Herbivore damage increases avian and ant predation of caterpillars on trees along a complete elevational forest gradient in Papua New Guinea

0429598 - BC 2016 RIV US eng J - Článek v odborném periodiku
Sam, Kateřina - Koane, B. - Novotný, Vojtěch
Herbivore damage increases avian and ant predation of caterpillars on trees along a complete elevational forest gradient in Papua New Guinea.
Ecography. Roč. 38, č. 3 (2015), s. 293-300. ISSN 0906-7590. E-ISSN 1600-0587
Grant CEP: GA ČR GA13-10486S; GA MŠMT ME09082; GA ČR(CZ) GP14-32024P
Grant ostatní: GA JU(CZ) 04-136/2010/P; GA JU(CZ) 156/2013/P; US National Science Foundation(US) DEB-0841885; European Social Fund(CZ) CZ.1.07/2.3.00/20.0064
Institucionální podpora: RVO:60077344
Klíčová slova: Papua New Guinea
Kód oboru RIV: EH - Ekologie - společenstva
Impakt faktor: 5.355, rok: 2015
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/ecog.00979/epdf

Parasitic and predatory arthropods and insectivorous birds are among natural enemies of the herbivorous insect which can prevent plants from being severely damaged by herbivores. Recent studies show that plants suffering from an attack by herbivores can actively reduce the number of herbivorous insects by attracting predators; this phenomenon, known as ‘plants crying for help’, is due to a tritrophic interaction, in which the damaged plants are more attractive for natural enemies of herbivores. Signals given off by plants to alert predators to herbivore attack may provide exciting examples of coevolution among organisms from multiple trophic levels. We examined whether signals from mechanically damaged trees (simulating damage by herbivores) attract predators of insects along a complete elevational rainforest gradient in tropical region, where various predators are expected to occur at particular elevational belts. We studied predation of artificial caterpillars on trees with and without ‘herbivorous’ damage; as well as diversity and abundances of potential predators at eight study sites along the elevational gradient (200–3700 m a.s.l.). We focused on attacks by ants and birds, as the main predators of herbivorous insect. The predation rate decreased with elevation from 10% d-1 at 200 m a.s.l. to 1.8% d-1 at 3700 m a.s.l. Ants were relatively more important predators in the lowlands, while birds became dominant predators above 1700 m a.s.l. Caterpillars exposed on trees with herbivorous damage were attacked significantly more than caterpillars exposed on trees without damage. Results suggest that relative importance of predators varies along elevational gradient, and that observed predation rates correspond with abundances of predators. Results further show that herbivorous damage attracts both ants and birds, but its effect is stronger for ants.
Trvalý link: http://hdl.handle.net/11104/0245900