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Does vegetation complexity affect host plant chemistry, and thus multitrophic interactions, in a human-altered
Nicole Wäschke1, Christine Hancock, Monika Hilker
1Dahlem Centre of Plant Sciences, Institute of Biology, Applied Zoology/Animal Ecology, Freie Universität Berlin, Haderslebener Strasse 9, 12163, Berlin, Germany.
Oecologia
|May 20, 2015
Summary
Land use intensity and plant diversity impact plant chemistry, affecting herbivore and parasitoid populations. Plant nitrogen content influenced herbivore numbers, while iridoid glycoside concentrations affected parasitoid abundance in specific regions.
Area of Science:
- Ecology
- Environmental Science
- Chemical Ecology
Background:
- Anthropogenic land use alters ecosystems, influencing plant chemistry and trophic interactions.
- Host plant metabolites are crucial in mediating relationships between plants, herbivores, and their natural enemies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To test how land use intensity (LUI) and vegetation composition affect Plantago lanceolata's nitrogen (N) and iridoid glycoside (IG) content.
- To determine if these plant chemistry changes influence the abundance of weevil herbivores (Mecinus pascuorum, Mecinus labilis) and their parasitoid (Mesopolobus incultus).
Main Methods:
- Field study across 77 German grassland plots with varying LUI.
- Quantified plant species richness, P. lanceolata density, herbivore and parasitoid abundances.
- Measured leaf N, aucubin, and catalpol (IGs) concentrations in P. lanceolata.
Main Results:
- Leaf IGs positively correlated with plant species richness; leaf N correlated positively with LUI.
- Herbivore abundance negatively correlated with leaf N but not IGs.
- Parasitoid abundance positively correlated with host abundance; IGs positively impacted parasitoids in one region.
Conclusions:
- Land use and vegetation composition alter plant chemistry, with cascading effects on higher trophic levels.
- The impact of these chemical changes on food webs can be context-dependent, influenced by local factors.
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