Effects of grassland management, endophytic fungi and predators on aphid abundance in two distinct regions

Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

Standard

Effects of grassland management, endophytic fungi and predators on aphid abundance in two distinct regions. / Börschig, Carmen; Klein, Alexandra-Maria; Krauss, Jochen.
In: Journal of Plant Ecology, Vol. 7, No. 5, 10.2014, p. 490-498.

Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

Harvard

APA

Vancouver

Bibtex

@article{eecf836ca81e4f3f935e71234854857b,
title = "Effects of grassland management, endophytic fungi and predators on aphid abundance in two distinct regions",
abstract = "Aims Fungal endophytes of cool-season grass species produce alkaloids toxic to herbivores, affecting food webs in agricultural and natural ecosystems. Field studies about the effects of endophytes on herbivores are rare and show contradictory results, leading to uncertain conclusions about the nature of endophyte-grass symbiosis. We asked whether the environmental contexts of local and regional scales and predation could modify the effects of endophytes on herbivores. Methods In a full factorial field experiment, we quantified the abundance of the aphid species Rhopalosiphum padi on the potted host grass Lolium perenne, which was either infected or uninfected with the endophytic fungus Neotyphodium lolii. Predators were either excluded or had free access to the pots with the aphids. One hundred and sixty grass pots were located in two regions on altogether 40 grassland sites, half of the sites intensively and half extensively managed. We tested the importance of endophyte infection, study region, management intensity of grasslands, predation and all two-way interactions on aphid abundance. Important Findings Endophyte infection reduced aphid abundance significantly in one study region only. In both regions, we found that the impacts of aphidophagous predators and grassland management intensity on aphid abundance were substantially stronger and more consistent than that of endophytes on aphid abundance. Pots excluding predators and pots placed on extensive grasslands contained higher aphid abundance. The impact of predators and management on aphid abundance were not modified by the endophyte. We conclude that the effect of endophytes on herbivores can be weak in field experiments and depends on environmental context at a regional scale. Hence, more field research efforts are necessary to detect the relative importance of endophytes and the environmental context on biotic interactions in ecosystems.",
keywords = "Biology, bottom-up control, microorganisms, multi-trophic interactionedator exclosure, top-down control, bottom-up control, microorganism, multi-trophic, interaction, predator exclosure, top-down control, Ecosystems Research",
author = "Carmen B{\"o}rschig and Alexandra-Maria Klein and Jochen Krauss",
year = "2014",
month = oct,
doi = "10.1093/jpe/rtt047",
language = "English",
volume = "7",
pages = "490--498",
journal = "Journal of Plant Ecology",
issn = "1752-9921",
publisher = "Oxford University Press",
number = "5",

}

RIS

TY - JOUR

T1 - Effects of grassland management, endophytic fungi and predators on aphid abundance in two distinct regions

AU - Börschig, Carmen

AU - Klein, Alexandra-Maria

AU - Krauss, Jochen

PY - 2014/10

Y1 - 2014/10

N2 - Aims Fungal endophytes of cool-season grass species produce alkaloids toxic to herbivores, affecting food webs in agricultural and natural ecosystems. Field studies about the effects of endophytes on herbivores are rare and show contradictory results, leading to uncertain conclusions about the nature of endophyte-grass symbiosis. We asked whether the environmental contexts of local and regional scales and predation could modify the effects of endophytes on herbivores. Methods In a full factorial field experiment, we quantified the abundance of the aphid species Rhopalosiphum padi on the potted host grass Lolium perenne, which was either infected or uninfected with the endophytic fungus Neotyphodium lolii. Predators were either excluded or had free access to the pots with the aphids. One hundred and sixty grass pots were located in two regions on altogether 40 grassland sites, half of the sites intensively and half extensively managed. We tested the importance of endophyte infection, study region, management intensity of grasslands, predation and all two-way interactions on aphid abundance. Important Findings Endophyte infection reduced aphid abundance significantly in one study region only. In both regions, we found that the impacts of aphidophagous predators and grassland management intensity on aphid abundance were substantially stronger and more consistent than that of endophytes on aphid abundance. Pots excluding predators and pots placed on extensive grasslands contained higher aphid abundance. The impact of predators and management on aphid abundance were not modified by the endophyte. We conclude that the effect of endophytes on herbivores can be weak in field experiments and depends on environmental context at a regional scale. Hence, more field research efforts are necessary to detect the relative importance of endophytes and the environmental context on biotic interactions in ecosystems.

AB - Aims Fungal endophytes of cool-season grass species produce alkaloids toxic to herbivores, affecting food webs in agricultural and natural ecosystems. Field studies about the effects of endophytes on herbivores are rare and show contradictory results, leading to uncertain conclusions about the nature of endophyte-grass symbiosis. We asked whether the environmental contexts of local and regional scales and predation could modify the effects of endophytes on herbivores. Methods In a full factorial field experiment, we quantified the abundance of the aphid species Rhopalosiphum padi on the potted host grass Lolium perenne, which was either infected or uninfected with the endophytic fungus Neotyphodium lolii. Predators were either excluded or had free access to the pots with the aphids. One hundred and sixty grass pots were located in two regions on altogether 40 grassland sites, half of the sites intensively and half extensively managed. We tested the importance of endophyte infection, study region, management intensity of grasslands, predation and all two-way interactions on aphid abundance. Important Findings Endophyte infection reduced aphid abundance significantly in one study region only. In both regions, we found that the impacts of aphidophagous predators and grassland management intensity on aphid abundance were substantially stronger and more consistent than that of endophytes on aphid abundance. Pots excluding predators and pots placed on extensive grasslands contained higher aphid abundance. The impact of predators and management on aphid abundance were not modified by the endophyte. We conclude that the effect of endophytes on herbivores can be weak in field experiments and depends on environmental context at a regional scale. Hence, more field research efforts are necessary to detect the relative importance of endophytes and the environmental context on biotic interactions in ecosystems.

KW - Biology

KW - bottom-up control

KW - microorganisms

KW - multi-trophic interactionedator exclosure, top-down control

KW - bottom-up control

KW - microorganism

KW - multi-trophic

KW - interaction

KW - predator exclosure

KW - top-down control

KW - Ecosystems Research

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84942325568&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1093/jpe/rtt047

DO - 10.1093/jpe/rtt047

M3 - Journal articles

VL - 7

SP - 490

EP - 498

JO - Journal of Plant Ecology

JF - Journal of Plant Ecology

SN - 1752-9921

IS - 5

ER -

DOI

Recently viewed

Publications

  1. Motivations, Barriers, and Incentives for Adopting Environmental Management (Cost) Accounting and Related Guidelines
  2. KulturKlassiker: Pierre Bourdieu (1930–2002), Die feinen Unterschiede. Kritik der gesellschaftlichen Urteilskraft (1979)
  3. Tree cover mediates the effect on rapeseed leaf damage of excluding predatory arthropods, but in an unexpected way
  4. Reaction of Calcium Chloride and Magnesium Chloride and their Mixed Salts with Ethanol for Thermal Energy Storage
  5. The relationship between firm complexity and corporate social responsibility: International evidence from 2010–2019
  6. Psychische Gesundheit von Kindern und Jugendlichen mit und ohne Behinderung und krankheitsbedingter Einschränkung
  7. Einfluss elterlicher Mathematikkompetenz und familialer Prozesse auf den Kompetenzerwerb von Kindern in Mathematik
  8. The impact of M&A announcements on stock prices of the bidding firm - Event study based on German and US-listed firms
  9. Nachhaltiger Konsum – Wie Unternehmen Verantwortung für die Nutzung und Anwendung ihrer Produkte übernehmen können
  10. Gesetz über Musterverfahren in kapitalmarktrechtlichen Streitigkeiten (Kapitalanleger-Musterverfahrensgesetz - KapMuG)
  11. Positive intercropping effects on biomass production are species-specific and involve rhizosphere enzyme activities
  12. Methane yield of biomass from extensive grassland is affected by compositional changes induced by order of arrival
  13. Social and ethical aspects in sustainability performance measurement and assessment. A systematic literature review
  14. Inclusive education for refugee students from Ukraine—An exploration of differentiated instruction in German schools
  15. When the whole is less than the sum of all parts-Tracking global-level impacts of national sustainability initiatives
  16. Zwischen Modularer Konstitution und Niedrigschwelligkeitkeitsmythos. Musik-Interfaces als Medien der Demokratisierung?
  17. Reconfiguring the relationship between ‘immigrant parents’ and schools in the post-welfare society. The case of Germany
  18. Wie wirken sich Joint Audits auf die Prüfungsqualität, Prüfungskosten und Anbieterkonzentration am Prüfungsmarkt aus?
  19. Aboveground overyielding in grassland mixtures is associated with reduced biomass partitioning to belowground organs
  20. The European Higher Education for Sustainable Development Network – COPERNICUS Alliance – back on stage with Charta 2.0
  21. Differences in impact of long term caregiving for mentally ill older adults on the daily life of informal caregivers
  22. Participation of Adolescents in the Development of a Smartphone App-based Intervention to Promote the Health Literacy