A tale of scale: Plot but not neighbourhood tree diversity increases leaf litter ant diversity

Skarbek, Carl J.; Noack, Merle; Bruelheide, Helge; Oheimb, Goddert von; Scholten, Thomas; Seitz, Steffen; Staab, Michael

doi:10.1111/1365-2656.13115

Cited by 25 publications

(14 citation statements)

References 69 publications

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“…This finding possibly indicates that the invasion‐induced leaf‐litter variation was not enough to modify the ground‐foraging ant fauna. Some previous studies have found a lack of association between the surrounding tree diversity, litter heterogeneity or depth, and the leaf‐litter ant fauna, corroborating our results (e.g., Donoso et al, 2010; Skarbek et al, 2020). These studies suggest that local‐scale factors, such as competition among ants, may be more important drivers of ant community assembly.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 93%

Ants benefit from the Japanese raisin tree invasion and favor its invasiveness in the subtropical Atlantic Rainforest

et al. 2022

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Biological invasions are among the main drivers of biodiversity losses, which can be caused by alterations in habitat structure. Animal–plant mutualistic interactions created in recipient communities may enhance alien species invasiveness. In this study, we investigate the relationships between the Japanese raisin tree (Hovenia dulcis) and ground‐foraging ant communities in the Atlantic Rainforest. Seven paired sites (n = 14) of invaded and uninvaded forests (control) were chosen. We sampled ant communities with pitfall traps in those sites during 2018 wintertime, before (June) and after H. dulcis infructescences fall on the forest floor (July). In June, leaf‐litter mass of invaded sites was higher, but ant diversity and composition were not affected. In July, leaf‐litter mass reduced, and infructescence offer triggered a higher ant diversity and distinct ant species composition in invaded sites. We additionally performed an experiment to understand the potential use of H. dulcis diaspores by ant species. We recorded 19 species exploiting H. dulcis diaspores, of which 18 consumed the fleshy peduncle in situ, and two removed diaspores for distances >1 cm. Our study indicates the invasion did not negatively affect ant communities by altering the leaf‐litter layer. On the contrary, ant communities benefited from the high‐resource availability during exposure to cold stress. Ant–H. dulcis diaspore interactions could further contribute to seed germination and propagule establishment, potentially enhancing H. dulcis invasiveness. Abstract in Portuguese is available with online material.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 93%

Ants benefit from the Japanese raisin tree invasion and favor its invasiveness in the subtropical Atlantic Rainforest

et al. 2022

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“…when a more diverse litter layer allows for the coexistence of more ant colonies (e.g. Kaspari et al., 2000; Skarbek et al., 2020) or when a more heterogeneous vegetation structure facilitates spiders with complementary hunting strategies (e.g. Schmitz, 2009; Schuldt, Bruelheide, et al., 2014).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Tree phylogenetic diversity structures multitrophic communities

et al. 2020

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Plant diversity begets diversity at other trophic levels. While species richness is the most commonly used measure for plant diversity, the number of evolutionary lineages (i.e. phylogenetic diversity) could theoretically have a stronger influence on the community structure of co‐occurring organisms. However, this prediction has only rarely been tested in complex real‐world ecosystems. Using a comprehensive multitrophic dataset of arthropods and fungi from a species‐rich subtropical forest, we tested whether tree species richness or tree phylogenetic diversity relates to the diversity and composition of organisms. We show that tree phylogenetic diversity but not tree species richness determines arthropod and fungi community composition across trophic levels and increases the diversity of predatory arthropods but decreases herbivorous arthropod diversity. The effect of tree phylogenetic diversity was not mediated by changed abundances of associated organisms, indicating that evolutionarily more diverse plant communities increase niche opportunities (resource diversity) but not necessarily niche amplitudes (resource amount). Our findings suggest that plant evolutionary relatedness structures multitrophic communities in the studied species‐rich forests and possibly other ecosystems at large. As global change non‐randomly threatens phylogenetically distinct plant species, far‐reaching consequences on associated communities are expected. A free Plain Language Summary can be found within the Supporting Information of this article.

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“…The greater plant production and increase soil cover may favour the abundance of dipterans and weeds as shelter against predators [48]. This contributes to understanding the relationships between the organisms and the sludge application similar to that of the tree density directly affecting species richness of these insects [52,53] and of ants and dung beetle species abundance and composition [22]. The vineyard canopy also correlated with ground cover after application of the sewage sludge providing greater shelter and prey availability, increasing spider survival and reproduction [48].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Ecological indexes of arthropods on Sapindus saponaria plants with dehydrated sewage sludge as fertilizer

Teixeira

Leite

Sampaio

et al. 2022

Preprint

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Plant species, monitoring measures, and alternative fertilization with sewage sludge accelerate recovering of degraded areas. The objective of this study was to evaluate the numbers of leaves/branch and branches/plant of Sapindus saponaria L., the ground cover by this plant and the ecological indexes of abundance, diversity, and species richness of insects and spiders, and of their interactions, during 24 months on trees grown in a degraded area with or without dehydrated sewage sludge as fertilizer. The metrics of plant, soil cover, and arthropods were higher on the S. saponaria plants fertilized with dehydrated sewage sludge. The abundance of chewing insects, tending ants, and spiders was greater on larger S. saponaria tree crown. The abundance of these last groups of organisms associated, negatively, with that of Coleoptera, but those of ants reduced that of the predators. The ecological indexes of arthropods on S. saponaria plants shows the suitability of this plant for recovering programs of degraded areas and the use of dehydrated sewage sludge as fertilizer increased these indices and the possibility of using insects and spiders on the crown of this plant as bioindicators.

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A tale of scale: Plot but not neighbourhood tree diversity increases leaf litter ant diversity

Cited by 25 publications

References 69 publications

Ants benefit from the Japanese raisin tree invasion and favor its invasiveness in the subtropical Atlantic Rainforest

Ants benefit from the Japanese raisin tree invasion and favor its invasiveness in the subtropical Atlantic Rainforest

Tree phylogenetic diversity structures multitrophic communities

Ecological indexes of arthropods on Sapindus saponaria plants with dehydrated sewage sludge as fertilizer

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