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Direct and interactive effects of enemies and mutualists on plant performance: a meta-analysis
William F Morris1, Ruth A Hufbauer, Anurag A Agrawal
1Department of Biology, Duke University, Box 90338, Durham, North Carolina 27708-0338, USA. wfmorris@duke.edu
Ecology
|June 1, 2007
Summary
Plant interactions with enemies and mutualists are complex. While enemies alone have stronger effects, mutualists can mitigate enemy impacts, especially with soil microbes, suggesting diffuse coevolution.
Area of Science:
- Ecology
- Evolutionary Biology
- Plant Science
Background:
- Plants interact with numerous species, facing both enemies that harm and mutualists that benefit them.
- The combined effects of these interactions are not fully understood, as single-species studies may not reflect natural complexity.
- Previous research has not comprehensively assessed the magnitudes and frequencies of interactive effects in plant communities.
Purpose of the Study:
- To conduct a meta-analysis of factorial experiments on plant-enemy and plant-mutualist interactions.
- To quantify the independent and interactive effects of multiple species on plant performance.
- To determine if enemy or mutualist effects are stronger and how they are modulated by other species.
Main Methods:
- Factorial meta-analysis using the log response ratio.
- Analyzed experiments manipulating two enemies, two mutualists, or an enemy and a mutualist.
- Compared effect sizes of isolated versus interacting species.
Main Results:
- Enemy effects were stronger in isolation, but comparable to mutualist effects when interacting.
- Mutualists ameliorated enemy impacts, particularly through belowground interactions (pathogens with bacteria and mycorrhizal fungi).
- Significant interactive effects were frequent, suggesting diffuse coevolutionary processes.
Conclusions:
- Single-species studies may underestimate the true impact of mutualists in natural settings.
- Interactions between plants, enemies, and mutualists are common and can significantly alter plant performance.
- Findings support the potential for diffuse coevolutionary dynamics rather than solely pairwise interactions.
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