Ecological Stoichiometric Relationships Among Wood-Feeding Insects, Host Trees, and Soils in an Urban Tropical...

Ecological stoichiometry aids in the understanding of nutrient imbalance in consumers and food resources, particularly in wood-feeding systems, where the food source (plant tissues) is dominated by high levels of carbon and low levels of other critical elements. Nevertheless, the stoichiometric data for tropical terrestrial systems are underexplored, particularly for elements other than the classical C:N:P. This research investigated the stoichiometry of two wood-feeding insects (Apate terebrans and Analeptes trifasciata), their host trees (Terminalia mantaly and Spondias mombin), and the adjacent soils of a tropical urban area. Trophic imbalances among insects, host tissues, and soils were evaluated by analysing elements N, P, Ca, Mg, Na, and C, and expressing them in stoichiometric ratios. There were notable differences in stoichiometry between the wood-feeding insects and the host wood, particularly regarding N and P, affirming that the nutrient content of the woody substrate is low in comparison to the insects' elemental needs. A. trifasciata was more aligned with the host ratio of Ca and Mg than A. terebrans. The soil stoichiometry was associated with host plants, suggesting an indirect effect on insect nutrient dynamics via plant nutrient composition. These findings offer a starting point for the multi-element stoichiometry of a tropical wood-feeder-host-soil system and add to knowledge of nutrient limitations and trophic relationships in terrestrial ecosystems. The research provides a basis for subsequent experimental studies on the nutritional control and ecosystem nutrient cycling in wood-feeding insect systems.