SP09e Aboveground multi-trophic plant-insect interactions in a Chinese subtropical forest (sp09e foodweb)
Plant biodiversity and site productivity shape the complexity of multi-trophic interactions, which, in turn, can influence plant performance and community structure. Analyses of multitrophic interactions are therefore crucial to understand the role of tree composition, diversity, and extinction for ecosystem processes in forest habitats. We will focus on the multi-trophic interaction structure within two food web systems: cavitynesting bees and predatory and parasitic wasps (system 1), as well as interactions between leaf-sucking aphids, tending ants and their parasitoids and hyper-parasitoids (system 2). Moreover, interactions between both systems will be investigated, e.g. the effects of ants on the trophic interactions of the cavity-nesting community. We will link food web structure (system 2) to the quantity and diversity of sugars and amino acids in the aphids’ honeydew both in the main experiment and the CSPs. The importance of specific honeydew compounds to their interacting ant partners will be examined with choice experiments. In cooperation with our Chinese counterparts, we will link ant- to termite food webs to help explaining termite-mediated decomposition rates. This proposed sub-project will provide 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 can be used to stabilize forest ecosystems.
Datasets
- CSPs: Ant data CSPs complete
- CSPs: Ants (Formicidae) of pitfall traps in the CSPs 2009
- CSPs: Parasitoid data
- CSPs: Trap nest data CSPs (solitary cavity-nesting Hymenoptera)
- Data for Schuldt et al. "Belowground top-down and aboveground bottom-up effects structure multitrophic community relationships in a biodiverse forest" (Scientific Reports 2017)
- Data for Schuldt et al. "Biodiversity across trophic levels drives multifunctionality in highly diverse forests"
- Data for Schuldt et al. "Tree species richness attenuates the positive relationship between mutualistic ant–hemipteran interactions and leaf chewer herbivory" (Proceedings B 2017)
- General: Overview information on trap-nesting Hymenoptera
- General: Overview information on trophobiosis
- Main Experiment: Amino acids in extrafloral nectar of tree species in the main experiment, 2012
- Main Experiment: Ant-wound-interactions Main Experiment
- Main Experiment: Leaf-litter inhabiting ants site A 2015
- Main Experiment: Sugar and amino acid choice experiment (Site A, 2012)
- Main Experiment: Sugars in extrafloral nectar of tree species in the main experiment, 2012
- Main Experiment: Trap nest data Site A 2014/15
- Main Experiment: Trap nest data Site A preliminary
- Main Experiment: Trap nest data Site B 2014/15
- Main Experiment: Trophobioses data site A 2011
- Main Experiment: Trophobioses data site A 2014
- Main Experiment: Trophobioses data site B 2014
- Main Experiment: Visitors of extrafloral nectaries (2012)
Paper proposal submissions
Published
2016
2015
- sp09e foodweb, Staab, M.: 2015, Tree diversity alters the structure of a tri-trophic network in a biodiversity experiment, Proponents and dataowners: Alexandra-Maria Klein, Michael Staab, Nico Blüthgen, Citation: Oikos 124: 827-834. doi: 10.1111/oik.01723
- sp09e foodweb, Staab, M.: 2015, Tree diversity and nectar composition affect arthropod visitors on extrafloral nectaries in a diversity experiment, Proponents and dataowners: Alexandra-Maria Klein, Jan Peters, Joel Methorst, Michael Staab, Nico Blüthgen, Citation: Journal of Plant Ecology
- sp09e foodweb, Staab, M.: 2015, Tree phylogenetic diversity promotes host-parasitoid interactions, Proponents and dataowners: Alexandra-Maria Klein, Chao_Dong ZHU, Helge Bruelheide, Karin Nadrowski, Michael Staab, Oliver Purschke, Stefan Michalski, Walter Durka, Citation: Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences
- sp09e foodweb, Staab, M.: 2015, Ants at plant wounds - A little-known trophic interaction with evolutionary implications for ant-plant interactions, Proponents and dataowners: Alexandra-Maria Klein, Felix Fornoff, Gunnar Seidler, Helge Bruelheide, Karin Nadrowski, Karsten Schmidt, Michael Staab, Nico Blüthgen, Citation: American Naturalist
2014
- sp09e foodweb, Staab, M.: 2014, Observational natural history and morphological taxonomy are indispensable for future challenges in biodiversity and conservation, Proponents and dataowners: Alexandra-Maria Klein, Chao_Dong ZHU, Michael Staab, Citation: Communicative & Integrative Biology
- sp09e foodweb, Staab, M.: 2014, A new species of the Aenictus wroughtonii group (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) from South-East China, Proponents and dataowners: Michael Staab, Citation: Zookeys
- sp09e foodweb, Staab, M.: 2014, Aenictus hoelldobleri sp. n., a new species of the Aenictus ceylonicus group (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) from China, with a key to the Chinese A. ceylonicus group species, Proponents and dataowners: Michael Staab, Citation: ZooKeys
2013
- sp09e foodweb, Staab, M.: 2013, A Unique Nest-Protection Strategy in a New Species of Spider Wasp, Proponents and dataowners: Alexandra-Maria Klein, Chao_Dong ZHU, Michael Staab, Citation: Staab, M., Ohl, M., Zhu, C. D., & Klein, A. M. (2014). A Unique Nest-Protection Strategy in a New Species of Spider Wasp. PloS one, 9(7), e101592.
- sp09e foodweb, Staab, M.: 2013, Ant community structure during forest succession in a subtropical forest in South-East China, Proponents and dataowners: Alexandra-Maria Klein, Andreas Schuldt, Helge Bruelheide, Karin Nadrowski, Michael Staab, Thorsten Assmann, Citation: Biotropica
- sp09e foodweb, Staab, M.: 2013, Tree diversity promotes predator but not omnivore ants in a subtropical Chinese forest, Proponents and dataowners: Alexandra-Maria Klein, Andreas Schuldt, Helge Bruelheide, Karin Nadrowski, Michael Staab, Thorsten Assmann, Citation: Ecological Entomology (2014): 39(5); 637–647
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Alexandra-Maria Klein Principle investigator
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Nico Blüthgen 2nd Principle investigator
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Michael Staab PostDoc
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Felix Fornoff PhD student
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Jan Peters Former Student
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Joel Methorst Former Student
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Julia Binkenstein, Dr. Former PostDoc