Predator assemblage structure and temporal variability of species richness and abundance in forests of high tree diversity

Publikation: Beiträge in ZeitschriftenZeitschriftenaufsätzeForschungbegutachtet

Authors

Predators significantly affect ecosystem functions, but our understanding of to what extent findings can be transferred from experiments and low-diversity systems to highly diverse, natural ecosystems is limited. With a particular threat of biodiversity loss at higher trophic levels, however, knowledge of spatial and temporal patterns in predator assemblages and their interrelations with lower trophic levels is essential for assessing effects of trophic interactions and advancing biodiversity conservation in these ecosystems. We analyzed spatial and temporal variability of spider assemblages in tree species-rich subtropical forests in China, across 27 study plots varying in woody plant diversity and stand age. Despite effects of woody plant richness on spider assemblage structure, neither habitat specificity nor temporal variability of spider richness and abundance were influenced. Rather, variability increased with forest age, probably related to successional changes in spider assemblages. Our results indicate that woody plant richness and theory predicting increasing predator diversity with increasing plant diversity do not necessarily play a major role for spatial and temporal dynamics of predator assemblages in such plant species-rich forests. Diversity effects on biotic or abiotic habitat conditions might be less pronounced across our gradient from medium to high plant diversity than in previously studied less diverse systems, and bottom-up effects might level out at high plant diversity. Instead, our study highlights the importance of overall (diversity-independent) environmental heterogeneity in shaping spider assemblages and, as indicated by a high species turnover between plots, as a crucial factor for biodiversity conservation at a regional scale in these subtropical forests. © 2012 by The Association for Tropical Biology and Conservation.
OriginalspracheEnglisch
ZeitschriftBiotropica
Jahrgang44
Ausgabenummer6
Seiten (von - bis)793-800
Anzahl der Seiten8
DOIs
PublikationsstatusErschienen - 11.2012

DOI

Zuletzt angesehen

Publikationen

  1. y-Randomization and its variants in QSPR/QSAR
  2. Modeling Self-Organization
  3. The dependency of the banks’ assets and liabilities
  4. Payments for ecosystem services – for efficiency and for equity?
  5. Understanding role models for change
  6. Computer-Kriegs-Spiele oder: eine Kultur der Gewalt
  7. A new didactic approach in Engineering Education for conceptual understanding of Euler's Formula
  8. Numerical responses of saproxylic beetles to rapid increases in dead wood availability following geometrid moth outbreaks in sub-arctic mountain birch forest
  9. Credit Constraints and Exports
  10. Erosion modelling designed for water quality simulation
  11. Lernende in der Hauptschule
  12. Mentoring in International Assignments
  13. An idea and a person whose time had come
  14. Update wurde nicht ausgeführt
  15. Canopy functional trait variation across Earth’s tropical forests
  16. Learning from the richness of diversity
  17. Artificial intelligence in sustainable development research
  18. Researching participation in environmental governance through the implementation of the European Water Framework Directive
  19. Deriving Collaboration Cases in Production Networks Considering Smart Services
  20. Ist jetzt alles Netzwerk?
  21. The human resource practices of small businesses
  22. Regulating Globalization
  23. Modellierung effektiver und ineffektiver Chatdiskurse im Computer-Supported Collaborative Learning mit Hiden Markov Models
  24. Multiscale process simulation of residual stress fields of laser beam welded precipitation hardened AA6082
  25. One-year follow-up results of unsupported online computerized cognitive behavioural therapy for depression in primary care
  26. The Objects of Scientific Study
  27. Pesticide and metabolite fate, release and transport modelling at catchment scale
  28. Bereichsrezensionen
  29. How smart do you think you are?