Specialised host-use and phenophase tracking in restio leafhoppers (Cicadellidae: Cephalelini) in the Cape Floristic Region

Augustyn, Willem J.; Anderson, Bruce; Stiller, Michael; Ellis, Allan G.

doi:10.1007/s10841-013-9608-2

Cited by 13 publications

(31 citation statements)

References 37 publications

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“…The sclerophyllous leaves of CFR plants may act as deterrent to folivores [33,38] and the low soil nutrients (leading to low plant nutrients) could favour generalism in herbivorous insects, where insects may switch seasonally between plant species to optimise nutrient intake [19]. Alternately, insects may be specialised on a plant species and only be present in the community when nutrient uptake from that plant species is optimal.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Alternately, insects may be specialised on a plant species and only be present in the community when nutrient uptake from that plant species is optimal. Leafhopper species in the tribe Cephalelini (Cicadellidae) have been shown to be specialised on Restionaceae taxa [19,39–41], whereas Betiscoides grasshoppers are specialised on the Restionaceae at the family level [42]. …”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Austral autumn: March-April 2013). These sampling periods coincide with the two peaks in Cephalelini abundance [19]. These will hereafter be referred to as spring and autumn respectively.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…These patterns suggest that the plant-insect diversity relationship might arise due to similar responses of both groups to environmental gradients. In addition, properties of plant communities besides species/phylogenetic diversity may influence insect herbivore diversity, such as vegetation structure [18], or plant phenophase [19]. …”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Significant Local-Scale Plant-Insect Species Richness Relationship Independent of Abiotic Effects in the Temperate Cape Floristic Region Biodiversity Hotspot

Kemp

Ellis

2017

PLoS ONE

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Globally plant species richness is a significant predictor of insect richness. Whether this is the result of insect diversity responding directly to plant diversity, or both groups responding in similar ways to extrinsic factors, has been much debated. Here we assess this relationship in the Cape Floristic Region (CFR), a biodiversity hotspot. The CFR has higher plant diversity than expected from latitude (i.e., abiotic conditions), but very little is known about the diversity of insects residing in this region. We first quantify diversity relationships at multiple spatial scales for one of the dominant plant families in the CFR, the Restionaceae, and its associated insect herbivore community. Plant and insect diversity are significantly positively correlated at the local scales (10–50 m; 0.1–3 km), but not at the regional scales (15–20 km; 50–70 km). The local scale relationship remains significantly positively correlated even when accounting for the influence of extrinsic variables and other vegetation attributes. This suggests that the diversity of local insect assemblages may be more strongly influenced by plant species richness than by abiotic variables. Further, vegetation age and plant structural complexity also influenced insect richness. The ratio of insect species per plant species in the CFR is comparable to other temperate regions around the world, suggesting that the insect diversity of the CFR is high relative to other areas of the globe with similar abiotic conditions, primarily as a result of the unusually high plant diversity in the region.

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Austral autumn: March-April 2013). These sampling periods coincide with the two peaks in Cephalelini abundance [19]. These will hereafter be referred to as spring and autumn respectively.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

Significant Local-Scale Plant-Insect Species Richness Relationship Independent of Abiotic Effects in the Temperate Cape Floristic Region Biodiversity Hotspot

Kemp

Ellis

2017

PLoS ONE

Self Cite

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“…x Specialised host-use in restio leafhoppers (Cicadellidae: Cephalelini) Augustyn et al (2013) Elachistine Moths (Lepidoptera: Gelechioidea: Elachistidae) on Lepidosperma (Cyperaceae) Kaila (2011) 6(l) Dew/fog harvesting curly leaved geophytes…”

Section: (A) Bird Pollinationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Biodiversity hotspots and Ocbil theory

Hopper

Silveira

Fiedler³

2015

Plant Soil

161

129

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Background Ocbil theory aims to develop hypotheses explaining the evolution and ecology of, and best conservation practices for, biota on very old, climatically buffered, infertile landscapes (Ocbils). Scope This paper reviews recent multi-disciplinary literature inspired by or reacting to aspects of Ocbil theory and discusses how it can assist conservation in biodiversity hotspots. Conclusions Ocbils occur in at least 12 out of 35 known terrestrial hotspots, but also in other biologically significant sites. Most evidence comes from the Southwest Australian and Greater Cape Floristic Regions, South America's Pantepui, and the Campo Rupestre of Brazil, though predictions of the theory have been corroborated in 22 sites across South America, Western and Eastern Africa, Southern Asia, and Oceania. Most hypotheses have been corroborated, indicating that Ocbil theory has survived largely intact after 6 years of independent scientific critique, quantitative experimentation, and development. The theory also has been extended to allow identification and characterization of OCBISs (old, climatically-buffered, infertile seascapes), and OCFELs (old, climatically-buffered, fertile landscapes). We illustrate that the principles of Ocbil theory are key to conservation of biodiversity at global scale and provide new directions for research that can improve the theoretical and practical contributions of Ocbil theory.

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Interactions among predators and plant specificity protect herbivores from top predators

Bosc

Roets

Hui

et al. 2018

Ecology

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The worldwide loss of top predators from natural and agricultural systems has heightened the need to understand how important they are in controlling herbivore abundance. The effect of top predators on herbivore species is likely to depend on (1) the importance of the consumption of intermediate predators by top predators (intra-guild predation; IGP), but also on (2) plant specificity by herbivores, because specialists may defend themselves better (enemy-free space; EFS). Insectivorous birds, as top predators, are generally known to effectively control herbivorous insects, despite also consuming intermediate predators such as spiders, but how this effect varies among herbivore species in relation to the cascading effects of IGP and EFS is not known. To explore this, we excluded birds from natural fynbos vegetation in South Africa using large netted cages and recorded changes in abundance relative to control plots for 199 plant-dwelling intermediate predator and 341 herbivore morpho-species that varied in their estimated plant specificity. We found a strong negative effect of birds on the total abundance of all intermediate predators, with especially clear effects on spiders (strong IGP). In contrast with previous studies, which document a negative effect of birds on herbivores, we found an overall neutral effect of birds on herbivore abundance, but the effect varied among species: some species were negatively affected by birds, suggesting that they were mainly consumed by birds, whereas others, likely released from spiders by IGP, were positively affected. Some species were also effectively neutrally affected by birds. These tended to be more specialized to plants compared to the other species, which may imply that some plant specialists benefited from protection provided by EFS from both birds and spiders. These results suggest that the response of herbivore species to top predators may depend on cascading effects of interactions among predators and on their degree of plant specificity.

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Specialised host-use and phenophase tracking in restio leafhoppers (Cicadellidae: Cephalelini) in the Cape Floristic Region

Cited by 13 publications

References 37 publications

Significant Local-Scale Plant-Insect Species Richness Relationship Independent of Abiotic Effects in the Temperate Cape Floristic Region Biodiversity Hotspot

Significant Local-Scale Plant-Insect Species Richness Relationship Independent of Abiotic Effects in the Temperate Cape Floristic Region Biodiversity Hotspot

Biodiversity hotspots and Ocbil theory

Interactions among predators and plant specificity protect herbivores from top predators

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