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Schoen, J.; Tiede, Y.; Becker, M.; Donoso, D.A.; Homeier, J.; Limberger, O.; Bendix, J.; Farwig, N. &amp; Brandl, R. (2023): <b>Effects of leaf traits of tropical trees on the abundance and body mass of herbivorous arthropod communities</b>. <i>PLOS ONE</i> <b>-</b>(-), 1 - 21.

Resource Description

Title: Effects of leaf traits of tropical trees on the abundance and body mass of herbivorous arthropod communities
FOR816dw ID: 1996
Publication Date: 2023-11-07
License and Usage Rights:
Resource Owner(s):
Individual: Jana Schoen
Contact:
Individual: Yvonne Tiede
Contact:
Individual: Marcel Becker
Contact:
Individual: David A. Donoso
Contact:
Individual: Jürgen Homeier
Contact:
Individual: Oliver Limberger
Contact:
Individual: Jörg Bendix
Contact:
Individual: Nina Farwig
Contact:
Individual: Roland Brandl
Contact:
Abstract:
In tropical forests, herbivorous arthropods remove between 7% up to 48% of leaf area,<br/> which has forced plants to evolve defense strategies. These strategies influence the palat-<br/> ability of leaves. Palatability, which reflects a syndrome of leaf traits, in turn influences both<br/> the abundance and the mean body mass not only of particular arthropod taxa but also of the<br/> total communities. In this study, we tested two hypotheses: (H1) The abundance of two<br/> important chewer guilds (‘leaf chewers’ and ‘rostrum chewers’), dominant components of<br/> arthropod communities, is positively related to the palatability of host trees. (H2) Lower pal-<br/> atability leads to an increased mean body mass of chewers (Jarman-Bell principle). Arthro-<br/> pods were collected by fogging the canopies of 90 tropical trees representing 31 species in<br/> three plots at 1000 m and three at 2000 m a.s.l. Palatability was assessed by measuring<br/> several ‘leaf traits’ of each host tree and by conducting a feeding trial with the generalist her-<br/> bivore Gryllus assimilis (Orthoptera, Gryllidae). Leaf traits provided partial support for H1, as<br/> abundance of leaf chewers but not of rostrum chewers was positively affected by the experi-<br/> mentally estimated palatability. There was no support for H2 as neither leaf traits nor experi-<br/> mentally estimated palatability affected the mean body mass of leaf chewers. The mean<br/> body mass of rostrum chewers was positively related to palatability. Thus, leaf traits and<br/> experimentally estimated palatability influenced the abundance and mean body mass of<br/> chewing arthropods on the community level. However, the data were not consistent with the<br/> Jarman-Bell principle. Overall, our results suggest that the palatability of leaves is not<br/> among the dominant factors influencing abundance and mean body mass of the community of chewing arthropod herbivores. If other factors, such as the microclimate, predation or fur-<br/> ther (a-)biotic interactions are more important has to be analyzed in refined studies.
Keywords:
| insect herbivores | abundance | morphological traits | leaf functional traits | Jarman-Bell principle | leaf chewers | rostrum chewers | palatability |
Literature type specific fields:
ARTICLE
Journal: PLOS ONE
Volume: -
Issue: -
Page Range: 1 - 21
Metadata Provider:
Individual: Jana Schoen
Contact:
Online Distribution:
Download File: http://www.tropicalmountainforest.org/publications.do?citid=1996


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