Spatio-temporal variation of Cerambycidae-host tree interaction networks

Abstract

Despite its high ecological importance, the commensal interactions at community level are poorly studied. In tropical dry forests (TDF) there is a great diversity of species adapted to the high seasonality that characterizes them; however, little is known regarding how the spatial and temporal availability of resources generates changes in the pattern of commensal interactions. We experimentally studied changes in the diversity, composition, and pattern of interactions in spatio-temporal associations between the saproxylophagous beetles and their host trees in a TDF in Morelos, Mexico. A total of 65 host tree species were selected, from which 16 wood sections were obtained per species. These sections were exposed in the field to allow oviposition by the cerambycids under four different (spatio-temporal) treatments. We analyzed the network structure and generated indices at species level (i.e., specialization, species strength, and effective partners) and those related to physical characteristics of the wood (hardness and degradation rate) and the cerambycids (body size). In total, 1,323 individuals of 57 species of cerambycids emerged. Our results showed that, independently of the space and time, the network presented a nested and modular structure, with a high specialization degree and a high turnover of cerambycid species and their interactions. In general, we found that the cerambycids are mostly associated with softwood species with a lower decomposition rate of wood, as well as with the most abundant host species. The commensalistic interactions between the cerambycids and their host trees are highly specialized but are not spatio-temporally static. The high turnover in the interactions is caused by the emergence patterns of cerambycids, which seem to restrict their use to certain species. The knowledge of the spatio-temporal variation in Cerambycidae-host tree interactions allows us to predict how environmental and structural changes in the habitat can modify the species ensemble, and therefore its interactions. OPEN ACCESS Citation: Ramos-Robles M, Vargas-Cardoso OR, Corona-López AM, Flores-Palacios A, Toledo-Hernández VH (2020) Spatio-temporal variation of Cerambycidae-host tree interaction networks. PLoS ONE 15(2): e0228880. https://doi.org/ 10.Data Availability Statement: All relevant data are within the manuscript and its Supporting Information files.develop in highly seasonal climates, which generates abiotic conditions that are more stressful than those of the tropical rain forests [3]. The climatic seasonality of the TDF determines the variation in the spatial and temporal availability of the resources (e.g., food and water) and thus generates changes in the abundance, richness, composition, and interactions of the species [4,5]. Part of the biota of the TDF can survive the drought because they present resting cycles below ground (e.g., hemicryptophyte and cryptophyte plants), or remain active in chambers that provide them with suitable conditions to continue growth, such as in the case of the sapro...

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