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Eisenring M, Gessler A, Frei ER, Glauser G, Kammerer B, Moor M, Perret-Gentil A, Wohlgemuth T, Gossner MM. Legacy effects of premature defoliation in response to an extreme drought event modulate phytochemical profiles with subtle consequences for leaf herbivory in European beech. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2024; 242:2495-2509. [PMID: 38641748 DOI: 10.1111/nph.19721] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2023] [Accepted: 03/13/2024] [Indexed: 04/21/2024]
Abstract
Extreme droughts can have long-lasting effects on forest community dynamics and species interactions. Yet, our understanding of how drought legacy modulates ecological relationships is just unfolding. We tested the hypothesis that leaf chemistry and herbivory show long-term responses to premature defoliation caused by an extreme drought event in European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.). For two consecutive years after the extreme European summer drought in 2018, we collected leaves from the upper and lower canopy of adjacently growing drought-stressed and unstressed trees. Leaf chemistry was analyzed and leaf damage by different herbivore-feeding guilds was quantified. We found that drought had lasting impacts on leaf nutrients and on specialized metabolomic profiles. However, drought did not affect the primary metabolome. Drought-related phytochemical changes affected damage of leaf-chewing herbivores whereas damage caused by other herbivore-feeding guilds was largely unaffected. Drought legacy effects on phytochemistry and herbivory were often weaker than between-year or between-canopy strata variability. Our findings suggest that a single extreme drought event bears the potential to long-lastingly affect tree-herbivore interactions. Drought legacy effects likely become more important in modulating tree-herbivore interactions since drought frequency and severity are projected to globally increase in the coming decades.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Eisenring
- Forest Health & Biotic Interactions, Swiss Federal Research Institute WSL, Birmensdorf, 8903, Switzerland
| | - Arthur Gessler
- Department of Environmental Systems Science, Institute of Terrestrial Ecosystems, ETH Zurich, Zürich, 8092, Switzerland
- Forest Dynamics, Swiss Federal Research Institute WSL, Birmensdorf, 8903, Switzerland
| | - Esther R Frei
- Forest Dynamics, Swiss Federal Research Institute WSL, Birmensdorf, 8903, Switzerland
- WSL Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research SLF, Flüelastrasse 11, Davos, 7260, Switzerland
- Climate Change and Extremes in Alpine Regions Research Centre CERC, Davos, 7260, Switzerland
| | - Gaétan Glauser
- Neuchâtel Platform of Analytical Chemistry, University of Neuchâtel, Neuchâtel, 2000, Switzerland
| | - Bernd Kammerer
- Core Facility Metabolomics, Albert-Ludwigs-University Freiburg, Freiburg, 79014, Germany
| | - Maurice Moor
- Forest Health & Biotic Interactions, Swiss Federal Research Institute WSL, Birmensdorf, 8903, Switzerland
| | - Anouchka Perret-Gentil
- Forest Health & Biotic Interactions, Swiss Federal Research Institute WSL, Birmensdorf, 8903, Switzerland
| | - Thomas Wohlgemuth
- Forest Dynamics, Swiss Federal Research Institute WSL, Birmensdorf, 8903, Switzerland
| | - Martin M Gossner
- Forest Health & Biotic Interactions, Swiss Federal Research Institute WSL, Birmensdorf, 8903, Switzerland
- Department of Environmental Systems Science, Institute of Terrestrial Ecosystems, ETH Zurich, Zürich, 8092, Switzerland
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Defoliation-induced changes in foliage quality may trigger broad-scale insect outbreaks. Commun Biol 2022; 5:463. [PMID: 35577895 PMCID: PMC9110339 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-022-03407-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2021] [Accepted: 04/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Top-down effects, like predation, are drivers of insect outbreaks, but bottom-up effects, like host nutritional quality, also influence outbreaks and could in turn be altered by insect-caused defoliation. We evaluated the prediction that herbivory leads to a positive feedback on outbreak severity as nutrient concentration in plant tissues increases through improved soil nutrient availability from frass and litter deposition. Over seven years of a spruce budworm outbreak, we quantified litter nutrient fluxes, soil nitrogen availability, and host tree foliar nutrient status along a forest susceptibility gradient. As the outbreak progressed, both soil nutrient fluxes and availability increased which, in turn, improved foliage quality in surviving host trees. This is consistent with boosted insect fitness and increased population density and defoliation as outbreaks grow. Our results suggest that a positive bottom-up feedback to forest ecosystems from defoliation may result in conditions favorable to self-amplifying population dynamics in insect herbivores that can contribute to driving broad-scale outbreaks. Progression of a spruce budworm outbreak over seven years is associated with increased soil nutrient fluxes and availability and improved foliage quality in surviving host trees. This could create a bottom-up feedback that sustains an insect outbreak.
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Reese Naesborg R, Lau MK, Michalet R, Williams CB, Whitham TG. Tree genotypes affect rock lichens and understory plants: examples of trophic-independent interactions. Ecology 2021; 103:e03589. [PMID: 34787902 PMCID: PMC9285738 DOI: 10.1002/ecy.3589] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2021] [Revised: 07/29/2021] [Accepted: 08/24/2021] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
Genetic variation in foundation tree species can strongly influence communities of trophic‐dependent organisms, such as herbivorous insects, pollinators, and mycorrhizal fungi. However, the extent and manner in which this variation results in unexpected interactions that reach trophic‐independent organisms remains poorly understood, even though these interactions are essential to understanding complex ecosystems. In pinyon–juniper woodland at Sunset Crater (Arizona, USA), we studied pinyon (Pinus edulis) that were either resistant or susceptible to stem‐boring moths (Dioryctria albovittella). Moth herbivory alters the architecture of susceptible trees, thereby modifying the microhabitat beneath their crowns. We tested the hypothesis that this interaction between herbivore and tree genotype extends to affect trophic‐independent communities of saxicolous (i.e., growing on rocks) lichens and bryophytes and vascular plants beneath their crowns. Under 30 pairs of moth‐resistant and moth‐susceptible trees, we estimated percent cover of lichens, bryophytes, and vascular plants. We also quantified the cover of leaf litter and rocks as well as light availability. Four major findings emerged. (1) Compared to moth‐resistant trees, which exhibited monopodial architecture, the microhabitat under the shrub‐like susceptible trees was 60% darker and had 21% more litter resulting in 68% less rock exposure. (2) Susceptible trees had 56% and 87% less cover, 42% and 80% less richness, and 38% and 92% less diversity of saxicolous and plant communities, respectively, compared to resistant trees. (3) Both saxicolous and plant species accumulated at a slower rate beneath susceptible trees, suggesting an environment that might inhibit colonization and/or growth. (4) Both saxicolous and plant communities were negatively affected by the habitat provided by susceptible trees. The results suggest that herbivory of moth‐susceptible trees generated litter at high enough rates to reduce rock substrate availability, thereby suppressing the saxicolous communities. However, our results did not provide a causal pathway explaining the suppression of vascular plants. Nonetheless, the cascading effects of genetic variation in pinyon appear to extend beyond trophic‐dependent moths to include trophic‐independent saxicolous and vascular plant communities that are affected by specific tree–herbivore interactions that modify the local environment. We suggest that such genetically based interactions are common in nature and contribute to the evolution of complex communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rikke Reese Naesborg
- Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, Arizona, 86011, USA
| | - Matthew K Lau
- Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, Arizona, 86011, USA
| | - Richard Michalet
- UMR 5805 EPOC, University of Bordeaux, Avenue des Facultés, Talence Cedax, 33405, France
| | - Cameron B Williams
- Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, Arizona, 86011, USA
| | - Thomas G Whitham
- Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, Arizona, 86011, USA.,Center for Adaptable Western Landscapes, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, Arizona, 86011, USA
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Woodman SG, Khoury S, Fournier RE, Emilson EJS, Gunn JM, Rusak JA, Tanentzap AJ. Forest defoliator outbreaks alter nutrient cycling in northern waters. Nat Commun 2021; 12:6355. [PMID: 34732733 PMCID: PMC8566564 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-26666-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2021] [Accepted: 10/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Insect defoliators alter biogeochemical cycles from land into receiving waters by consuming terrestrial biomass and releasing biolabile frass. Here, we related insect outbreaks to water chemistry across 12 boreal lake catchments over 32-years. We report, on average, 27% lower dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and 112% higher dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) concentrations in lake waters when defoliators covered entire catchments and reduced leaf area. DOC reductions reached 32% when deciduous stands dominated. Within-year changes in DOC from insect outbreaks exceeded 86% of between-year trends across a larger dataset of 266 boreal and north temperate lakes from 1990 to 2016. Similarly, within-year increases in DIN from insect outbreaks exceeded local, between-year changes in DIN by 12-times, on average. As insect defoliator outbreaks occur at least every 5 years across a wider 439,661 km2 boreal ecozone of Ontario, we suggest they are an underappreciated driver of biogeochemical cycles in forest catchments of this region.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samuel G. Woodman
- grid.5335.00000000121885934Ecosystems and Global Change Group, Department of Plant Sciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK CB2 3EA
| | - Sacha Khoury
- grid.5335.00000000121885934Forest Ecology and Conservation Group, University of Cambridge Conservation Research Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK CB2 3QZ
| | - Ronald E. Fournier
- grid.202033.00000 0001 2295 5236Natural Resources Canada, Canadian Forest Service, Great Lakes Forestry Centre, 1219 Queen St. E, Sault Ste. Marie, ON Canada P6A 2E5
| | - Erik J. S. Emilson
- grid.202033.00000 0001 2295 5236Natural Resources Canada, Canadian Forest Service, Great Lakes Forestry Centre, 1219 Queen St. E, Sault Ste. Marie, ON Canada P6A 2E5
| | - John M. Gunn
- grid.258970.10000 0004 0469 5874Cooperative Freshwater Ecology Unit, Vale Living with Lakes Centre, Laurentian University, 935 Ramsey Lake Road, Sudbury, ON Canada P3E 2C6
| | - James A. Rusak
- grid.419892.f0000 0004 0406 3391Dorset Environmental Science Centre, Ontario Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks, 1026 Bellwood Acres Road, Dorset, ON Canada P0A 1E0
| | - Andrew J. Tanentzap
- grid.5335.00000000121885934Ecosystems and Global Change Group, Department of Plant Sciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK CB2 3EA
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McCary MA, Schmitz OJ. Invertebrate functional traits and terrestrial nutrient cycling: Insights from a global meta-analysis. J Anim Ecol 2021; 90:1714-1726. [PMID: 33782983 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.13489] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2021] [Accepted: 03/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Functional traits are useful for characterizing variation in community and ecosystem dynamics. Most advances in trait-based ecology to date centre on plant functional traits, although there is an increasing recognition that animal traits are also key contributors to processes operating at the community or ecosystem scale. Terrestrial invertebrates are incredibly diverse and ubiquitous animals with important roles in nutrient cycling. Despite their widespread influence on ecosystem processes, we currently lack a synthetic understanding of how invertebrate functional traits affect terrestrial nutrient cycling. We present a meta-analysis of 511 paired observations from 122 papers that examined how invertebrate functional traits affected litter decomposition rates, nitrogen pools and litter C:N ratios. Based on the available data, we specifically assessed the effects of feeding mode (bioturbation, detritus shredding, detritus grazing, leaf chewing, leaf piercing, ambush predators, active hunting predators) and body size (macro- and micro-invertebrates) on nutrient cycling. The effects of invertebrates on terrestrial nutrient cycling varied according to functional trait. The inclusion of both macro- (≥2 mm) and micro-invertebrates (<2 mm) increased litter decomposition by 20% and 19%, respectively. All detritivorous feeding modes enhanced litter decomposition rates, with bioturbators, detritus shredders and detritus grazers increasing decomposition by 28%, 22% and 15%, respectively. Neither herbivore feeding mode (e.g. leaf chewers and leaf piercers) nor predator hunting mode (ambush and active hunting) affected decomposition. We also revealed that bioturbators and detritus grazers increased soil nitrogen availability by 99% and 70%, respectively, and that leaf-chewing herbivores had a weak effect on litterfall stoichiometry via reducing C:N ratios by 11%. Although functional traits might be useful predictors of ecosystem processes, our findings suggest context-dependent effects of invertebrate traits on terrestrial nutrient cycling. Detritivore functional traits (i.e. bioturbators, detritus shredders and detritus grazers) are more consistent with increased rates of nutrient cycling, whereas our currently characterized predator and herbivore traits are less predictive. Future research is needed to identify, standardize and deliberately study the impacts of invertebrate functional traits on nutrient cycling in hopes of revealing the key functional traits governing ecosystem functioning worldwide.
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Potthast K, Meyer S, Tischer A, Gleixner G, Sieburg A, Frosch T, Michalzik B. Grasshopper herbivory immediately affects element cycling but not export rates in an N‐limited grassland system. Ecosphere 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.3449] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Karin Potthast
- Institute of Geography/Chair of Soil Science Friedrich Schiller University Jena Löbdergraben 32 Jena07743Germany
| | - Stefanie Meyer
- Medical Center LMU Munich Ziemssenstraße 1 Munchen80336Germany
| | - Alexander Tischer
- Institute of Geography/Chair of Soil Science Friedrich Schiller University Jena Löbdergraben 32 Jena07743Germany
| | - Gerd Gleixner
- Research Group of Molecular Biogeochemistry MPI for Biogeochemistry Hans‐Knöll‐Straße 10 Jena07745Germany
| | - Anne Sieburg
- Leibniz Institute of Photonic Technology Jena07745Germany
| | - Torsten Frosch
- Leibniz Institute of Photonic Technology Jena07745Germany
- Institute of Physical Chemistry and Abbe Centre of Photonics Friedrich Schiller University Jena Jena07745Germany
| | - Beate Michalzik
- Institute of Geography/Chair of Soil Science Friedrich Schiller University Jena Löbdergraben 32 Jena07743Germany
- German Center for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle‐Jena‐Leipzig Leipzig Germany
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Decomposition of Herbivore-Damaged Leaves of Understory Species Growing in Oak and Pine Stands. FORESTS 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/f12030304] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
Leaves are the largest component of forest litter. Their decomposition rate depends mainly on plant species, leaf chemical composition, microorganism biodiversity, and habitat conditions. It is known that herbivory by insects can modify the chemical composition of leaves, such as through induction. The aim of this study was to determine whether the rate of leaf decomposition is related to the susceptibility of the plant species to insect feeding and how leaf damage affects this rate. For our research, we chose six species differing in leaf resistance to insect damage: Cornus sanguinea, Frangula alnus, and Sambucus nigra (herbivore resistant), and Corylus avellana, P. padus, and Prunus serotina (herbivore susceptible). The decomposition of these plant leaves was examined in two monoculture forest stands, deciduous (Quercus robur) and coniferous (Pinus sylvestris). Litter decay rate k and change of litter mass, content of defensive metabolites (total phenols (TPh) and condensed tannins), and substances beneficial for organisms decomposing litter (nitrogen (N) and nonstructural carbohydrates (TNC)) were determined. Contrary to our expectations, leaf litter of herbivore-resistant species decomposed faster than that of herbivore-susceptible species, and damaged leaves decayed faster than undamaged leaves. We found that faster decaying leaf litter had a lower content of defensive compounds and a higher content of TNC and N, regardless of the plant species or leaf damage. Leaf litter decomposition caused a large and rapid decrease in the content of defensive compounds and TNC, and an increase in N. In all species, the tannin content was lower in damaged than in undamaged leaves. This pattern was also observed for TPh, except in S. nigra. We interpret this as the main reason for faster decay of damaged leaves. Moreover, the loss of leaf mass was greater under oak than pine stands, indicating that the microorganisms in deciduous stands are more effective at decomposing litter, regardless of leaf damage.
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Addition of Olive Pomace to Feeding Substrate Affects Growth Performance and Nutritional Value of Mealworm ( Tenebrio Molitor L.) Larvae. Foods 2020; 9:foods9030317. [PMID: 32164203 PMCID: PMC7143744 DOI: 10.3390/foods9030317] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2020] [Revised: 03/06/2020] [Accepted: 03/08/2020] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
The well-recognized efficiency of Tenebrio molitor larvae to convert low quality organic matter into a nutritionally valuable biomass was exploited to manage solid wastes coming from the olive oil industry, which represent a severe environmental challenge in the Mediterranean area. Three organic pomace-enriched substrates (mixtures middlings/pomace 3:1, 1:1, and 1:3) were assessed, together with 100% organic wheat flour and 100% organic middlings as control feeds. A feeding substrate made up of 25% olive pomace and 75% wheat middlings appeared to be the best compromise between growth performance (larval and pupal weights, survival rate, development time) and nutritional properties of mealworm larvae. In fact, larvae fed the 3:1 feed showed the highest dry matter (DM) yield (38.05%), protein content (47.58% DM), and essential/non-essential amino acids ratio (1.16). Fat content (32.14% DM) and fatty acid composition were not significantly different than those of larvae fed more pomace-enriched feeds.
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Visakorpi K, Riutta T, Malhi Y, Salminen JP, Salinas N, Gripenberg S. Changes in oak (Quercus robur) photosynthesis after winter moth (Operophtera brumata) herbivory are not explained by changes in chemical or structural leaf traits. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0228157. [PMID: 31978155 PMCID: PMC6980561 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0228157] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2019] [Accepted: 01/09/2020] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Insect herbivores have the potential to change both physical and chemical traits of their host plant. Although the impacts of herbivores on their hosts have been widely studied, experiments assessing changes in multiple leaf traits or functions simultaneously are still rare. We experimentally tested whether herbivory by winter moth (Operophtera brumata) caterpillars and mechanical leaf wounding changed leaf mass per area, leaf area, leaf carbon and nitrogen content, and the concentrations of 27 polyphenol compounds on oak (Quercus robur) leaves. To investigate how potential changes in the studied traits affect leaf functioning, we related the traits to the rates of leaf photosynthesis and respiration. Overall, we did not detect any clear effects of herbivory or mechanical leaf damage on the chemical or physical leaf traits, despite clear effect of herbivory on photosynthesis. Rather, the trait variation was primarily driven by variation between individual trees. Only leaf nitrogen content and a subset of the studied polyphenol compounds correlated with photosynthesis and leaf respiration. Our results suggest that in our study system, abiotic conditions related to the growth location, variation between tree individuals, and seasonal trends in plant physiology are more important than herbivory in determining the distribution and composition of leaf chemical and structural traits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristiina Visakorpi
- Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Oxford, England, United Kingdom
- Environmental Change Institute, School of Geography and the Environment, University of Oxford, Oxford, England, United Kingdom
| | - Terhi Riutta
- Environmental Change Institute, School of Geography and the Environment, University of Oxford, Oxford, England, United Kingdom
- Department of Life Sciences, Silwood Park Campus, Imperial College London, Ascot, England, United Kingdom
| | - Yadvinder Malhi
- Environmental Change Institute, School of Geography and the Environment, University of Oxford, Oxford, England, United Kingdom
| | - Juha-Pekka Salminen
- Natural Chemistry Research Group, Department of Chemistry, University of Turku, FI Turku, Finland
| | - Norma Salinas
- Environmental Change Institute, School of Geography and the Environment, University of Oxford, Oxford, England, United Kingdom
- Seccion Química, Pontificia Universidad Católica del Peru, Lima, Peru
| | - Sofia Gripenberg
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Reading, Reading, England, United Kingdom
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Xiang H, Zhang Y, Atkinson D, Sekar R. Combined effects of water temperature, grazing snails and terrestrial herbivores on leaf decomposition in urban streams. PeerJ 2019; 7:e7580. [PMID: 31608164 PMCID: PMC6788434 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.7580] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2019] [Accepted: 07/29/2019] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The decomposition of organic matter in freshwaters, such as leaf litter, can affect global nutrient (e.g., carbon) cycling. This process can be influenced by fast urbanization through increased water temperature, reduced aquatic diversity and changed leaf litter quality traits. In this study, we performed a mesocosm experiment to explore the individual and combined effects of warming (8°C higher and ambient), the presence versus absence of grazing snails (Parafossarulus striatulus), and intraspecific difference of leaf litter quality (intact versus > 40% area of Liriodendron chinense leaves grazed by terrestrial insects) on litter decomposition in urban streams. Litter decomposition rates ranged from 0.019 d−1 to 0.058 d−1 with an average decomposition rate of 0.032 ± 0.002 d−1. All the three factors had significant effects on litter decomposition rate. Warming and the presence of snails accelerated litter decomposition rates by 60% and 35% respectively. Litter decomposition rates of leaves damaged by terrestrial insects were 5% slower than that of intact leaves, because litter quality of terrestrial insect-damaged leaves was lower (i.e., higher specific leaf weight) than intact leaves. For treatments with snails, warming stimulated microbial and snail mediated litter decomposition rates by 35% and 167%, respectively. All combinations of treatments showed additive effects on litter decomposition except for the interaction between warming and snails which showed positive synergistic effects. In addition, neither temperature nor litter quality affected snail growth rate. These results imply that higher water temperature and the presence of abundant snails in urban streams greatly enhanced litter decomposition. Moreover, the effect of pest outbreaks, which resulted in lower litter quality, can cascade to aquatic ecosystems by retarding microbe-mediated litter decomposition. When these factors co-occurred, warming could synergistically interact with snails to speed up the depletion of organic matter, while the effect of leaf quality on litter decomposition may be diminished at high water temperature. These effects could further influence stream food webs and nutrient cycling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongyong Xiang
- Department of Health and Environmental Sciences, Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China.,Institute of Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Yixin Zhang
- Research Center of Environmental Protection and Ecological Restoration Technology, Gold Mantis School of Architecture, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - David Atkinson
- Institute of Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Raju Sekar
- Department of Biological Sciences, Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China
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11
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De Felici L, Piersma T, Howison RA. Abundance of arthropods as food for meadow bird chicks in response to short- and long-term soil wetting in Dutch dairy grasslands. PeerJ 2019; 7:e7401. [PMID: 31565546 PMCID: PMC6743474 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.7401] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2019] [Accepted: 07/03/2019] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Throughout the world, intensive dairy farming has resulted in grasslands almost devoid of arthropods and birds. Meadow birds appear to be especially vulnerable during the chick-rearing period. So far, studies have focused mainly on describing population declines, but solutions to effectively stop these trends on the short-term are lacking. In this study at a single farm, we experimentally manipulated soil moisture through occasional irrigation, to mitigate against early season drainage and create favorable conditions for the emergence of above-ground arthropods during the meadow bird chick rearing phase. METHODS To guarantee the presence of at least a sizeable arthropod community for the measurement of effects of wetting, we selected a farm with low intensity management. The land use and intensity of the study site and surroundings were categorized according to the national land use database and quantified using remote sensing imagery. From May 1 to June 18, 2017, we compared a control situation, with no water added, to two wetting treatments, a "short-term" (3 weeks) treatment based on wetting on warm days with a sprinkler system and a "long-term" treatment next to a water pond with a consistently raised water table from 2010. We measured soil temperature, soil moisture and resistance as well as the biomass of arthropods at 3-day intervals. Flying arthropods were sampled by sticky traps and crawling arthropods by pitfall traps. Individual arthropods were identified to Order and their length recorded, to assess their relevance to meadow bird chicks. RESULTS The land use analysis confirmed that the selected dairy farm had very low intensity management. This was different from most of the surrounding area (20 km radius), characterized by (very) high intensity land use. The experiments showed that irrigation contributed to cooler soils during midday, and that his happened already in the early part of the season; the differences with the control increased with time. In the short- and long-term treatments, soil moisture increased and soil resistance decreased from the mid-measurement period onward. Compared with the control, cumulative arthropod biomass was higher in the long-term treatment, but showed no change in the irrigation treatment. We conclude that small-scale interventions, such as occasional irrigation, favorably affected local soil properties. However, the effects on above-ground arthropod abundance currently appear limited or overridden by negative landscape-scale processes on arthropods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Livia De Felici
- Conservation Ecology Group, Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Theunis Piersma
- Conservation Ecology Group, Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
- Department of Coastal Systems and Utrecht University, NIOZ Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, Texel, The Netherlands
| | - Ruth A. Howison
- Conservation Ecology Group, Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
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12
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Belovsky GE, Slade JB. Biotic Versus Abiotic Control of Primary Production Identified in a Common Garden Experiment. Sci Rep 2019; 9:11961. [PMID: 31427696 PMCID: PMC6700119 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-48512-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2018] [Accepted: 08/02/2019] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Understanding drivers of ecosystem primary production is a foundational question in ecology that grows in importance with anthropogenic stresses (e.g., climate change). Traditionally, ecosystem production is considered to be abiotically controlled at large spatial scales (e.g., precipitation, temperature, etc.), which underlies forecasting climate change impacts. Using a "common garden" experiment over 10 years at two sites with the same plant and grasshopper species, we show that primary production is strongly influenced by biotic factors (herbivory and plant adaptations to it) at finer spatial scales by creating positive feedbacks, which reverse relative productivity of ecosystems expected from abiotic conditions alone. Our results without herbivory indicate that one site has 26% less annual net primary production (ANPP) than the other site. With herbivory, the sites reverse in ANPP, so the site with lower ANPP without herbivory now is 15% greater than the site with higher ANPP without herbivory, as they respectively increase by 6% and decline by 33%. This reversal is due to changing nitrogen availability (N), as N becomes 16% greater at the higher ANPP site with herbivory, respectively a 3% increase and 41% decline in N. The ANPP and N changes are observed, even though the sites are a few kilometers apart and have the same grasshopper and plant species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gary E Belovsky
- Environmental Research Center, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, 46556, USA. .,Department of Biological Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, 46556, USA.
| | - Jennifer B Slade
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, 46556, USA
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Simulation and Analysis of the Effect of a Spruce Budworm Outbreak on Carbon Dynamics in Boreal Forests of Quebec. Ecosystems 2019. [DOI: 10.1007/s10021-019-00377-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
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14
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Stone AC, Gehring CA, Cobb NS, Whitham TG. Genetic-Based Susceptibility of a Foundation Tree to Herbivory Interacts With Climate to Influence Arthropod Community Composition, Diversity, and Resilience. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2018; 9:1831. [PMID: 30619404 PMCID: PMC6298196 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2018.01831] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2018] [Accepted: 11/26/2018] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Understanding how genetic-based traits of plants interact with climate to affect associated communities will help improve predictions of climate change impacts on biodiversity. However, few community-level studies have addressed such interactions. Pinyon pine (Pinus edulis) in the southwestern U.S. shows genetic-based resistance and susceptibility to pinyon needle scale (Matsucoccus acalyptus). We sought to determine if susceptibility to scale herbivory influenced the diversity and composition of the extended community of 250+ arthropod species, and if this influence would be consistent across consecutive years, an extreme drought year followed by a moderate drought year. Because scale insects alter the architecture of susceptible trees, it is difficult to separate the direct influences of susceptibility on arthropod communities from the indirect influences of scale-altered tree architecture. To separate these influences, scales were experimentally excluded from susceptible trees for 15 years creating susceptible trees with the architecture of resistant trees, hereafter referred to as scale-excluded trees. Five patterns emerged. (1) In both years, arthropod abundance was 3-4X lower on susceptible trees compared to resistant and scale-excluded trees. (2) Species accumulation curves show that alpha and gamma diversity were 2-3X lower on susceptible trees compared to resistant and scale-excluded trees. (3) Reaction norms of arthropod richness and abundance on individual tree genotypes across years showed genotypic variation in the community response to changes in climate. (4) The genetic-based influence of susceptibility on arthropod community composition is climate dependent. During extreme drought, community composition on scale-excluded trees resembled susceptible trees indicating composition was strongly influenced by tree genetics independent of tree architecture. However, under moderate drought, community composition on scale-excluded trees resembled resistant trees indicating traits associated with tree architecture became more important. (5) One year after extreme drought, the arthropod community rebounded sharply. However, there was a much greater rebound in richness and abundance on resistant compared to susceptible trees suggesting that reduced resiliency in the arthropod community is associated with susceptibility. These results argue that individual genetic-based plant-herbivore interactions can directly and indirectly impact community-level diversity, which is modulated by climate. Understanding such interactions is important for assessing the impacts of climate change on biodiversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adrian C. Stone
- Department of Biology, Metropolitan State University, Denver, CO, United States
| | - Catherine A. Gehring
- Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ, United States
- Merriam-Powell Center for Environmental Research, Flagstaff, AZ, United States
| | - Neil S. Cobb
- Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ, United States
- Merriam-Powell Center for Environmental Research, Flagstaff, AZ, United States
| | - Thomas G. Whitham
- Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ, United States
- Merriam-Powell Center for Environmental Research, Flagstaff, AZ, United States
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15
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Abstract
Forest soils are major sinks of terrestrial carbon, but this function may be threatened by mass outbreak events of forest pests. Here, we measured soil CO2-C and N2O-N fluxes from a Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) forest that was heavily infested by the nun moth (Lymantria monacha L.) and an adjacent noninfested (control) forest site during one year. In the infested forest, net emissions of CO2-C were higher during main defoliation, summer and autumn, while indications of increased N2O-N emissions were found at one sampling date. On basis of this, a microcosm incubation experiment with different organic matter treatments was conducted. Soil treatments with needle litter, insect feces plus needle litter, and insect feces showed 3.7-, 10.6-, and 13.5-fold higher CO2-C emissions while N2O-N of the insect feces plus needle litter, and insect feces treatment was 8.9-, and 10.4-fold higher compared with soil treatments without added organic matter (control). Hence, the defoliation in combination with high inputs of organic matter during insect outbreaks distinctly accelerate decomposition processes in pine forest soils, which in turn alters forests nutrient cycling and the functioning of forests as carbon sinks.
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16
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Pellissier L, Rasmann S. The functional decoupling of processes in alpine ecosystems under climate change. CURRENT OPINION IN INSECT SCIENCE 2018; 29:126-132. [PMID: 30551819 DOI: 10.1016/j.cois.2018.07.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2018] [Revised: 07/11/2018] [Accepted: 07/13/2018] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Climate change may promote the decoupling of the different above-ground and below-ground compartments of high elevation ecosystems. Along elevation gradients, a trade-off between species tolerance to cold climates and metabolic rates dictates that cold adapted organisms display a lower efficiency in decomposition, growth or herbivory. As a consequence, if dispersal or evolution under climate change is systematically faster for agents of one compartment (e.g. insect herbivores, or soil microbes, respectively) compared to others, novel and more efficient functions will arise in the alpine systems and increase fluxes of elements to and through this compartment. We illustrate this potential decoupling using a mechanistic model, where the efficiency of agents in the compartments follows the metabolic theory. To detect and forecast ecosystem decoupling under climate change, we argue that the current efficiency of agents should be measured systematically along elevation gradients. In addition, future research should investigate the impact of dispersal and evolution in response to climate change on ecosystem processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Loïc Pellissier
- Landscape Ecology, Institute of Terrestrial Ecosystems, Department of Environmental Systems Science, ETH Zürich, Züri ch, Switzerland; Swiss Federal Research Institute WSL, 8903 Birmensdorf, Switzerland
| | - Sergio Rasmann
- Laboratory of Functional Ecology, Institute of Biology, University of Neuchâtel, Rue Emile-Argand 11, 2000 Neuchâtel, Switzerland.
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17
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Marler TE. Leaf Damage by Phytophagous Beetles alters Terminalia catappa Green and Senesced Leaf Chemistry. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF INSECT SCIENCE 2018; 10:1179543318797329. [PMID: 30186031 PMCID: PMC6117864 DOI: 10.1177/1179543318797329] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2018] [Accepted: 08/07/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Chemical traits of Terminalia catappa L. leaves were determined on the island of Guam to understand the changes caused by beetle leaf herbivory. Green leaf chemistry indicated nitrogen was the most limiting nutrient in the climate and soils of Guam. The changes in leaf chemistry following beetle damage were extensive. Senesced leaf chemistry indicated beetle damage decreased some traits that predict lower leaf litter quality, such as lignin, but also decreased some traits that predict higher leaf litter quality, such as nitrogen. The stoichiometric traits based on carbon:macronutrient and lignin:macronutrient generally predicted higher quality leaf litter following beetle herbivory. The beetles that produce this form of T. catappa leaf damage on Guam are non-native, and overall, the results indicate these pests will increase the rate of litter decomposition and nutrient turnover in habitats where T. catappa is prevalent.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas E Marler
- Western Pacific Tropical Research Center, University of Guam, Mangilao, Guam
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18
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The Abundance of Fungi, Bacteria and Denitrification Genes during Insect Outbreaks in Scots Pine Forests. FORESTS 2018. [DOI: 10.3390/f9080497] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Outbreaks of defoliating insects may affect microbial populations in forests and thereby mass balances and ecosystem functioning. Here, we investigated the microbial dynamics in Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) forests during outbreaks of the nun moth (Lymantria monacha L.) and the pine-tree lappet (Dendrolimus pini L.). We used real-time PCR (polymerase chain reaction) to quantify genes that characterize bacterial and fungal abundance and the denitrification processes (nirK, nirS, nosZ clades I and II) in different forest compartments and we analyzed the C and N content of pine needles, insect feces, larvae, vegetation layers, organic layers, and mineral soil horizons. The infestation of the nun moth increased the bacterial abundance on pine needles, in the vegetation layer, and in the upper organic layer, while fungal populations were increased in the vegetation layer and upper organic layer during both outbreaks. In soil, the abundance of nirK increased after insect defoliation, while the C/N ratios decreased. nosZ clades I and II showed variable responses in different soil layers and to different defoliating insects. Our results illustrate changes in the microbial populations in pine forests that were infested by defoliating insects and changes in the chemical soil properties that foster these populations, indicating a genetic potential for increased soil N2O emissions during the defoliation peak of insect outbreak events.
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19
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Coconut Leaf Age and Coconut Rhinoceros Beetle Herbivory Influence Leaflet Nutrients, Metals, and Lignin. HORTICULTURAE 2018. [DOI: 10.3390/horticulturae4020009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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20
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de Swardt DB, Wigley-Coetsee C, O'Connor TG. Insect outbreaks alter nutrient dynamics in a southern African savanna: patchy defoliation of Colophospermum mopane
savanna by Imbrasia belina
larvae. Biotropica 2018. [DOI: 10.1111/btp.12565] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Donovan B. de Swardt
- School of Natural Resource Management; Nelson Mandela University; George Campus George 6530 South Africa
| | - Corli Wigley-Coetsee
- Scientific Services; SANParks; Kruger National Park Skukuza 1350 South Africa
- School of Natural Resource Management; Nelson Mandela University; George Campus George 6530 South Africa
| | - Timothy G. O'Connor
- South African Environmental Observation Network; PO Box 2600 Pretoria 0001 South Africa
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21
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Nolan RH, Sinclair J, Eldridge DJ, Ramp D. Biophysical risks to carbon sequestration and storage in Australian drylands. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2018; 208:102-111. [PMID: 29248786 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2017.12.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2017] [Revised: 11/29/2017] [Accepted: 12/02/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Carbon abatement schemes that reduce land clearing and promote revegetation are now an important component of climate change policy globally. There is considerable potential for these schemes to operate in drylands which are spatially extensive. However, projects in these environments risk failure through unplanned release of stored carbon to the atmosphere. In this review, we identify factors that may adversely affect the success of vegetation-based carbon abatement projects in dryland ecosystems, evaluate their likelihood of occurrence, and estimate the potential consequences for carbon storage and sequestration. We also evaluate management strategies to reduce risks posed to these carbon abatement projects. Identified risks were primarily disturbances, including unplanned fire, drought, and grazing. Revegetation projects also risk recruitment failure, thereby failing to reach projected rates of sequestration. Many of these risks are dependent on rainfall, which is highly variable in drylands and susceptible to further variation under climate change. Resprouting vegetation is likely to be less vulnerable to disturbance and have faster recovery rates upon release from disturbance. We conclude that there is a strong impetus for identifying management strategies and risk reduction mechanisms for carbon abatement projects. Risk mitigation would be enhanced by effective co-ordination of mitigation strategies at scales larger than individual abatement project boundaries, and by implementing risk assessment throughout project planning and implementation stages. Reduction of risk is vital for maximising carbon sequestration of individual projects and for reducing barriers to the establishment of new projects entering the market.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachael H Nolan
- Centre for Compassionate Conservation, University of Technology Sydney, PO Box 123, Broadway, NSW 2007, Australia.
| | - Jennifer Sinclair
- Centre for Compassionate Conservation, University of Technology Sydney, PO Box 123, Broadway, NSW 2007, Australia; GreenCollar, The Rocks, Sydney, NSW 2000, Australia
| | - David J Eldridge
- School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, NSW 2052, Australia
| | - Daniel Ramp
- Centre for Compassionate Conservation, University of Technology Sydney, PO Box 123, Broadway, NSW 2007, Australia
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22
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Grüning MM, Simon J, Rennenberg H, l-M-Arnold A. Defoliating Insect Mass Outbreak Affects Soil N Fluxes and Tree N Nutrition in Scots Pine Forests. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2017; 8:954. [PMID: 28638396 PMCID: PMC5461291 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2017.00954] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2017] [Accepted: 05/22/2017] [Indexed: 03/27/2024]
Abstract
Biotic stress by mass outbreaks of defoliating pest insects does not only affect tree performance by reducing its photosynthetic capacity, but also changes N cycling in the soil of forest ecosystems. However, how insect induced defoliation affects soil N fluxes and, in turn, tree N nutrition is not well-studied. In the present study, we quantified N input and output fluxes via dry matter input, throughfall, and soil leachates. Furthermore, we investigated the effects of mass insect herbivory on tree N acquisition (i.e., organic and inorganic 15N net uptake capacity of fine roots) as well as N pools in fine roots and needles in a Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) forest over an entire vegetation period. Plots were either infested by the nun moth (Lymantria monacha L.) or served as controls. Our results show an increased N input by insect feces, litter, and throughfall at the infested plots compared to controls, as well as increased leaching of nitrate. However, the additional N input into the soil did not increase, but reduce inorganic and organic net N uptake capacity of Scots pine roots. N pools in the fine roots and needles of infested trees showed an accumulation of total N, amino acid-N, protein-N, and structural N in the roots and the remaining needles as a compensatory response triggered by defoliation. Thus, although soil N availability was increased via surplus N input, trees did not respond with an increased N acquisition, but rather invested resources into defense by accumulation of amino acid-N and protein-N as a survival strategy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maren M. Grüning
- Department of Soil Science of Temperate Ecosystems, Georg-August Universität GöttingenGöttingen, Germany
| | - Judy Simon
- Ecology, Department of Biology, University of KonstanzKonstanz, Germany
| | - Heinz Rennenberg
- Chair of Tree Physiology, Institute of Forest Sciences, University of FreiburgFreiburg, Germany
- King Saud UniversityRiyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Anne l-M-Arnold
- Department of Soil Science of Temperate Ecosystems, Georg-August Universität GöttingenGöttingen, Germany
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23
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Crecelius AC, Michalzik B, Potthast K, Meyer S, Schubert US. Tracing the fate and transport of secondary plant metabolites in a laboratory mesocosm experiment by employing mass spectrometric imaging. Anal Bioanal Chem 2017; 409:3807-3820. [PMID: 28357483 PMCID: PMC5427159 DOI: 10.1007/s00216-017-0325-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2016] [Revised: 02/28/2017] [Accepted: 03/16/2017] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Mass spectrometric imaging (MSI) has received considerable attention in recent years, since it allows the molecular mapping of various compound classes, such as proteins, peptides, glycans, secondary metabolites, lipids, and drugs in animal, human, or plant tissue sections. In the present study, the application of laser-based MSI analysis of secondary plant metabolites to monitor their transport from the grass leaves of Dactylis glomerata, over the crop of the grasshopper Chorthippus dorsatus to its excrements, and finally in the soil solution is described. This plant-herbivore-soil pathway was investigated under controlled conditions by using laboratory mesocosms. From six targeted secondary plant metabolites (dehydroquinic acid, quinic acid, apigenin, luteolin, tricin, and rosmarinic acid), only quinic acid, and dehydroquinic acid, an in-source-decay (ISD) product of quinic acid, could be traced in nearly all compartments. The tentative identification of secondary plant metabolites was performed by MS/MS analysis of methanol extracts prepared from the investigated compartments, in both the positive and negative ion mode, and subsequently compared with the results generated from the reference standards. Except for tricin, all secondary metabolites could be tentatively identified by this approach. Additional liquid-chromatography mass spectrometry (LC-MS) experiments were carried out to verify the MSI results and revealed the presence of quinic acid only in grass and chewed grass, whereas apigenin-hexoside-pentoside and luteolin-hexoisde-pentoside could be traced in the grasshopper body and excrement extracts. In summary, the MSI technique shows a trade-off between sensitivity and spatial resolution. Graphical abstract Monitoring quinic acid in a mesocosm experiment by mass spectrometric imaging (MSI).
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna C Crecelius
- Laboratory of Organic and Macromolecular Chemistry (IOMC), Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Humboldtstrasse 10, 07743, Jena, Germany.
- Jena Center for Soft Matter (JCSM), Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Philosophenweg 7, 07743, Jena, Germany.
| | - Beate Michalzik
- Institute of Geography, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Löbdergraben 32, 07743, Jena, Germany
| | - Karin Potthast
- Institute of Geography, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Löbdergraben 32, 07743, Jena, Germany
| | - Stefanie Meyer
- Institute of Geography, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Löbdergraben 32, 07743, Jena, Germany
| | - Ulrich S Schubert
- Laboratory of Organic and Macromolecular Chemistry (IOMC), Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Humboldtstrasse 10, 07743, Jena, Germany
- Jena Center for Soft Matter (JCSM), Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Philosophenweg 7, 07743, Jena, Germany
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24
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Moreno ML, Rossetti MR, Pérez-Harguindeguy N, Valladares GR. Edge and herbivory effects on leaf litter decomposability in a subtropical dry forest. Ecol Res 2017. [DOI: 10.1007/s11284-017-1441-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
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25
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Barbe L, Jung V, Prinzing A, Bittebiere AK, Butenschoen O, Mony C. Functionally dissimilar neighbors accelerate litter decomposition in two grass species. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2017; 214:1092-1102. [PMID: 28205289 DOI: 10.1111/nph.14473] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2016] [Accepted: 01/09/2017] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Plant litter decomposition is a key regulator of nutrient recycling. In a given environment, decomposition of litter from a focal species depends on its litter quality and on the efficiency of local decomposers. Both may be strongly modified by functional traits of neighboring species, but the consequences for decomposition of litter from the focal species remain unknown. We tested whether decomposition of a focal plant's litter is influenced by the functional-trait dissimilarity to the neighboring plants. We cultivated two grass species (Brachypodium pinnatum and Elytrigia repens) in experimental mesocosms with functionally similar and dissimilar neighborhoods, and reciprocally transplanted litter. For both species, litter quality increased in functionally dissimilar neighborhoods, partly as a result of changes in functional traits involved in plant-plant interactions. Furthermore, functional dissimilarity increased overall decomposer efficiency in one species, probably via complementarity effects. Our results suggest a novel mechanism of biodiversity effects on ecosystem functioning in grasslands: interspecific functional diversity within plant communities can enhance intraspecific contributions to litter decomposition. Thus, plant species might better perform in diverse communities by benefiting from higher remineralization rates of their own litter.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lou Barbe
- Université de Rennes 1 - OSUR, UMR CNRS 6553 ECOBIO, Avenue du Gal Leclerc, Rennes Cedex, 35042, France
| | - Vincent Jung
- Université de Rennes 1 - OSUR, UMR CNRS 6553 ECOBIO, Avenue du Gal Leclerc, Rennes Cedex, 35042, France
| | - Andreas Prinzing
- Université de Rennes 1 - OSUR, UMR CNRS 6553 ECOBIO, Avenue du Gal Leclerc, Rennes Cedex, 35042, France
| | - Anne-Kristel Bittebiere
- Université de Lyon 1, CNRS, UMR 5023 LEHNA, 43 Boulevard du 11 novembre 1918, Villeurbanne Cedex, 69622, France
| | - Olaf Butenschoen
- J. F. Blumenbach Institute of Zoology and Anthropology, University of Goettingen, Berliner Strasse 28, Goettingen, 37073, Germany
| | - Cendrine Mony
- Université de Rennes 1 - OSUR, UMR CNRS 6553 ECOBIO, Avenue du Gal Leclerc, Rennes Cedex, 35042, France
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26
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Wein A, Bauhus J, Bilodeau-Gauthier S, Scherer-Lorenzen M, Nock C, Staab M. Tree Species Richness Promotes Invertebrate Herbivory on Congeneric Native and Exotic Tree Saplings in a Young Diversity Experiment. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0168751. [PMID: 27992554 PMCID: PMC5161486 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0168751] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2016] [Accepted: 12/06/2016] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Tree diversity in forests is an important driver of ecological processes including herbivory. Empirical evidence suggests both negative and positive effects of tree diversity on herbivory, which can be, respectively, attributed to associational resistance or associational susceptibility. Tree diversity experiments allow testing for associational effects, but evidence regarding which pattern predominates is mixed. Furthermore, it is unknown if herbivory on tree species of native vs. exotic origin is influenced by changing tree diversity in a similar way, or if exotic tree species escape natural enemies, resulting in lower damage that is unrelated to tree diversity. To address these questions, we established a young tree diversity experiment in temperate southwestern Germany that uses high planting density (49 trees per plot; plot size 13 m2). The species pool consists of six congeneric species pairs of European and North American origin (12 species in total) planted in monocultures and mixtures (1, 2, 4, 6 species). We assessed leaf damage by leaf-chewing insects on more than 5,000 saplings of six broadleaved tree species. Plot-level tree species richness increased leaf damage, which more than doubled from monocultures to six-species mixtures, strongly supporting associational susceptibility. However, leaf damage among congeneric native and exotic species pairs was similar. There were marked differences in patterns of leaf damage across tree genera, and only the genera likely having a predominately generalist herbivore community showed associational susceptibility, irrespective of the geographical origin of a tree species. In conclusion, an increase in tree species richness in young temperate forests may result in associational susceptibility to feeding by generalist herbivores.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annika Wein
- Department of Nature Conservation and Landscape Ecology, Faculty of Environment and Natural Resources, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Jürgen Bauhus
- Department of Silviculture, Faculty of Environment and Natural Resources, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Simon Bilodeau-Gauthier
- Centre for Forest Research, Université du Québec à Montréal, Centre-ville Station, QC H3C 3P8 Montréal, Canada
| | | | - Charles Nock
- Department of Silviculture, Faculty of Environment and Natural Resources, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
- Department of Geobotany, Faculty of Biology, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Michael Staab
- Department of Nature Conservation and Landscape Ecology, Faculty of Environment and Natural Resources, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
- * E-mail:
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27
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Marler TE, Dongol N. Three invasive insects alter Cycas micronesica leaf chemistry and predict changes in biogeochemical cycling. Commun Integr Biol 2016; 9:e1208324. [PMID: 27829976 PMCID: PMC5100656 DOI: 10.1080/19420889.2016.1208324] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2016] [Revised: 06/23/2016] [Accepted: 06/24/2016] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Leaf litter chemical traits were measured for Cycas micronesica plants in Guam following leaf herbivory by the scale Aulacaspis yasumatsui, the butterfly Chilades pandava caterpillar, or the leaf miner Erechthias sp. to determine the influence of the non-native pests on litter quality. Scale herbivory increased litter phenols above those of undamaged leaves but did not influence lignin or cellulose concentrations. Butterfly caterpillar herbivory increased litter phenols above and decreased litter lignin below those of undamaged leaves, but did not influence cellulose concentrations. Leaf miner herbivory increased litter lignin concentrations above those of undamaged leaves, but did not influence phenols or cellulose concentrations. Herbivory influenced 8 of 12 essential elements that were quantified. Herbivory by all 3 insects increased nitrogen and potassium litter concentrations and decreased calcium and iron litter concentrations when compared with undamaged litter. The responses were idiosyncratic among herbivores for the remaining essential elements. Stoichiometry among the chemical constituents indicated that herbivory increased litter quality and predicted more rapid biogeochemical cycling in Guam's ecosystems as a result of these 3 non-native insect invasions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas E Marler
- Western Pacific Tropical Research Center, College of Natural and Applied Sciences, University of Guam, UOG Station , Mangilao, Guam, USA
| | - Nirmala Dongol
- Western Pacific Tropical Research Center, College of Natural and Applied Sciences, University of Guam, UOG Station , Mangilao, Guam, USA
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28
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l-M-Arnold A, Grüning M, Simon J, Reinhardt AB, Lamersdorf N, Thies C. Forest defoliator pests alter carbon and nitrogen cycles. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2016; 3:160361. [PMID: 27853551 PMCID: PMC5098976 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.160361] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2016] [Accepted: 09/21/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Climate change may foster pest epidemics in forests, and thereby the fluxes of elements that are indicators of ecosystem functioning. We examined compounds of carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) in insect faeces, leaf litter, throughfall and analysed the soils of deciduous oak forests (Quercus petraea L.) that were heavily infested by the leaf herbivores winter moth (Operophtera brumata L.) and mottled umber (Erannis defoliaria L.). In infested forests, total net canopy-to-soil fluxes of C and N deriving from insect faeces, leaf litter and throughfall were 30- and 18-fold higher compared with uninfested oak forests, with 4333 kg C ha-1 and 319 kg N ha-1, respectively, during a pest outbreak over 3 years. In infested forests, C and N levels in soil solutions were enhanced and C/N ratios in humus layers were reduced indicating an extended canopy-to-soil element pathway compared with the non-infested forests. In a microcosm incubation experiment, soil treatments with insect faeces showed 16-fold higher fluxes of carbon dioxide and 10-fold higher fluxes of dissolved organic carbon compared with soil treatments without added insect faeces (control). Thus, the deposition of high rates of nitrogen and rapidly decomposable carbon compounds in the course of forest pest epidemics appears to stimulate soil microbial activity (i.e. heterotrophic respiration), and therefore, may represent an important mechanism by which climate change can initiate a carbon cycle feedback.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne l-M-Arnold
- Institute of Soil Science of Temperate and Boreal Ecosystems, Büsgen-Institute, Georg-August-University, Büsgenweg 2, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Maren Grüning
- Institute of Soil Science of Temperate and Boreal Ecosystems, Büsgen-Institute, Georg-August-University, Büsgenweg 2, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Judy Simon
- Department of Biology, Plant Physiology and Biochemistry Group, University of Konstanz Universitätsstrasse 10, 78457 Konstanz, Germany
| | - Annett-Barbara Reinhardt
- Institute of Soil Science of Temperate and Boreal Ecosystems, Büsgen-Institute, Georg-August-University, Büsgenweg 2, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Norbert Lamersdorf
- Institute of Soil Science of Temperate and Boreal Ecosystems, Büsgen-Institute, Georg-August-University, Büsgenweg 2, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Carsten Thies
- Natural Resources Research Laboratory, Bremer Str. 15, 29308 Winsen, Germany
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Espeland EK, Emery NC, Mercer KL, Woolbright SA, Kettenring KM, Gepts P, Etterson JR. Evolution of plant materials for ecological restoration: insights from the applied and basic literature. J Appl Ecol 2016. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2664.12739] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Erin K. Espeland
- USDA-ARS Pest Management Research Unit; 1500 N. Central Avenue Sidney MT 59270 USA
| | - Nancy C. Emery
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology; RAMY 0334, University of Colorado; Boulder CO 80309 USA
| | - Kristin L. Mercer
- Department of Horticulture and Crop Science; 2021 Coffey Road, Ohio State University; Columbus OH 43210 USA
| | - Scott A. Woolbright
- Department of Biological Sciences; University of Arkansas at Little Rock 2801 S. University Avenue; Little Rock AR 72204 USA
| | - Karin M. Kettenring
- Ecology Center and Department of Watershed Sciences; 5210 Old Main Hill, Utah State University; Logan UT 84322 USA
| | - Paul Gepts
- Department of Plant Sciences/MS1; University of California; 1 Shields Avenue, Davis CA 95616 USA
| | - Julie R. Etterson
- Department of Biology; University of Minnesota Duluth; 1049 University Drive Duluth MN 55812 USA
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Litter Chemistry, Community Shift, and Non-additive Effects Drive Litter Decomposition Changes Following Invasion by a Generalist Pathogen. Ecosystems 2016. [DOI: 10.1007/s10021-016-0017-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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31
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Landry J, Parrott L. Could the lateral transfer of nutrients by outbreaking insects lead to consequential landscape‐scale effects? Ecosphere 2016. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.1265] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Jean‐Sébastien Landry
- Department of Geography and Global Environmental and Climate Change CentreMcGill UniversityMontréal Québec H3A 0B9 Canada
| | - Lael Parrott
- Earth & Environmental Sciences and BiologyIrving K. Barber School of Arts and SciencesUniversity of British Columbia Kelowna British Columbia V1V 1V7 Canada
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Cárdenas RE, Hättenschwiler S, Valencia R, Argoti A, Dangles O. Plant herbivory responses through changes in leaf quality have no effect on subsequent leaf-litter decomposition in a neotropical rain forest tree community. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2015; 207:817-829. [PMID: 25771942 DOI: 10.1111/nph.13368] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2014] [Accepted: 02/12/2015] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
It is commonly accepted that plant responses to foliar herbivory (e.g. plant defenses) can influence subsequent leaf-litter decomposability in soil. While several studies have assessed the herbivory-decomposability relationship among different plant species, experimental tests at the intra-specific level are rare, although critical for a mechanistic understanding of how herbivores affect decomposition and its consequences at the ecosystem scale. Using 17 tree species from the Yasuní National Park, Ecuadorian Amazonia, and applying three different herbivore damage treatments, we experimentally tested whether the plant intra-specific responses to herbivory, through changes in leaf quality, affect subsequent leaf-litter decomposition in soil. We found no effects of herbivore damage on the subsequent decomposition of leaf litter within any of the species tested. Our results suggest that leaf traits affecting herbivory are different from those influencing decomposition. Herbivore damage showed much higher intra-specific than inter-specific variability, while we observed the opposite for decomposition. Our findings support the idea that interactions between consumers and their resources are controlled by different factors for the green and the brown food-webs in tropical forests, where herbivory may not necessarily generate any direct positive or negative feedbacks for nutrient cycling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rafael E Cárdenas
- Museo de Zoología QCAZ, Laboratorio de Entomología, Escuela de Ciencias Biológicas, Pontificia Universidad Católica del Ecuador, Av. 12 de octubre 1076 y Roca, Apdo. 17-01-2184, Quito, Ecuador
- Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD), UR 072, LEGS-CNRS, UPR 9034, CNRS, Gif-sur-Yvette, Cedex, 91198, France
- Université Paris-Sud 11, Orsay, Cedex, 91405, France
| | - Stephan Hättenschwiler
- Centre d'Écologie Fonctionnelle et Évolutive (CEFE UMR 5175 - Université de Montpellier - Université Paul-Valéry Montpellier - EPHE), 1919 route de Mende, 34293, Montpellier Cedex 5, France
| | - Renato Valencia
- Herbario QCA, Laboratorio de Ecología de Plantas, Escuela de Ciencias Biológicas, Pontificia Universidad Católica del Ecuador, Av. 12 de octubre 1076 y Roca, Apdo. 17-01-2184, Quito, Ecuador
| | - Adriana Argoti
- Museo de Zoología QCAZ, Laboratorio de Entomología, Escuela de Ciencias Biológicas, Pontificia Universidad Católica del Ecuador, Av. 12 de octubre 1076 y Roca, Apdo. 17-01-2184, Quito, Ecuador
| | - Olivier Dangles
- Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD), UR 072, LEGS-CNRS, UPR 9034, CNRS, Gif-sur-Yvette, Cedex, 91198, France
- Université Paris-Sud 11, Orsay, Cedex, 91405, France
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Farrell KA, Harpole WS, Stein C, Suding KN, Borer ET. Grassland Arthropods Are Controlled by Direct and Indirect Interactions with Cattle but Are Largely Unaffected by Plant Provenance. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0129823. [PMID: 26158494 PMCID: PMC4497643 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0129823] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2015] [Accepted: 05/13/2015] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Cattle grazing and invasion by non-native plant species are globally-ubiquitous changes occurring to plant communities that are likely to reverberate through whole food webs. We used a manipulative field experiment to quantify how arthropod community structure differed in native and non-native California grassland communities in the presence and absence of grazing. The arthropod community was strongly affected by cattle grazing: the biovolume of herbivorous arthropods was 79% higher in grazed than ungrazed plots, whereas the biovolume of predatory arthropods was 13% higher in ungrazed plots. In plots where non-native grasses were grazed, arthropod biovolume increased, possibly in response to increased plant productivity or increased nutritional quality of rapidly-growing annual plants. Grazing may thus affect plant biomass both through the direct removal of biomass, and through arthropod-mediated impacts. We also expected the arthropod community to differ between native and non-native plant communities; surprisingly, arthropod richness and diversity did not vary consistently between these grass community types, although arthropod abundance was slightly higher in plots with native and ungrazed grasses. These results suggest that whereas cattle grazing affects the arthropod community via direct and indirect pathways, arthropod community changes commonly associated with non-native plant invasions may not be due to the identity or dominance of the invasive species in those systems, but to accompanying changes in plant traits or functional group composition, not seen in this experiment because of the similarity of the plant communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelly Anne Farrell
- Department of Zoology, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - W. Stanley Harpole
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Organismal Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, United States of America
| | - Claudia Stein
- Department of Biology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, United States of America
| | - Katharine N. Suding
- Environmental Science, Policy & Management, University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, United States of America
| | - Elizabeth T. Borer
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN, United States of America
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Improved grazing management may increase soil carbon sequestration in temperate steppe. Sci Rep 2015; 5:10892. [PMID: 26137980 PMCID: PMC4490272 DOI: 10.1038/srep10892] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2014] [Accepted: 04/23/2015] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Different grazing strategies impact grassland plant production and may also regulate the soil carbon formation. For a site in semiarid temperate steppe, we studied the effect of combinations of rest, high and moderate grazing pressure over three stages of the growing season, on the process involved in soil carbon sequestration. Results show that constant moderate grazing (MMM) exhibited the highest root production and turnover accumulating the most soil carbon. While deferred grazing (RHM and RMH) sequestered less soil carbon compared to MMM, they showed higher standing root mass, maintained a more desirable pasture composition, and had better ability to retain soil N. Constant high grazing pressure (HHH) caused diminished above- and belowground plant production, more soil N losses and an unfavorable microbial environment and had reduced carbon input. Reducing grazing pressure in the last grazing stage (HHM) still had a negative impact on soil carbon. Regression analyses show that adjusting stocking rate to ~5SE/ha with ~40% vegetation utilization rate can get the most carbon accrual. Overall, the soil carbon sequestration in the temperate grassland is affected by the grazing regime that is applied, and grazing can be altered to improve soil carbon sequestration in the temperate steppe.
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Maguire DY, James PM, Buddle CM, Bennett EM. Landscape connectivity and insect herbivory: A framework for understanding tradeoffs among ecosystem services. Glob Ecol Conserv 2015. [DOI: 10.1016/j.gecco.2015.05.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022] Open
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Fan J, Wang J, Zhao B, Wu L, Zhang C, Zhao X, Gadow KV. Effects of manipulated above- and belowground organic matter input on soil respiration in a Chinese pine plantation. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0126337. [PMID: 25970791 PMCID: PMC4430406 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0126337] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2014] [Accepted: 04/01/2015] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Alteration in the amount of soil organic matter input can have profound effect on carbon dynamics in forest soils. The objective of our research was to determine the response in soil respiration to above- and belowground organic matter manipulation in a Chinese pine (Pinus tabulaeformis) plantation. Five organic matter treatments were applied during a 2-year experiment: both litter removal and root trenching (LRRT), only litter removal (LR), control (CK), only root trenching (RT) and litter addition (LA). We found that either aboveground litter removal or root trenching decreased soil respiration. On average, soil respiration rate was significantly decreased in the LRRT treatment, by about 38.93% ± 2.01% compared to the control. Soil respiration rate in the LR treatment was 30.65% ± 1.87% and in the RT treatment 17.65% ± 1.95% lower than in the control. Litter addition significantly increased soil respiration rate by about 25.82% ± 2.44% compared to the control. Soil temperature and soil moisture were the main factors affecting seasonal variation in soil respiration. Up to the 59.7% to 82.9% seasonal variation in soil respiration is explained by integrating soil temperature and soil moisture within each of the various organic matter treatments. The temperature sensitivity parameter, Q10, was higher in the RT (2.72) and LA (3.19) treatments relative to the control (2.51), but lower in the LRRT (1.52) and LR treatments (1.36). Our data suggest that manipulation of soil organic matter input can not only alter soil CO2 efflux, but also have profound effect on the temperature sensitivity of organic carbon decomposition in a temperate pine forest.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan Fan
- Key Laboratory for Silviculture and Conservation of the Ministry of Education, Beijing Forestry University, No. 35 Tsinghua East Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100083, P. R. China
| | - Jinsong Wang
- Key Laboratory for Silviculture and Conservation of the Ministry of Education, Beijing Forestry University, No. 35 Tsinghua East Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100083, P. R. China
| | - Bo Zhao
- Key Laboratory for Silviculture and Conservation of the Ministry of Education, Beijing Forestry University, No. 35 Tsinghua East Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100083, P. R. China
| | - Lianhai Wu
- Rothamsted Research, North Wyke, Okehampton, Devon EX20 2SB, United Kingdom
| | - Chunyu Zhang
- Key Laboratory for Silviculture and Conservation of the Ministry of Education, Beijing Forestry University, No. 35 Tsinghua East Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100083, P. R. China
| | - Xiuhai Zhao
- Key Laboratory for Silviculture and Conservation of the Ministry of Education, Beijing Forestry University, No. 35 Tsinghua East Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100083, P. R. China
- * E-mail:
| | - Klaus v. Gadow
- Faculty of Forestry and Forest Ecology, Georg-August-University Göttingen, Büsgenweg 5, D-37077 Göttingen, Germany
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Keuskamp JA, Hefting MM, Dingemans BJJ, Verhoeven JTA, Feller IC. Effects of nutrient enrichment on mangrove leaf litter decomposition. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2015; 508:402-410. [PMID: 25497680 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2014.11.092] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2013] [Revised: 11/01/2014] [Accepted: 11/27/2014] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
Nutrient enrichment of mangroves, a common phenomenon along densely populated coastlines, may negatively affect mangrove ecosystems by modifying internal carbon and nutrient cycling. The decomposition of litter exerts a strong influence on these processes and is potentially modified by eutrophication. This study describes effects of N and P enrichment on litter decomposition rate and mineralisation/immobilisation patterns. By making use of reciprocal litter transplantation experiments among fertiliser treatments, it was tested if nutrient addition primarily acts on the primary producers (i.e. changes in litter quantity and quality) or on the microbial decomposers (i.e. changes in nutrient limitation for decomposition). Measurements were done in two mangrove forests where primary production was either limited by N or by P, which had been subject to at least 5 years of experimental N and P fertilisation. Results of this study indicated that decomposers were always N-limited regardless of the limitation of the primary producers. This leads to a differential nutrient limitation between decomposers and primary producers in sites where mangrove production was P-limited. In these sites, fertilisation with P caused litter quality to change, resulting in a higher decomposition rate. This study shows that direct effects of fertilisation on decomposition through an effect on decomposer nutrient availability might be non-significant, while the indirect effects through modifying litter quality might be quite substantial in mangroves. Our results show no indication that eutrophication increases decomposition without stimulating primary production. Therefore we do not expect a decline in carbon sequestration as a result of eutrophication of mangrove ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joost A Keuskamp
- Ecology and Biodiversity, Department of Biology, Utrecht University, Padualaan 8, 3584 CH Utrecht, The Netherlands.
| | - Mariet M Hefting
- Ecology and Biodiversity, Department of Biology, Utrecht University, Padualaan 8, 3584 CH Utrecht, The Netherlands.
| | - Bas J J Dingemans
- Ecology and Biodiversity, Department of Biology, Utrecht University, Padualaan 8, 3584 CH Utrecht, The Netherlands.
| | - Jos T A Verhoeven
- Ecology and Biodiversity, Department of Biology, Utrecht University, Padualaan 8, 3584 CH Utrecht, The Netherlands.
| | - Ilka C Feller
- Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, Edgewater, MD 21037, USA.
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Silfver T, Paaso U, Rasehorn M, Rousi M, Mikola J. Genotype × herbivore effect on leaf litter decomposition in Betula Pendula saplings: ecological and evolutionary consequences and the role of secondary metabolites. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0116806. [PMID: 25622034 PMCID: PMC4306545 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0116806] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2014] [Accepted: 12/15/2014] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Plant genetic variation and herbivores can both influence ecosystem functioning by affecting the quantity and quality of leaf litter. Few studies have, however, investigated the effects of herbivore load on litter decomposition at plant genotype level. We reduced insect herbivory using an insecticide on one half of field-grown Betula Pendula saplings of 17 genotypes, representing random intrapopulation genetic variation, and allowed insects to naturally colonize the other half. We hypothesized that due to induced herbivore defence, saplings under natural herbivory produce litter of higher concentrations of secondary metabolites (terpenes and soluble phenolics) and have slower litter decomposition rate than saplings under reduced herbivory. We found that leaf damage was 89 and 53% lower in the insecticide treated saplings in the summer and autumn surveys, respectively, which led to 73% higher litter production. Litter decomposition rate was also affected by herbivore load, but the effect varied from positive to negative among genotypes and added up to an insignificant net effect at the population level. In contrast to our hypothesis, concentrations of terpenes and soluble phenolics were higher under reduced than natural herbivory. Those genotypes, whose leaves were most injured by herbivores, produced litter of lowest mass loss, but unlike we expected, the concentrations of terpenes and soluble phenolics were not linked to either leaf damage or litter decomposition. Our results show that (1) the genetic and herbivore effects on B. pendula litter decomposition are not mediated through variation in terpene or soluble phenolic concentrations and suggest that (2) the presumably higher insect herbivore pressure in the future warmer climate will not, at the ecological time scale, affect the mean decomposition rate in genetically diverse B. pendula populations. However, (3) due to the significant genetic variation in the response of decomposition to herbivory, evolutionary changes in mean decomposition rate are possible.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tarja Silfver
- Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, Niemenkatu 73, FI-15140 Lahti, Finland
| | - Ulla Paaso
- Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, Niemenkatu 73, FI-15140 Lahti, Finland
| | - Mira Rasehorn
- Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, Niemenkatu 73, FI-15140 Lahti, Finland
| | - Matti Rousi
- The Finnish Forest Research Institute, Vantaa Research Unit, FI-01301 Vantaa, Finland
| | - Juha Mikola
- Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, Niemenkatu 73, FI-15140 Lahti, Finland
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Werner FA, Homeier J. Is tropical montane forest heterogeneity promoted by a resource‐driven feedback cycle? Evidence from nutrient relations, herbivory and litter decomposition along a topographical gradient. Funct Ecol 2014. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.12351] [Citation(s) in RCA: 68] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Florian A. Werner
- Functional Ecology Institute of Biology and Environmental Sciences University of Oldenburg Carl‐von‐Ossietzkystraße 9‐11 D‐26111 Oldenburg Germany
| | - Jürgen Homeier
- Plant Ecology Albrecht von Haller Institute of Plant Sciences University of Göttingen Untere Karspüle 2 D‐37073 Göttingen Germany
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40
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Butenschoen O, Scheu S. Climate change triggers effects of fungal pathogens and insect herbivores on litter decomposition. ACTA OECOLOGICA-INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ECOLOGY 2014. [DOI: 10.1016/j.actao.2014.08.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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41
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Ferro VG, Lemes P, Melo AS, Loyola R. The reduced effectiveness of protected areas under climate change threatens Atlantic forest tiger moths. PLoS One 2014; 9:e107792. [PMID: 25229422 PMCID: PMC4168255 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0107792] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2013] [Accepted: 08/22/2014] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Climate change leads to species' range shifts, which may end up reducing the effectiveness of protected areas. These deleterious changes in biodiversity may become amplified if they include functionally important species, such as herbivores or pollinators. We evaluated how effective protected areas in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest are in maintaining the diversity of tiger moths (Arctiinae) under climate change. Specifically, we assessed whether protected areas will gain or lose species under climate change and mapped their locations in the Atlantic Forest, in order to assess potential spatial patterns of protected areas that will gain or lose species richness. Comparisons were completed using modeled species occurrence data based on the current and projected climate in 2080. We also built a null model for random allocation of protected areas to identify where reductions in species richness will be more severe than expected. We employed several modern techniques for modeling species' distributions and summarized results using ensembles of models. Our models indicate areas of high species richness in the central and southern regions of the Atlantic Forest both for now and the future. However, we estimate that in 2080 these regions should become climatically unsuitable, decreasing the species' distribution area. Around 4% of species were predicted to become extinct, some of them being endemic to the biome. Estimates of species turnover from current to future climate tended to be high, but these findings are dependent on modeling methods. Our most important results show that only a few protected areas in the southern region of the biome would gain species. Protected areas in semideciduous forests in the western region of the biome would lose more species than expected by the null model employed. Hence, current protected areas are worse off, than just randomly selected areas, at protecting species in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Viviane G. Ferro
- Departamento de Ecologia, Universidade Federal de Goiás, Goiânia, Goiás, Brazil
| | - Priscila Lemes
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ecologia e Evolução, Universidade Federal de Goiás, Goiânia, Goiás, Brazil
| | - Adriano S. Melo
- Departamento de Ecologia, Universidade Federal de Goiás, Goiânia, Goiás, Brazil
| | - Rafael Loyola
- Departamento de Ecologia, Universidade Federal de Goiás, Goiânia, Goiás, Brazil
- * E-mail:
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42
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Yang LH, Gratton C. Insects as drivers of ecosystem processes. CURRENT OPINION IN INSECT SCIENCE 2014; 2:26-32. [PMID: 32846721 DOI: 10.1016/j.cois.2014.06.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 68] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2014] [Revised: 06/18/2014] [Accepted: 06/20/2014] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Insects and other small invertebrates are ubiquitous components of all terrestrial and freshwater food webs, but their cumulative biomass is small relative to plants and microbes. As a result, it is often assumed that these animals make relatively minor contributions to ecosystem processes. Despite their small sizes and cumulative biomass, we suggest that these animals may commonly have important effects on carbon and nutrient cycling by modulating the quality and quantity of resources that enter the detrital food web, with consequences at the ecosystem level. These effects can occur through multiple pathways, including direct inputs of insect biomass, the transformation of detrital biomass, and the indirect effects of predators on herbivores and detritivores. In virtually all cases, the ecosystem effects of these pathways are ultimately mediated through interactions with plants and soil microbes. Merging our understanding of insect, plant and microbial ecology will offer a valuable way to better integrate community-level interactions with ecosystem processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Louie H Yang
- Department of Entomology and Nematology, University of California, Davis, CA, United States.
| | - Claudio Gratton
- Department of Entomology, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, United States
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Macdonald CA, Crawley MJ, Wright DJ, Kuczynski J, Robinson L, Knight R, Al-Soud WA, Sørensen SJ, Deng Y, Zhou J, Singh BK. Identifying qualitative effects of different grazing types on below-ground communities and function in a long-term field experiment. Environ Microbiol 2014; 17:841-54. [PMID: 24935069 DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.12539] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2014] [Accepted: 06/09/2014] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Herbivory is an important modulator of plant biodiversity and productivity in grasslands, but our understanding of herbivore-induced changes on below-ground processes and communities is limited. Using a long-term (17 years) experimental site, we evaluated impacts of rabbit and invertebrate grazers on some soil functions involved in carbon cycling, microbial diversity, structure and functional composition. Both rabbit and invertebrate grazing impacted soil functions and microbial community structure. All functional community measures (functions, biogeochemical cycling genes, network association between different taxa) were more strongly affected by invertebrate grazers than rabbits. Furthermore, our results suggest that exclusion of invertebrate grazers decreases both microbial biomass and abundance of genes associated with key biogeochemical cycles, and could thus have long-term consequences for ecosystem functions. The mechanism behind these impacts are likely to be driven by both direct effects of grazing altering the pattern of nutrient inputs and by indirect effects through changes in plant species composition. However, we could not entirely discount that the pesticide used to exclude invertebrates may have affected some microbial community measures. Nevertheless, our work illustrates that human activity that affects grazing intensity may affect ecosystem functioning and sustainability, as regulated by multi-trophic interactions between above- and below-ground communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catriona A Macdonald
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, University of Western Sydney, Penrith, NSW, Australia
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Cregger MA, McDowell NG, Pangle RE, Pockman WT, Classen AT. The impact of precipitation change on nitrogen cycling in a semi-arid ecosystem. Funct Ecol 2014. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.12282] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Melissa A. Cregger
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology; University of Tennessee; 569 Dabney Hall Knoxville TN 37996 USA
| | - Nate G. McDowell
- Earth and Environmental Sciences; Los Alamos National Laboratory; MS-J495 Los Alamos NM 87545 USA
| | - Robert E. Pangle
- Department of Biology; University of New Mexico; Castetter Hall Rm 1480 Albuquerque NM 87131 USA
| | - William T. Pockman
- Department of Biology; University of New Mexico; Castetter Hall Rm 1480 Albuquerque NM 87131 USA
| | - Aimée T. Classen
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology; University of Tennessee; 569 Dabney Hall Knoxville TN 37996 USA
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45
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Crutsinger GM, Rodriguez-Cabal MA, Roddy AB, Peay KG, Bastow JL, Kidder AG, Dawson TE, Fine PVA, Rudgers JA. Genetic variation within a dominant shrub structures green and brown community assemblages. Ecology 2014; 95:387-98. [DOI: 10.1890/13-0316.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
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Understanding the Terrestrial Carbon Cycle: An Ecohydrological Perspective. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ECOLOGY 2014. [DOI: 10.1155/2014/712537] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
The terrestrial carbon (C) cycle has a great role in influencing the climate with complex interactions that are spatially and temporally variable and scale-related. Hence, it is essential that we fully understand the scale-specific complexities of the terrestrial C-cycle towards (1) strategic design of monitoring and experimental initiatives and (2) also developing conceptualizations for modeling purposes. These complexities arise due to the nonlinear interactions of various components that govern the fluxes of mass and energy across the soil-plant-atmospheric continuum. Considering the critical role played by hydrological processes in governing the biogeochemical and plant physiological processes, a coupled representation of these three components (collectively referred to as ecohydrological approach) is critical to explain the complexity in the terrestrial C-cycling processes. In this regard, we synthesize the research works conducted in this broad area and bring them to a common platform with an ecohydrological spirit. This could aid in the development of novel concepts of nonlinear ecohydrological interactions and thereby help reduce the current uncertainties in the terrestrial C-cycling process. The usefulness of spatially explicit and process-based ecohydrological models that have tight coupling between hydrological, ecophysiological, and biogeochemical processes is also discussed.
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Season and light affect constitutive defenses of understory shrub species against folivorous insects. ACTA OECOLOGICA 2013. [DOI: 10.1016/j.actao.2013.08.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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Clay NA, Lucas J, Kaspari M, Kay AD. Manna from heaven: Refuse from an arboreal ant links aboveground and belowground processes in a lowland tropical forest. Ecosphere 2013. [DOI: 10.1890/es13-00220.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
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Risch AC, Haynes AG, Busse MD, Filli F, Schütz M. The Response of Soil CO2 Fluxes to Progressively Excluding Vertebrate and Invertebrate Herbivores Depends on Ecosystem Type. Ecosystems 2013. [DOI: 10.1007/s10021-013-9676-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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Classen AT, Chapman SK, Whitham TG, Hart SC, Koch GW. Long-term insect herbivory slows soil development in an arid ecosystem. Ecosphere 2013. [DOI: 10.1890/es12-00411.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
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