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Bird predation on herbivorous insects: indirect effects on sugar maple saplings
Allan M Strong1, Thomas W Sherry1, Richard T Holmes2
1Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, 310 Dinwiddie Hall, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA 70118, USA, USA.
Oecologia
|May 27, 2017
Summary
Bird predation reduced insect pests and leaf herbivory on sugar maple saplings. However, this did not increase plant biomass, likely due to non-folivorous insects dominating the herbivore community.
Area of Science:
- Ecology
- Forest Ecology
- Behavioral Ecology
Background:
- Insectivorous birds influence herbivore populations.
- Indirect effects of birds on plant performance via insect consumption are understudied.
- Understanding these interactions is crucial for forest ecosystem dynamics.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the indirect effects of bird predation on herbivory and biomass production in sugar maple saplings.
- To quantify how bird predation influences leaf herbivory levels.
- To determine if reduced herbivory by birds leads to increased plant biomass.
Main Methods:
- A 3-year field study at Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest.
- Experimental treatments included insecticide application, bird exclosures, Lepidoptera addition, and controls.
- Monitoring of Lepidoptera larvae, leaf herbivory, and plant biomass (leaf and shoot).
Main Results:
- Insecticide treatment significantly reduced Lepidoptera larvae.
- Bird exclosures increased Lepidoptera larvae compared to controls in some instances.
- Reduced herbivory levels did not translate to increased leaf or shoot biomass production.
Conclusions:
- Bird predation effectively reduced herbivore abundance and subsequent leaf herbivory.
- The study found no significant indirect effect of bird predation on sugar maple sapling biomass.
- Non-folivorous Homoptera nymphs, not typical bird prey, may have limited the indirect impact of birds on plant biomass.
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