Interspecific synchrony among foliage‐feeding forest Lepidoptera species and the potential role of generalist predators as synchronizing agents

Raimondo, Sandy; Turčáni, Marek; Patoèka, Jan; Liebhold, Andrew M.

doi:10.1111/j.0030-1299.2004.13449.x

Cited by 46 publications

(70 citation statements)

References 52 publications

(62 reference statements)

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“…The significant synchrony of M. alcon and M. teleius population trends may be used as an argument for a strong effect of environmental stochasticity. However, apart from being a result of environmental stochasticity, such a synchrony may be partly explained as a by-product of trophic interactions between species Raimondo et al 2004)-in our case, competition caused by using the same ant host. More importantly, it is sometimes considered that all variation in population dynamics unaccounted for by density dependence and direct management should be viewed as a manifestation of environmental stochasticity (e.g.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 83%

Relative importance of density-dependent regulation and environmental stochasticity for butterfly population dynamics

et al. 2009

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The relative contribution of density-dependent regulation and environmental stochasticity to the temporal dynamics of animal populations is one of the central issues of ecology. In insects, the primary role of the latter factor, typically represented by weather patterns, is widely accepted. We have evaluated the impact of density dependence as well as density-independent factors, including weather and mowing regime, on annual fluctuations of butterfly populations. As model species, we used Maculinea alcon and M. teleius living in sympatry and, consequently, we also analysed the effect of their potential competition. Density dependence alone explained 62 and 42% of the variation in the year-to-year trends of M. alcon and M. teleius, respectively. The cumulative Akaike weight of models with density dependence, which can be interpreted as the probability that this factor should be contained in the most appropriate population dynamics model, exceeded 0.97 for both species. In contrast, the impacts of inter-specific competition, mowing regime and weather were much weaker, with their cumulative weights being in the range of 0.08-0.21; in addition, each of these factors explained only 2-5% of additional variation in Maculinea population trends. Our results provide strong evidence for density-dependent regulation in Maculinea, while the influence of environmental stochasticity is rather minor. In the light of several recent studies on other butterflies that detected significant density-dependent effects, it would appear that density-dependent regulation may be more widespread in this group than previously thought, while the role of environmental stochasticity has probably been overestimated. We suggest that this misconception is the result of deficiencies in the design of most butterfly population studies in the past, including (1) a strong focus on adults and a neglect of the larval stage in which density-dependent effects are most likely to occur; (2) an almost exclusive reliance on transect count results that may confound the impact of environmental stochasticity on butterfly numbers with its impact on adult longevity.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 83%

Relative importance of density-dependent regulation and environmental stochasticity for butterfly population dynamics

et al. 2009

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“…Yet, our results allow us to conclude that trophic interactions involving copepods and cladocerans were more important than direct competitive interactions between morphotypes to explain observed differences in seasonal variability patterns. Raimondo et al (2004) have demonstrated how generalist predators can act as synchronizing agents and have used the proposed mechanism to explain the synchrony among forest Lepidoptera species belonging to the same feeding guild. This evidence from both aquatic and terrestrial systems and the general importance of top‐down control across ecosystems (Shurin et al 2002) suggest that predation influences patterns of community variability in a wide range of different ecosystems.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

The role of predation for seasonal variability patterns among phytoplankton and ciliates

Gaedke¹

2006

Oikos

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Investigating the mechanisms which underlie the biomass fluctuations of populations and communities is important to better understand the processes which buffer community biomass in a variable environment. Based on long‐term data of plankton biomass in Lake Constance (Bodensee), this study aims at explaining the different degree of synchrony among populations observed within two freshwater plankton groups, phytoplankton and ciliates. Established measures of temporal variability such as the variance ratio and cross‐correlation coefficients were combined with first‐order autoregressive models that allow estimating species interactions from time‐series data. We found that predation was an important driver of the observed seasonal variability patterns in phytoplankton and ciliates, and that competitive interactions only played a subordinate role. In Lake Constance copepods and cladocerans, two major invertebrate predator groups, focus their grazing pressure at different times of the season. Model results suggested that compensatory dynamics detected in phytoplankton originate from the differential vulnerability of species to either one of these two predator groups. For ciliates model results advocated that synchrony among species occurs because ciliates tend to be vulnerable to both predator groups. Our findings underline the necessity of extending studies of community variability to multiple trophic levels because accounting for predator‐prey interactions may often be more important than accounting for competitive interactions at one trophic level.

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“…Synchrony at spatial scales beyond the range of local dispersal is most likely to be driven by climatic events although populations with cyclic or more complex dynamics may exhibit broad scale synchrony by local dispersal (i.e., phase synchrony [Johnson et al 2004). Spatial studies of interspecific synchrony have proven useful in focusing on the synchronizing roles of environmental variation and shared predation, as dispersal cannot occur between populations of different species , Raimondo et al 2004.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Spatial Synchrony in Coral Reef Fish Populations and the Influence of Climate

Cheal

Delean

Sweatman

et al. 2007

Ecology

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We investigated spatial patterns of synchrony among coral reef fish populations and environmental variables over an eight-year period on the Great Barrier Reef, Australia. Our aims were to determine the spatial scale of intra- and interspecific synchrony of fluctuations in abundance of nine damselfish species (genus Pomacentrus) and assess whether environmental factors could have influenced population synchrony. All species showed intraspecific synchrony among populations on reefs separated by < or =100 km, and interspecific synchrony was also common at this scale. At greater spatial scales, only four species showed intraspecific synchrony, over distances ranging from 100-300 km to 500-800 km, and no cases of interspecific synchrony were recorded. The two mechanisms most likely to cause population synchrony are dispersal and environmental forcing through regionally correlated climate (the Moran effect). Dispersal may have influenced population synchrony over distances up to 100 km as this is the expected spatial range for ecologically significant reef fish dispersal. Environmental factors are also likely to have synchronized population fluctuations via the Moran effect for three reasons: (1) dispersal could not have caused interspecific synchrony that was common over distances < or =100 km because dispersal cannot link populations of different species, (2) variations in both sea surface temperature and wind speed were synchronized over greater spatial scales (>800 km) than fluctuations in damselfish abundance (< or =800 km) and were correlated with an index of global climate variability, the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO), and (3) synchronous population fluctuations of most damselfish species were correlated with ENSO; large population increases often followed ENSO events. We recorded regional variations in the strength of population synchrony that we suspect are due to spatial differences in geophysical, oceanographic, and population characteristics, which act to dilute or enhance the effects of synchronizing mechanisms. We conclude that synchrony is common among Pomacentrus populations separated by tens of kilometers but less prevalent at greater spatial scales, and that environmental variation linked to global climate is likely to be a driving force behind damselfish population synchrony at all spatial scales on the Great Barrier Reef.

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Interspecific synchrony among foliage‐feeding forest Lepidoptera species and the potential role of generalist predators as synchronizing agents

Cited by 46 publications

References 52 publications

Relative importance of density-dependent regulation and environmental stochasticity for butterfly population dynamics

Relative importance of density-dependent regulation and environmental stochasticity for butterfly population dynamics

The role of predation for seasonal variability patterns among phytoplankton and ciliates

Spatial Synchrony in Coral Reef Fish Populations and the Influence of Climate

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