Sensitivity and Threat in High-Elevation Rainforests: Outcomes and Consequences of the IBISCA-Queensland Project

Kitching, R. L.; Ashton, Louise; Burwell, Christopher James; Boulter, Sarah; Greenslade, Penelop; Laidlaw, Melinda J.; Lambkin, Christine L.; Maunsell, Sarah C.; Nakamura, Akihiro; Ødegaard, Frode

doi:10.1007/978-1-4614-7161-5_13

Cited by 7 publications

(6 citation statements)

References 5 publications

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“…We found, however, gradual rather than blocked altitudinal turnover with a clear separation only between lowland (300 and 500 m asl) and upland (900 and 1100 m asl) assemblages, rather than the distinct assemblages at each altitude seen in other insect taxa examined in the adjacent IBISCA‐Queensland transect (ants, moths and beetles: summarised in Kitching et al . ). Keeping in mind that our study used the same altitudes and experimental design, this contrast may reflect the higher trophic level and unique life history of parasitic Hymenoptera.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 97%

Altitudinal variation of parasitic Hymenoptera assemblages in Australian subtropical rainforest

et al. 2014

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Patterns of species assemblages along altitudinal gradients provide insights into ecological patterns and processes. Parasitoids play an important role in ecosystems, yet there are few studies on parasitoid assemblages, partly because of difficulty in identification of parasitoids to species or their surrogates, morphospecies. The aim of this study is to assess differences in assemblages of parasitic Hymenoptera along an altitudinal gradient at both the family and morphospecies level, and the potential of environmental variables for explaining these differences. We sampled from four replicate sites at each of five elevations (approximately 300, 500, 700, 900 and 1100 m above sea level (asl)) within continuous subtropical rainforest of the Border Ranges National Park in New South Wales, Australia. At each site, we operated a Malaise trap for 10 days in December 2011 and again in February 2012. Parasitic wasps were sorted to families, and two of the common families (Diapriidae and Ichneumonidae) were further sorted to morphospecies. At both family and morphospecies level, we found gradual altitudinal turnover with a clear separation between 'upland' (900 and 1100 m asl) and 'lowland' (300 and 500 m asl) assemblages. Unlike parallel studies of some other major taxa, we did not detect distinct assemblages at each altitude at the taxonomic resolution used. In addition, response patterns were different between the two sampling occasions. Changes in assemblage composition were best explained by either altitude or temperature. Although parasitic Hymenoptera do not respond as clearly to changes in altitude as some other taxa, the changes detected here, even at the family level, are important given the role parasitoids play in ecosystem functioning.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 97%

Altitudinal variation of parasitic Hymenoptera assemblages in Australian subtropical rainforest

et al. 2014

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“…Forest types also differ in how widespread they are, which might affect their associated ecological communities. For example, the Antarctic beech ( Nothofagus ) forest at 1100 m in Lamington National Park is a unique forest type and as such is likely to have a distinct fauna, including species characteristic of cooler forests (Laurance et al , Kitching et al ). However, no species of cavity‐nesting Hymenoptera or their parasitoids were found exclusively at higher elevations in our study, unlike other well‐studied insect taxa, including moths, which have been found to have a number of species restricted to the highest elevation in this study area (Ashton et al , Kitching et al ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Food web structure changes with elevation but not rainforest stratum

Morris

Sinclair²,

Burwell

2014

Ecography

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Changes in species richness along elevational gradients are well documented. However, little is known about how trophic interactions between species and, in particular, the food webs that these interactions comprise, change with elevation. Here we present results for the first comparison of quantitative food webs in forest understorey and canopy along an elevational gradient. Replicate quantitative food webs were constructed for assemblages involving 23 species of cavity‐nesting Hymenoptera and 12 species of their parasitoids and kleptoparasites in subtropical rainforest in Australia. A total of 1589 insects were collected using trap nests across 20 plots distributed at sites ranging from 300 to 1100 m a.s.l. Insect abundance, insect diversity and parasitism rate generally decreased with increasing elevation. Food web structure significantly changed with elevation. In particular, weighted quantitative measures of linkage density, interaction evenness, nestedness (weighted NODF) and potential for enemy mediated interactions (PAC) decreased with increasing elevation, and network specialisation (H2′) increased with increasing elevation, even after controlling for matrix size; but there was no change in weighted connectance. Changes in forest type and temperature along the elevational gradient are likely to be, at least partly, responsible for the patterns observed. We found no significant differences in insect abundance, insect diversity or parasitism rate between canopy and understorey. Furthermore, there were no differences in food web structure between strata. These results contribute further evidence to studies revealing changes in food web structure along natural environmental gradients and provide information that can potentially be used for predicting how communities may respond to climate change.

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“…1). The Australian results have been comprehensively analysed and presented in a series of papers (Ashton et al 2011(Ashton et al , 2015(Ashton et al , 2016a(Ashton et al , b, 2020Odell et al 2016;Kitching et al 2013Kitching et al , 2020a. Comparable transects were also established in south-western China (Ashton et al 2016a, b) and the French Pyrénées (Dale et al 2019).…”

Section: Elevational Transectsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Arthropods of Australia’s subtropical and tropical rainforests: rich and unique hotspots of biological diversity?

et al. 2022

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The tropical and subtropical rainforests of eastern Australia are a major component of the Forests of East Australia global hotspot. Australian rainforests are maintained orographically and are embedded within vast tracts of pyrogenic open forest and woodland. Australian tropical and subtropical forests stretch over 24° of latitude from Cape York, Queensland, to south of Sydney, New South Wales. Since European colonization in 1788 these rainforests have been reduced in extent by about 30%. The most abundant and functionally significant animal species within these forests are arthropods. These have attracted the attention of western science since before formal colonization. Through the twentieth century this focus increased and comparative biogeographic studies began to emerge. Some taxa have received much more attention than others. Selected butterflies and beetles plus economically important species stand out in this respect. From the late 1980s mass sampling approaches developed. Recent research foci have included tropical and subtropical elevational transects, latitudinally diverse multi-method one-hectare surveys, and use of canopy knockdown as a way of sampling the canopy. Important and distinct patterns reflecting latitude, altitude and vertical position have emerged. A focus on moths in remnant and elevational studies has led to the identification of indicator sets of species which may be most useful for tracking the impacts of environmental degradation and global warming. Arthropods are increasingly being nominated on lists of rare, threatened and endangered species; a range of species of insects, particularly butterflies, have been so identified in Australia but few of these are rainforest species. The vulnerable Richmond Birdwing butterfly, a species of subtropical rainforests, has become an icon of how recovery methods can be applied to invertebrate species. Regarding the entire rainforest community—microbiota, plants, vertebrates and invertebrates—as the ‘object’ to be conserved is an essential and much more realistic mindset for future conservation efforts. Most of Australia’s tropical and subtropical rainforests are held in National Parks and they are defining features of two of Australia’s largest World Heritage Areas. Growing impacts of global warming means they cannot be regarded as ‘safe’ from a conservation point of view. Increasing frequency of wildfires impinging upon rainforest areas is having a devastating effect on some of these fire-sensitive forests. Implications for insect conservation Most of Australia’s tropical and subtropical rainforests are held in National Parks and they are defining features of two of Australia’s largest World Heritage Areas. Nevertheless the growing impacts of global warming means they cannot be regarded as ‘safe’ from a conservation point of view. Increasing frequency of wildfires impinging upon rainforest areas is having a devastating effect on these fire-sensitive forests. Regarding the entire rainforest community—microbiota, plants, vertebrates and invertebrates—as the ‘object’ to be conserved is an essential and much more realistic mindset for future conservation efforts.

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Sensitivity and Threat in High-Elevation Rainforests: Outcomes and Consequences of the IBISCA-Queensland Project

Cited by 7 publications

References 5 publications

Altitudinal variation of parasitic Hymenoptera assemblages in Australian subtropical rainforest

Altitudinal variation of parasitic Hymenoptera assemblages in Australian subtropical rainforest

Food web structure changes with elevation but not rainforest stratum

Arthropods of Australia’s subtropical and tropical rainforests: rich and unique hotspots of biological diversity?

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