Journal article
The identity of belowground herbivores, not herbivore diversity, mediates impacts on plant productivity
Scientific reports, Vol.6(1), pp.39629-39629
12/22/2016
Handle:
https://hdl.handle.net/2376/103441
PMCID: PMC5177958
PMID: 28004758
Abstract
Across many ecosystems, increases in species biodiversity generally results in greater resource acquisition by consumers. Few studies examining the impacts of consumer diversity on resource capture have focused on terrestrial herbivores, however, especially taxa that feed belowground. Here we conducted field mesocosm experiments to examine the effects of variation in species richness and composition within a community of wireworm herbivores on wheat plant productivity. Our experiments involved wireworm communities consisting of between one and three species, with all possible combinations of species represented. We found that the presence of wireworms reduced plant biomass and seed viability, but wireworm species richness did not impact these plant metrics. Species identity effects were strong, as two species, Limonius californicus and Selatosomus pruininus, had significantly stronger impacts on plants compared to L. infuscatus. Communities with either of the two most impactful species consistently had the greatest impact on wheat plants. The effects of wireworms were thus strongly dependent on the particular species present rather than the overall diversity of the wireworm community. More broadly, our study supports the general finding that the identity of particular consumer species within communities often has greater impacts on ecosystem functioning than species richness.
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Details
- Title
- The identity of belowground herbivores, not herbivore diversity, mediates impacts on plant productivity
- Creators
- Ivan Milosavljević - Washington State University Entomology, 166 FSHN Bldg, Pullman, WA, 99164, USAAaron D Esser - Washington State University Extension, 205 W Main, Ritzville, WA, 99169, USANilsa A Bosque-Pérez - Department of Plant, Soil and Entomological Sciences, University of Idaho, 875 Perimeter Drive, Moscow, ID, 83844-2339, USADavid W Crowder - Washington State University Entomology, 166 FSHN Bldg, Pullman, WA, 99164, USA
- Publication Details
- Scientific reports, Vol.6(1), pp.39629-39629
- Academic Unit
- Entomology, Department of; WSU Extension ANR
- Publisher
- England
- Identifiers
- 99900546515701842
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Journal article