Despite its high ecological importance, the commensal interactions at community level are poorly studied. In tropical dry forests (TDF) there is a great diversity of species adapted to the high seasonality that characterizes them; however, little is known regarding how the spatial and temporal availability of resources generates changes in the pattern of commensal interactions. We experimentally studied changes in the diversity, composition, and pattern of interactions in spatio-temporal associations between the saproxylophagous beetles and their host trees in a TDF in Morelos, Mexico. A total of 65 host tree species were selected, from which 16 wood sections were obtained per species. These sections were exposed in the field to allow oviposition by the cerambycids under four different (spatio-temporal) treatments. We analyzed the network structure and generated indices at species level (i.e., specialization, species strength, and effective partners) and those related to physical characteristics of the wood (hardness and degradation rate) and the cerambycids (body size). In total, 1,323 individuals of 57 species of cerambycids emerged. Our results showed that, independently of the space and time, the network presented a nested and modular structure, with a high specialization degree and a high turnover of cerambycid species and their interactions. In general, we found that the cerambycids are mostly associated with softwood species with a lower decomposition rate of wood, as well as with the most abundant host species. The commensalistic interactions between the cerambycids and their host trees are highly specialized but are not spatio-temporally static. The high turnover in the interactions is caused by the emergence patterns of cerambycids, which seem to restrict their use to certain species. The knowledge of the spatio-temporal variation in Cerambycidae-host tree interactions allows us to predict how environmental and structural changes in the habitat can modify the species ensemble, and therefore its interactions. OPEN ACCESS Citation: Ramos-Robles M, Vargas-Cardoso OR, Corona-López AM, Flores-Palacios A, Toledo-Hernández VH (2020) Spatio-temporal variation of Cerambycidae-host tree interaction networks. PLoS ONE 15(2): e0228880. https://doi.org/ 10.Data Availability Statement: All relevant data are within the manuscript and its Supporting Information files.develop in highly seasonal climates, which generates abiotic conditions that are more stressful than those of the tropical rain forests [3]. The climatic seasonality of the TDF determines the variation in the spatial and temporal availability of the resources (e.g., food and water) and thus generates changes in the abundance, richness, composition, and interactions of the species [4,5]. Part of the biota of the TDF can survive the drought because they present resting cycles below ground (e.g., hemicryptophyte and cryptophyte plants), or remain active in chambers that provide them with suitable conditions to continue growth, such as in the case of the sapro...
Few studies test the host specificity of tropical dry forest cerambycids, in this study, we examined the host preferences of the cerambycids of a tropical dry forest in central Mexico and the association of cerambycid richness and abundance with the physical characteristics of the wood of their host plants. Branch segments of 81 species of woody plants were cut and left exposed to allow cerambycids oviposition, and the branches were collected and placed in emergence chambers. We measured the density, decomposition rate, and volume of wood for each branch segment. Fifty‐seven species of cerambycids emerged. We categorized the cerambycids by the degree of host specificity: 23% were generalists, 14% were specialists, and for 63% of the data were insufficient to determine specificity. For the first time we report, for the tropical dry forest, preference patterns between Cerambycidae (subfamilies and species) and their host plants (families and species). Physical characteristics of wood, such as density and decomposition rate, were strongly related to the presence of cerambycids. Cerambycidae in this forest use wood resources that decompose at an intermediate rate and are relatively soft. The cerambycids were most often generalists, and specific cerambycid/tree species associations were rare, but close commensal relationships were found at the level of subfamilies and plant families. Cerambycid richness and abundance depend on the type of host, medium decomposed woods, and the great abundance of each individual host in the area.
Abstract1. There is little information on tropical dry forests regarding cerambycids and their relationship with seasonality, vertical stratification, and physical characteristics of the wood they require to develop.2. In this work, we determined whether cerambycids in a tropical dry forest of central Mexico differed in the selection of oviposition sites in two different strata throughout two seasons; the relationship between the time of exposure of branches and the emergence of cerambycids; the emergence of these insects in relation to the physical characteristics of the wood and its relationship with stratification and seasonality; and if there was a seasonal shift between strata by cerambycids. Branch segments from 81 woody plant species were cut and exposed to allow the cerambycids to oviposit; the branches were harvested in four 2‐month periods and placed in emergence chambers. For each plant species, we measured the density, decomposition rate, and offered volume of wood.3. There was a greater quantity of generalist species of stratum (15) and season (12), and we found six important habitat indicator species: three species were significantly associated with the canopy and the dry season, two species preferred the dry season but not strata, and one species preferred both strata in the dry season and the ground during the rainy season. Cerambycid species generally selected soft and ephemeral wood resources.4. Branch selection by cerambycids in Central Mexico is not random choice; it is determined by season, stratum, density, and especially by host type, decomposition, and volume. Finally, there is a greater abundance of cerambycids in the ground and a greater richness of species in the canopy.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
hi@scite.ai
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.