TY - JOUR

T1 - Host functional and phylogenetic composition rather than host diversity structure plant–herbivore networks

AU - Wang, Ming Qiang

AU - Li, Yi

AU - Chesters, Douglas

AU - Bruelheide, Helge

AU - Ma, Keping

AU - Guo, Peng Fei

AU - Zhou, Qing Song

AU - Staab, Michael

AU - Zhu, Chao Dong

AU - Schuldt, Andreas

N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2020 The Authors. Molecular Ecology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd

PY - 2020/7/1

Y1 - 2020/7/1

N2 - Declining plant diversity alters ecological networks, such as plant–herbivore interactions. However, our knowledge of the potential mechanisms underlying effects of plant species loss on plant–herbivore network structure is still limited. We used DNA barcoding to identify herbivore–host plant associations along declining levels of tree diversity in a large-scale, subtropical biodiversity experiment. We tested for effects of tree species richness, host functional and phylogenetic diversity, and host functional (leaf trait) and phylogenetic composition on species, phylogenetic and network composition of herbivore communities. We found that phylogenetic host composition and related palatability/defence traits but not tree species richness significantly affected herbivore communities and interaction network complexity at both the species and community levels. Our study indicates that evolutionary dependencies and functional traits of host plants determine the composition of higher trophic levels and corresponding interaction networks in species-rich ecosystems. Our findings highlight that characteristics of the species lost have effects on ecosystem structure and functioning across trophic levels that cannot be predicted from mere reductions in species richness.

AB - Declining plant diversity alters ecological networks, such as plant–herbivore interactions. However, our knowledge of the potential mechanisms underlying effects of plant species loss on plant–herbivore network structure is still limited. We used DNA barcoding to identify herbivore–host plant associations along declining levels of tree diversity in a large-scale, subtropical biodiversity experiment. We tested for effects of tree species richness, host functional and phylogenetic diversity, and host functional (leaf trait) and phylogenetic composition on species, phylogenetic and network composition of herbivore communities. We found that phylogenetic host composition and related palatability/defence traits but not tree species richness significantly affected herbivore communities and interaction network complexity at both the species and community levels. Our study indicates that evolutionary dependencies and functional traits of host plants determine the composition of higher trophic levels and corresponding interaction networks in species-rich ecosystems. Our findings highlight that characteristics of the species lost have effects on ecosystem structure and functioning across trophic levels that cannot be predicted from mere reductions in species richness.

KW - BEF-China

KW - DNA barcoding

KW - functional traits

KW - insect decline

KW - phylogenetic composition

KW - plant–insect interactions

KW - Biology

KW - Ecosystems Research

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85087435570&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1111/mec.15518

DO - 10.1111/mec.15518

M3 - Journal articles

C2 - 32564434

AN - SCOPUS:85087435570

VL - 29

SP - 2747

EP - 2762

JO - Molecular Ecology

JF - Molecular Ecology

SN - 0962-1083

IS - 14

ER -