BEF-China
Aboveground multi-trophic plant-insect interactions
in a Chinese subtropical forest
Plant biodiversity, phylogeny and site productivity shape the complexity of multi-trophic interactions, which in turn, can influence plant performance and community structure. Most research on biodiversity-ecosystem functioning has so far been conducted in grasslands, neglecting forest ecosystems that harbor the majority of the planets species diversity. To understand the role of tree diversity, composition, and tree species extinction for ecosystem processes analyses of multi-trophic interactions are crucial. We focus on the multi-trophic interaction structure of two food web systems: cavity-nesting Hymenoptera (bees and wasps) and their natural enemies (system 1), as well as trophobioses between plants, sap-sucking aphids, and honey-dew collecting ants (system 2). Analyses of network structure of both systems in relation to tree diversity will help to reveal possible effects of plant diversity on higher trophic levels. Moreover using system 2 (plants, aphids and ants) we will link phylogenetic information of all three trophic levels to their network structure to test if the observed networks are shaped by evolutionary conserved relationships.. This sub-project of the BEF-China provides year-round data on trophic cascades and food web structure. Such data are critical to study the role of top-down versus bottom-up effects for a better understanding of how plant diversity might stabilize forest ecosystems. | ||||||