated above, our results suggests that, even in alfalfa-dominated areas, a high proportion of weeds are included in the diet, suggesting that the Little Bustard needs to equilibrate their winter diet with a variety of plants.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Diet composition of a declining steppe bird the Little Bustard (Tetrax tetrax) in relation to farming practices

Bravo¹,

Cuscó²,

Morales³

et al. 2017

ACE

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ABSTRACT. Foraging strategies and diet selection play an essential role in individual survival and reproductive success. The study of feeding ecology becomes crucial when it concerns endangered species such as the Little Bustard (Tetrax tetrax), whose populations are suffering strong declines as a consequence of agricultural intensification. Despite the fact that several populations are overwintering in areas affected by agricultural transformation, nothing is known about how feeding behavior responds to these changes. We studied for the first time the winter diet composition of the Little Bustard in Spain and compared it between areas with two different farming systems: dry and irrigated farmland. Diet was studied through the micro-histological analysis of 357 droppings collected in 16 locations across the wintering range of the Little Bustard in Spain. Up to 62 plant species were identified. Most consumed species were cultivated legumes (46.7%) and dicotyledon weeds (45.6%), while monocotyledons were scarcely consumed (7.7%). Diet composition differed significantly between dry and irrigated farmland areas. In irrigated areas, diet was mainly composed of legumes, in particular alfalfa (Medicago sativa). In contrast, in dry farmland areas diet was more diverse, composed mainly of weeds (Compositae, Papaveraceae, and Cruciferae) and also cultivated legumes, particularly vetch (Vicia sativa). These results suggest that legume crops could be an effective measure to improve habitat quality in areas with scarce food resources. However, in the case of irrigated areas, the strong reliance on alfalfa could make the Little Bustard more vulnerable to changes in land use. This study is the first step to understand the winter trophic requirements of the endangered Little Bustard, but further research is necessary to understand the food requirements of this species during the entire annual cycle.Régime alimentaire d'un oiseau de steppe en diminution, l'Outarde canepetière (Tetrax tetrax), en lien avec les pratiques agricoles RÉSUMÉ. Les stratégies d'alimentation et le choix du régime alimentaire jouent un rôle essentiel dans la survie et le succès reproducteur d'un individu. L'étude de l'écologie alimentaire revêt une importance cruciale lorsqu'il s'agit d'une espèce en voie de disparition telle que l'Outarde canepetière (Tetrax tetrax), dont les populations subissent des diminutions très marquées en raison de l'intensification des pratiques agricoles. Malgré le fait que plusieurs populations hivernent dans des endroits où se produisent des changements agricoles, on ne sait pas comment les oiseaux adaptent leur comportement alimentaire face à ces changements. Nous avons étudié pour la première fois la composition du régime alimentaire hivernal de l'Outarde canepetière en Espagne, et l'avons comparée dans deux systèmes agricoles : des terres cultivées sèches ou irriguées. Le régime alimentaire a été examiné au moyen de l'analyse micro-histologique de 357 fèces récoltées sur 16 sites répartis dans l'aire d'hivernage de l'outar...

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“…A decrease in producer diversity caused by eutrophication may result in reduced consumer diversity32, giving rise to a feedback loop of extinction across various trophic levels which may compromise the ability of these systems to retain their biodiversity. Thus, interactions between consumer species richness and resources have severe implications for ecosystems’ functioning and for conservation planning.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Consumer species richness and nutrients interact in determining producer diversity

Groendahl

Fink

2017

Sci Rep

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While it is crucial to understand the factors that determine the biodiversity of primary producer communities, the relative importance of bottom-up and top-down control factors is still poorly understood. Using freshwater benthic algal communities in the laboratory as a model system, we find an unimodal relationship between nutrient availability and producer diversity, and that increasing number of consumer species increases producer diversity, but overall grazing decreases algal biodiversity. Interestingly, these two factors interact strongly in determining producer diversity, as an increase in nutrient supply diminishes the positive effect of consumer species richness on producer biodiversity. This novel and thus-far overlooked interaction of bottom-up and top-down control mechanisms of biodiversity may have a pronounced impact on ecosystem functioning and thus have repercussions for the fields of biodiversity conservation and restoration.

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Physiological effects of diet mixing on consumer fitness: a meta‐analysis

Cited by 92 publications

References 40 publications

Herbivore and pathogen effects on tree growth are additive, but mediated by tree diversity and plant traits

Herbivore and pathogen effects on tree growth are additive, but mediated by tree diversity and plant traits

Diet composition of a declining steppe bird the Little Bustard (Tetrax tetrax) in relation to farming practices

Consumer species richness and nutrients interact in determining producer diversity

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