Seasonal and diel variations in the activity of canopy insect herbivores differ between deciduous and evergreen plant species in a tropical dry forest

Silva, Jhonathan O.; Leal, Camila Rabelo Oliveira; Espírito-Santo, Mário M.; Morais, H.

doi:10.1007/s10841-017-0009-9

Cited by 20 publications

(15 citation statements)

References 47 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Unclassified

Order By: Relevance

“…The mass of debris was mainly composed of insect faeces and body parts, and similar results have been reported by Martínez-Yrízar and Sarukhán (1990) and Martínez-Yrízar (1995). Peaks in this component of the litterfall were observed in the rainy season, when herbivorous insects are more abundant, and in the beginning of the dry season, when insect death is high due to the synchronization of their life cycle with leaf availability (Silva et al 2012; but see Silva et al 2017). The mass of reproductive parts in the litterfall may be determined by the dispersal syndromes of the plant species, because flower and fruit falls are highly variable in time and reflect the reproductive phenology of the species.…”

Section: Seasonal Variations In Litterfallsupporting

confidence: 78%

Litterfall dynamics along a successional gradient in a Brazilian tropical dry forest

et al. 2019

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Background: This study aimed to determine the influence of soil traits, vegetation structure and climate on litterfall dynamics along a successional gradient in a tropical dry forest (TDF) in southeastern Brazil. We used a chronosequence design consisting of three successional stages (early, intermediate, and old-growth) defined based on forest age and vertical and horizontal structures. Methods: Litterfall was recorded monthly for three years in 12 plots of 50 × 20 m (four plots per stage) where vegetation parameters (species richness, basal area, density and height for trees with diameter at breast height ≥ 5 cm) and soil chemical and physical traits were previously obtained. We placed eight 0.5-m 2 litter traps in each plot, totalling 96 traps. Samples were sorted into leaves, twigs, reproductive parts, and debris. Results: Litterfall mass was composed mainly of leaves and varied slightly among years (4 to 4.5 Mg•ha − 1), within the range observed for other TDFs. Annual litterfall mass was higher at the old-growth forest than at the early and intermediate forest stages and this successional pattern was driven by vegetation characteristics (forest structural parameters and plant functional groups) and soil traits related to water-holding capacity. Litter amount in the intermediate stage was lower than expected for its forest structure (and similar to the early stage), possibly because its higher soil clay content increased the water holding capacity and leaf retention during the dry season. Seasonal variations in monthly litterfall were strongly driven by forest deciduousness and affected by climatic factors related to water availability. This pattern was consistent across the successional gradient, although differences for each litterfall component were observed. Conclusions: Our results suggest that litter production in the studied TDF is influenced by multiple factors along succession, such as above-ground biomass and the degree of leaf retention mediated by soil water-holding capacity. Further studies on community phenological patterns can allow a better understanding of successional changes on litterfall and how fast this fundamental function recovers in secondary forests.

show abstract

Section: Seasonal Variations In Litterfallsupporting

confidence: 78%

Litterfall dynamics along a successional gradient in a Brazilian tropical dry forest

et al. 2019

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…For example, Cuevas-Reyes et al (2004) found herbivore insects preferred to occupy drier areas of a TDF in Mexico. A similar pattern occurs in TDFs of Brazil, with high activity of herbivores in more xeric environments, proving that soil and vegetation composition may affect herbivore distribution (Silva et al 2016, Silva et al 2017. However, most TDFs are still poorly studied when compared to tropical rainforests and savannas (Silva et al 2018).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 78%

“…Like other ecosystems, herbivore insects in TDFs are positively affected by tree species richness and the structural architecture of vegetation (Cuevas-Reyes et al 2004, Leal et al 2016. Likewise, herbivore insects present specific adaptations to inhabit dry environments (Cuevas-Reyes et al 2004, Leal et al 2016, Silva et al 2017. For example, Cuevas-Reyes et al (2004) found herbivore insects preferred to occupy drier areas of a TDF in Mexico.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Besides, we tested whether true weevil and plant diversities are correlated within the Caatinga. This approach may provide the basis for a better understanding of plant-insect relationships in dry ecosystems, which have fauna and flora strongly adapted to water scarcity (Haim & Izhaki 1995, Silva et al 2017. The evolution between plant and insects is asymmetric, with insects usually following plant evolution; thus, understanding the relationship between herbivorous insects and their hosts entails knowledge in ecological interactions between such taxa (Jermy 1984, Strauss & Zangerl 2002.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Contrasting Relationship of True Weevils (Curculionidae) and Woody Plants Diversity in Semi-arid Landscape Units

et al. 2020

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

In general, insect herbivore diversity is positively correlated to plant diversity since plant assemblages structure different microhabitats and provide food resources for such insects. Although poorly studied, insect herbivores in tropical dry forests are positively affected by tree species richness and the structural architecture of vegetation. In this study, we analyzed whether true weevil and woody plants present similar patterns of diversity across different landscape units in a Neotropical tropical dry forests located in Brazil, and if there is a correlation among their assemblages. We used Hill numbers according to species richness and the inverse of Simpson to compare the taxonomic diversity of true weevils and plants in nine landscape units located at the São Francisco river basin in the states of Sergipe and Alagoas, northeastern Brazil. All trees and shrubs with diameter at breast height (1.3 m) ≥ 5 cm were sampled, and true weevils were collected using a modified Malaise trap. We used co-correspondence analysis to test if plants and true weevil species tend to co-occur. A total of 538 true weevils from 60 species was collected, and a total of 1419 plants belonging to 49 species was recorded. There is no general pattern of co-occurrence and diversity among true weevils and plants, indicating that the plant community is not structuring true weevil assemblage in the Caatinga. However, there was positive relationship between Sibinia sp4 and Fabaceae-Mimosoideae. These results suggest true weevil-plant relationships in the Caatinga differ from that of more mesic ecosystems. Therefore, we observed that the mechanisms that regulate herbivoreplant diversity relationships do not always follow a positive relationship, as observed in previous studies.

show abstract

“…No data regarding diel variation in prey availability is available for the study site. However, in other seasonally dry tropical environments, the ground-level insect availability changes little between daytime and nighttime, both in terms of species composition and abundance [ 72 , 73 ]. Further studies on differential distribution and availability of prey and energy acquisition according to diel patterns, as well as preferred prey types in relation to developmental stage, might test if variations in prey availability make diurnal activity beneficial for early-stages terrestrial horned frogs.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Adult—Juvenile interactions and temporal niche partitioning between life-stages in a tropical amphibian

et al. 2020

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Divergence in ecological niche offers organisms the opportunity of exploiting different food and habitat resources, scaling down competition and predation both among species, and within different age or size-classes of the same species. In harsh environments, where abiotic factors determine a clustering of resources during short timespans, competition and predation between organisms is likely to be enhanced. This is the case in tropical dry forests, where amphibians have limited opportunities to feed, their activity being restricted to the short rainy season. One way to maximize resource exploitation while avoiding predation risk is by adopting different diel activity patterns. We tested this hypothesis by comparing activity patterns in adults and recently metamorphosed juveniles of Pacific horned frogs ( Ceratophrys stolzmanni ) during field surveys and in an experimental study. Field surveys showed that the adults are strictly nocturnal, whereas freshly metamorphosed juveniles can be found active above ground at all hours, with a peak activity during daytime. The average body condition index of juveniles found active during the night was higher than that of juveniles found active during the day, suggesting that the weaker individuals may be constrained to being active during the day. On the other hand, in a laboratory experiment, juveniles that were visually exposed to adults moved less than those in the absence of adults. Both field and experimental observations indicate a temporal niche divergence between life stages. The results of the experiment offer support to the hypothesis that the juveniles in this species display an inverse activity pattern compared to adults, which can reduce competitive interactions and predation pressure from the larger conspecifics.

show abstract

Seasonal and diel variations in the activity of canopy insect herbivores differ between deciduous and evergreen plant species in a tropical dry forest

Cited by 20 publications

References 47 publications

Litterfall dynamics along a successional gradient in a Brazilian tropical dry forest

Litterfall dynamics along a successional gradient in a Brazilian tropical dry forest

Contrasting Relationship of True Weevils (Curculionidae) and Woody Plants Diversity in Semi-arid Landscape Units

Adult—Juvenile interactions and temporal niche partitioning between life-stages in a tropical amphibian

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About