Effects of Tree Genotypic Diversity and Species Diversity on the Arthropod Community Associated with Big‐leaf Mahogany

Despite potential interactive effects of plant species and genotypic diversity (SD and GD, respectively) on consumers, studies have usually examined these effects separately. We evaluated the individual and combined effects of tree SD and mahogany (Swietenia macrophylla) GD on the arthropod community associated with mahogany. We conducted this study within the context of a tree diversity experiment consisting of 74 plots with 64 saplings/plot. We sampled 24 of these plots, classified as monocultures of mahogany or polycultures of four species (including mahogany). Within each plot type, mahogany was represented by either one or four maternal families. We surveyed arthropods on mahogany and estimated total arthropod abundance and species richness, as well as abundance and richness separately for herbivorous and predatory arthropods. Overall tree SD and mahogany GD had positive effects on total arthropod species richness and abundance on mahogany, and also exerted interactive effects on total species richness (but not abundance). Analyses conducted by trophic level group showed contrasting patterns; SD positively influenced herbivore species richness but not abundance, and did not affect either predator richness or abundance. GD influenced predator species richness but not abundance, and did not influence herbivore abundance or richness. There were interactive effects of GD and SD only for predator species richness. These results provide evidence that intra‐ and inter‐specific plant diversity exert interactive controls on associated consumer communities, and that the relative importance of SD and GD may vary among higher trophic levels, presumably due to differences in the underlying mechanisms or consumer traits.     

Community‐wide impacts of herbivore‐induced plant regrowth on arthropods in a multi‐willow species system

It has been widely accepted that herbivory induces morphological, phenological, and chemical changes in a wide variety of terrestrial plants. There is an increasing appreciation that herbivore‐induced plant responses affect the performance and abundance of other arthropods. However, we still have a poor understanding of the effects of induced plant responses on community structures of arthropods. We examined the community‐level effects of willow regrowth in response to damage by larvae of swift moth Endoclita excrescence (Lepidoptera: Hepialidae) on herbivorous and predaceous arthropods on three willow species, Salix gilgiana, S. eriocarpa and S. serissaefolia. The leaves of sprouting lateral shoots induced by moth‐boring had a low C:N ratio. The overall abundance and species richness of herbivorous insects on the lateral shoots were increased on all three willow species. Densities of specialist chewers and sap‐feeders, and leaf miners increased on the newly emerged lateral shoots. In contrast, the densities of generalist chewers and sap‐feeders, and gall makers did not increase. Furthermore, ant and spider densities, and the overall abundance and species richness of predaceous arthropods increased on the lateral shoots on S. gilgiana and S. eriocarpa, but not S. serissaefolia. In addition to finding that effects of moth‐boring on arthropod abundance and species richness varied among willow species, we also found that moth‐boring, willow species, and their interaction differentially affected community composition. Our findings suggest that moth‐boring has community‐wide impacts on arthropod assemblages across three trophic levels via induced shoot regrowth and increase arthropod species diversity in this three willow species system.     

Effects of livestock breed and grazing pressure on ground‐dwelling arthropods in Cantabrian heathlands

Abstract 1. The effects of different goat breeds and grazing pressures on epigeal arachnids (Lycosidae and Opiliones) and ground beetles (Carabidae) were assessed in a heath–gorse shrubland located in the north of the Iberian Peninsula. Three treatments (low grazing pressure with Cashmere breed, high grazing pressure with Cashmere breed, and high grazing pressure with local Celtiberic breed) with three replicates of each treatment were allocated randomly to nine plots. 2. Arthropod fauna abundance, diversity, and species richness were estimated using pitfall trapping over 3 years (2003, 2004, and 2005). Vegetation cover, composition, and height were assessed along transects and above‐ground plant biomass was sampled in quadrats. 3. Lower grazing pressure led to lower herbaceous cover and higher heather cover than high grazing pressure. Overall, it did not enhance arthropod diversity or abundance, but the abundance and species richness of carabids, and abundance of lycosids like Pardosa pullata, were higher under high stocking rates, whereas Opiliones were favoured by the low stocking rates. Although it has been assumed that traditional breeds enhance biodiversity, the present study found no significant differences for both arthropod fauna and vegetation between the goat breeds. 4. Arthropod–vegetation relationships were examined by constrained ordination. Fauna assemblages followed a gradient from closed canopy shrubland areas, in the lowest grazing pressure, to grassier open canopy areas resulting from higher grazing pressure, revealing the importance of grazing management as a driver of arthropod community structure of the heathland.     

The impact of an exotic social wasp (Vespula germanica) on the native arthropod community of north-west Patagonia, Argentina: an experimental study

Abstract 1. Biological invasions are usually thought to have a negative impact on native communities. However, data supporting this idea are often based on comparative studies between invaded and non‐invaded areas, and are spatially and temporally limited. 2. The present study experimentally assessed the impact of an exotic wasp, Vespula germanica, on the native arthropod community of north‐west Patagonia during 3 years in an area of 80 ha. Vespula germanica is an exotic social vespid that invaded north‐west Patagonia 20 years ago. It has been suggested that its populations affect native arthropods because of its broad diet and also because Patagonia lacks natural enemies and potential competitors for these wasps. 3. Using wasp‐specific toxic baits, V. germanica abundance was reduced in five sites of native woodlands during 3 consecutive years. The abundance, species richness, and composition of arthropods between non‐poisoned (control) and poisoned sites was then compared, both before and after the wasps were poisoned. 4. Wasp abundance represented 6% of the total arthropod catches in non‐poisoned sites and was reduced, on average, by 50% in the treated areas. The abundance, species richness, and composition of the arthropod community (305 species, 24 600 individuals) did not differ between control areas and areas where the abundance of V. germanica was reduced. Significant differences in response variables were found only before wasp poisoning had begun and were related to variations among sites. 5. These results suggest that V. germanica is not affecting the local arthropod assemblages, contradicting past work in other regions. The low relative abundance of wasps in Patagonia, when compared with other invaded regions, might explain the findings. 6. The present study provides further evidence for the importance of large‐scale experimental work with before/after comparisons to fully understand the impact of invaders on natural communities.     

Best host‐plant attribute for species–area relationship,and effects of shade,conspecific distance and plant phenophase in an arthropod community within the grass Muhlenbergia robusta

Increased understanding of the species–area relationship (SAR) can improve its usefulness as a tool for prediction of species loss for biodiversity conservation targets. This study was conducted: (i) to determine the best plant attribute for the SAR in the community of arthropods living within the grass Muhlenbergia robusta; (ii) to determine the contribution of phenophases of plant foliage (dry and fresh), shade and conspecific distance to the variation in arthropod richness within the plant; (iii) to determine the best functional model of changes in the abundance, diversity and biomass in communities of arthropods in response to increases in plant size; (iv) to determine the best host‐plant attribute for prediction of these community attributes; and (v) to determine the effect of the plant phenophase, shade and M. robusta isolation on the abundance, diversity and biomass of the arthropod community. The above‐ground dry weight of grass was found to be the best host‐plant attribute for the SAR, while the light environment explained the arthropod richness within the grass, with higher richness observed in shaded environments. This study also showed that the best functional mathematical models for estimation of changes in the abundance, dry weight and diversity of arthropods in response to increases in grass size (dry weight) are the power model, exponential model and logarithmic model, respectively. Furthermore, the host‐plant foliage phenophase, shade and the isolation of M. robusta with other conspecifics had no effect on the abundance, biomass or diversity per basal area of the grass.     

Disentangling the effects of plant species invasion and urban development on arthropod community composition

Urban development and species invasion are two major global threats to biodiversity. These threats often co‐occur, as developed areas are more prone to species invasion. However, few empirical studies have tested if both factors affect biodiversity in similar ways. Here we study the individual and combined effects of urban development and plant invasion on the composition of arthropod communities. We assessed 36 paired invaded and non‐invaded sample plots, invaded by the plant Antigonon leptopus, with half of these pairs located in natural and the other half in developed land‐use types on the Caribbean island of St. Eustatius. We used several taxonomic and functional variables to describe community composition and diversity. Our results show that both urban development and A. leptopus invasion affected community composition, albeit in different ways. Development significantly increased species richness and exponential Shannon diversity, while invasion had no effect on these variables. However, invasion significantly increased arthropod abundance and caused biotic homogenization. Specifically, uninvaded arthropod communities were distinctly different in species composition between developed and natural sites, while they became undistinguishable after A. leptopus invasion. Moreover, functional variables were significantly affected by species invasion, but not by urban development. Invaded communities had higher community‐weighted mean body size and the feeding guild composition of invaded arthropod communities was characterized by the exceptional numbers of nectarivores, herbivores, and detritivores. With the exception of species richness and exponential Shannon diversity, invasion influenced four out of six response variables to a greater degree than urban development did. Hence, we can conclude that species invasion is not just a passenger of urban development but also a driver of change.     

Spatial scale of observation affects α, β and γ diversity of cavity-nesting bees and wasps across a tropical land-use gradient

Aim Anthropogenic changes in land use may have major consequences for global biodiversity. However, species diversity is determined by a suite of factors that may affect species differently at different spatial scales. We tested the combined effects of land use and spatial scale on α, β and γ diversity in the tropics using experimental communities of cavity‐nesting bees and waSPS (Hymenoptera: Aculeata). We aimed to determine whether: (1) land‐use intensity negatively affects species richness of cavity‐nesting Hymenoptera, (2) β diversity, both within and between plots, is higher in more natural systems, (3) species richness of flowering herbs correlates positively with species richness of Hymenoptera within and across habitats, (4) richness of cavity‐nesting Hymenoptera in highly modified habitats declines with increasing distance from natural or semi‐natural habitats, (5) the effects of land use, herb diversity and forest distance on Hymenoptera α and β diversity vary at different spatial scales, and (6) bees and waSPS respond to land use in a similar way. Location Manabi, south‐west Ecuador. Methods We examined diversity (species richness) within 48 plots of five habitat types that comprised a gradient of decreasing agricultural intensity from rice and pasture to coffee agroforests, unmanaged abandoned agroforests and forest fragments, using standardized nesting resources for reproducing communities of cavity‐nesting bees and waSPS. Results (1) Land use significantly affected α diversity of trap‐nesting bees and waSPS at the subplot (per trap) scale, but not subplot β diversity or plot‐scale species richness (γ diversity). (2) Beta diversity was surprisingly higher between plots within a land‐use type than between land‐use types. (3) Species richness of bees and waSPS increased with diversity of flowering herbs at the subplot (trap) scale only. (4) Forest distance correlated positively with bee species richness at the plot scale only. (5) Land use, herb diversity and forest distance each showed significant correlations with bee and wasp diversity at only one spatial scale. (6) Despite differences in life history, bees and waSPS responded to land‐use intensity in a similar way. Main conclusions The effects of land use on species richness were highly dependent on spatial scale. Subplot‐scale analyses showed that rice and pasture contained the highest species diversity, whereas plot‐scale analyses showed no significant difference in the diversity of different land‐use types. We emphasize caution in the estimation of biodiversity at only one spatial scale, and highlight the surprisingly large contribution of managed land to the regional biodiversity of these species.     

Effects of repeated burning on Mediterranean communities of the northeastern Iberian Peninsula

Question: In relation to a single fire, do repeated wildfires in Mediterranean type ecosystems (1) reduce plant species richness or diversity; (2) modify patterns of abundance or dominance of plant species or (3) alter plant composition? Location: Pinus halepensis dominated communities of Catalonia, northeastern Iberian Peninsula, western Mediterranean Basin. Methods: Regional, paired design with 14 study sites, each consisting of a once burnt area (1994) and a twice burnt area (1975–1993 and 1994). Ten years after the last fire, we recorded all vascular plant species present in nested plots and quantified their relative abundances on transects. We compared species richness, diversity, dominance and relative abundance and species‐area correlations between paired once and twice burnt areas and assessed their floristic composition similarity. Results: No statistically significant differences were found in species richness or diversity. Slopes of species‐area correlations were higher in once burnt areas. In twice burnt areas, dominance by one or two species was higher. P. halepensis showed lower relative abundance and nanophanerophytes showed higher relative abundance. No differences were found for resprouter, seeder or resprouter‐seeder species. Floristic composition similarity between paired areas tended to be higher in less productive sites. Conclusions: Fire recurrence had contrasting effects on species richness at different spatial scales. Repeated burning reduced the relative abundance of the dominant tree species, which resulted in a higher relative abundance of shrubs. It also promoted the dominance of herbs, particularly Brachypodium retusum. However, it did not change the relative abundance of regenerative groups. Paired areas were more similar as they were more Mediterranean in terms of climatic conditions.     

Arthropod diversity and community composition on wild and cultivated rice

• 1 Most crop plants are grown far from their region of origin and have been significantly altered by human selection. Given the importance of biodiversity in ecosystem function, surprisingly little is known about the effect of domestication on arthropod diversity and community composition.
• 2 Arthropod diversity and species abundance were compared with three genotypes of cultivated rice Oryza sativa L. and two genotypes of wild rice O. rufipogon Griff. in southern Luzon, the Philippines.
• 3 Domestication had a small but positive effect on total arthropod diversity. Arthropod species richness was highest on the cultivar IR64 and lowest on one of the O. rufipogon genotypes, although arthropod community composition was similar across rice genotypes.
• 4 Total arthropod abundance and the relative abundance of guilds did not differ between wild and cultivated rice. All common herbivores, however, responded to rice domestication. Stem‐boring moths and several sap‐sucking herbivores benefited from domestication, although domestication reduced densities of the wolf spider Pardosa pseudoannulata Boesenberg et Strand.
• 5 By contrast to previous assumptions, crop domestication may not always decrease arthropod diversity. We did not detect any changes in biodiversity or community composition suggesting that rice domestication has altered the capacity of the arthropod community to regulate herbivores.

     

A landscape ecology approach identifies important drivers of urban biodiversity

Cities are growing rapidly worldwide, yet a mechanistic understanding of the impact of urbanization on biodiversity is lacking. We assessed the impact of urbanization on arthropod diversity (species richness and evenness) and abundance in a study of six cities and nearby intensively managed agricultural areas. Within the urban ecosystem, we disentangled the relative importance of two key landscape factors affecting biodiversity, namely the amount of vegetated area and patch isolation. To do so, we a priori selected sites that independently varied in the amount of vegetated area in the surrounding landscape at the 500‐m scale and patch isolation at the 100‐m scale, and we hold local patch characteristics constant. As indicator groups, we used bugs, beetles, leafhoppers, and spiders. Compared to intensively managed agricultural ecosystems, urban ecosystems supported a higher abundance of most indicator groups, a higher number of bug species, and a lower evenness of bug and beetle species. Within cities, a high amount of vegetated area increased species richness and abundance of most arthropod groups, whereas evenness showed no clear pattern. Patch isolation played only a limited role in urban ecosystems, which contrasts findings from agro‐ecological studies. Our results show that urban areas can harbor a similar arthropod diversity and abundance compared to intensively managed agricultural ecosystems. Further, negative consequences of urbanization on arthropod diversity can be mitigated by providing sufficient vegetated space in the urban area, while patch connectivity is less important in an urban context. This highlights the need for applying a landscape ecological approach to understand the mechanisms shaping urban biodiversity and underlines the potential of appropriate urban planning for mitigating biodiversity loss.     

Maize‐field complexity and farming system influence insectivorous birds’ contribution to arthropod herbivore regulation

The contribution of insectivorous birds to reducing crop damage through suppression of herbivory remains underappreciated, despite their role as cropland arthropod predators. We examined the roles of farming system, crop cover pattern, and structural configuration in influencing assemblage composition of insectivorous birds and their herbivorous arthropod prey across maize fields, and determined how bird exclusion affects crop herbivory levels. To achieve these objectives, we collected data across a sample of organic and conventional small‐scale non‐Bt maize farms in western Kenya. Assessments of abundance, diversity, and richness of insectivorous birds and abundance of their arthropod prey were compared between organic and conventional small‐scale non‐Bt maize on monocultured and inter‐cropped farms. We also employed bird exclusion experiments to assess impacts of bird predation on herbivorous arthropod abundance. Results showed that higher structural heterogeneity supported higher insectivorous bird richness, particularly under organic systems, dense trees, large woodlots, and thick hedgerows. Bird abundance further increased with crop diversity but not in relation to cropping method, hedgerow type, or percent maize cover per se. Conversely, herbivorous arthropod abundance and richness increased on conventional farms and those with higher percent maize cover, but were unaffected by cropping methods, tree, or hedgerow characteristics. Birds’ arthropod prey was more abundant under completely closed experimental plots compared with open or semi‐closed plots, confirming a significant linkage between birds and herbivorous arthropod suppression. In this study, we demonstrate importance of structural heterogeneity in agricultural landscapes, including diverse croplands and on‐farm trees to maximize insectivorous birds’ contribution to reducing crop arthropod herbivory. Abstract in Swahili is available with online material.     

Grazing effects on the species‐area relationship: Variation along a climatic gradient in NE Spain

Questions: Does grazing have the same effect on plant species richness at different spatial scales? Does the effect of spatial scale vary under different climatic conditions and vegetation types? Does the slope of the species‐area curve change with grazing intensity similarly under different climatic conditions and vegetation types? Location: Pastures along a climatic gradient in northeastern Spain. Methods: In zones under different regimes of sheep grazing (high‐, low‐pressure, abandonment), plant species richness was measured in different plot sizes (from 0.01 to 100 m2) and the slope of the species‐area curves was calculated. The study was replicated in five different locations along a climatic gradient from lowland semi‐arid rangelands to upland moist grasslands. Results: Species richness tended to increase with grazing intensity at all spatial scales in the moist upland locations. On the contrary, in the most arid locations, richness tended to decrease, or remain unchanged, with grazing due to increased bare soil. Grazing differentially affected the slope (z) of the species‐area curve (power function S=c A^z) in different climatic conditions: z tended to increase with grazing in arid areas and decrease in moist‐upland ones. ß‐diversity followed similar pattern as z. Conclusions: Results confirm that the impact of grazing on plant species richness are spatial‐scale dependent. However, the effects on the species‐area relationship vary under different climatic conditions. This offers a novel insight on the patterns behind the different effects of grazing on diversity in moist vs. arid conditions reported in the literature. It is argued that the effect of spatial scale varies because of the different interaction between grazing and the intrinsic spatial structure of the vegetation. Variations in species‐area curves with grazing along moisture gradients suggest also a different balance of spatial components of diversity (i.e. a‐ and ß‐diversity).     

Plant functional group composition and large‐scale species richness in European agricultural landscapes

Question: Which are the plant functional groups responding most clearly to agricultural disturbances? Which are the relative roles of habitat availability, landscape configuration and agricultural land use intensity in affecting the functional composition and diversity of vascular plants in agricultural landscapes? Location: 25 agricultural landscape areas in seven European countries. Methods: We examined the plant species richness and abundance in 4 km × 4 km landscape study sites. The plant functional group classification was derived from the BIOLFLOR database. Factorial decomposition of functional groups was applied. Results: Natural habitat availability and low land use intensity supported the abundance and richness of perennials, sedges, pteridophytes and high nature quality indicator species. The abundance of clonal species, C and S strategists was also correlated with habitat area. An increasing density of field edges explained a decrease in richness of high nature quality species and an increase in richness of annual graminoids. Intensive agriculture enhanced the richness of annuals and low nature quality species. Conclusions: Habitat patch availability and habitat quality are the main drivers of functional group composition and plant species richness in European agricultural landscapes. Linear elements do not compensate for the loss of habitats, as they mostly support disturbance tolerant generalist species. In order to conserve vascular plant species diversity in agricultural landscapes, the protection and enlargement of existing patches of (semi‐) natural habitats appears to be more effective than relying on the rescue effect of linear elements. This should be done in combination with appropriate agricultural management techniques to limit the effect of agrochemicals to the fields.     

Bromeliad architectural complexity and vertical distribution predict spider abundance and richness

Habitat complexity is a main predictor of the distribution of arthropods on vegetation. However, it remains poorly known whether plant architecture and fine‐scale spatial distribution affect the species richness and composition of associated arthropod guilds. In this study, we extensively sampled bromeliad species with a variety of rosette architectures in a megadiversity region. The aims were to investigate whether (i) possible differences in spider species composition among bromeliad species are related to the distinct architectures of the plants, and (ii) bromeliad architectural complexity (an intrinsic feature) and vertical distribution (an extrinsic feature) are good predictors of spider abundance and richness. Contrary to our expectations, spider species composition did not vary significantly among bromeliad species with different architectures. We found a positive effect of the mean number of leaves on spider abundance and species richness, but it occurred indirectly through spider abundance; factoring out the indirect effect revealed a negative effect of leaf number on species richness. Bromeliad species with wider vertical distributions harboured more spider species. Our results suggest that the dominance of a few spider species and reduced space for orb‐web spiders to attach their webs are the main explanations for lower spider richness on bromeliad species with higher architectural complexity. Our findings highlight the importance of both intrinsic and extrinsic plant features as co‐determinants of predator arthropod diversity.     

Non‐linearities in bird responses across urbanization gradients: A meta‐analysis

Urbanization is one of the most extreme forms of environmental alteration, posing a major threat to biodiversity. We studied the effects of urbanization on avian communities via a systematic review using hierarchical and categorical meta‐analyses. Altogether, we found 42 observations from 37 case studies for species richness and 23 observations from 20 case studies for abundance. Urbanization had an overall strong negative effect on bird species richness, whereas abundance increased marginally with urbanization. There was no evidence that city size played a role in influencing the relationship between urbanization and either species richness or abundance. Studies that examined long gradients (i.e. from urban to rural) were more likely to detect negative urbanization effects on species richness than studies that considered short gradients (i.e. urban vs. suburban or urban vs. rural areas). In contrast, we found little evidence that the effect of urbanization on abundance was influenced by gradient length. Effects of urbanization on species richness were more negative for studies including public green spaces (parks and other amenity areas) in the sampled landscapes. In contrast, studies performed solely in the urban matrix (i.e. no green spaces) revealed a strong positive effect on bird abundance. When performing subset analyses on urban–suburban, suburban–rural and suburban–natural comparisons, species richness decreased from natural to urban areas, but with a stronger decrease at the urban–suburban interface, whereas bird abundance showed a clear intermediate peak along the urban–rural gradient although abundance in natural areas was comparable to that in suburban areas. This suggests that species loss happens especially at the urban–suburban interface, and that the highest abundances occur in suburban areas compared to urban or rural areas. Thus, our study shows the importance of suburban areas, where the majority of birds occur with fairly high species richness.     

Direct and indirect effects of land‐use intensification on ant communities in temperate grasslands

Land‐use intensification is a major driver of local species extinction and homogenization. Temperate grasslands, managed at low intensities over centuries harbored a high species diversity, which is increasingly threatened by the management intensification over the last decades. This includes key taxa like ants. However, the underlying mechanisms leading to a decrease in ant abundance and species richness as well as changes in functional community composition are not well understood. We sampled ants on 110 grassland plots in three regions in Germany. The sampled grasslands are used as meadows or pastures, being mown, grazed or fertilized at different intensities. We analyzed the effect of the different aspects of land use on ant species richness, functional trait spaces, and community composition by using a multimodel inference approach and structural equation models. Overall, we found 31 ant species belonging to 8 genera, mostly open habitat specialists. Ant species richness, functional trait space of communities, and abundance of nests decreased with increasing land‐use intensity. The land‐use practice most harmful to ants was mowing, followed by heavy grazing by cattle. Fertilization did not strongly affect ant species richness. Grazing by sheep increased the ant species richness. The effect of mowing differed between species and was strongly negative for Formica species while Myrmica and common Lasius species were less affected. Rare species occurred mainly in plots managed at low intensity. Our results show that mowing less often or later in the season would retain a higher ant species richness—similarly to most other grassland taxa. The transformation from (sheep) pastures to intensively managed meadows and especially mowing directly affects ants via the destruction of nests and indirectly via loss of grassland heterogeneity (reduced plant species richness) and increased soil moisture by shading of fast‐growing plant species.     

Effects of forest degradation on the sand fly communities of northeast Brazil

The richness and abundance of sand fly species were studied in northeastern Brazil in areas of leishmaniasis transmission. The study was carried out in two forest areas with different deforestation times for agricultural and livestock activities: one modified by long‐term settlement (more than 50 years of occupation) and another less impacted by short‐term settlement (10 years). The sand flies were captured with CDC light traps from 18:00 to 06:00 for three consecutive nights, once a month, from May, 2012 to April, 2014. The study captured 21,708 specimens and also 33 species of Lutzomyia and two of Brumptomyia. Species richness and abundance were higher in the more conserved area of short‐term occupation (31 species; 61.7%) than in the more degraded area with long‐term occupation (17 species; 38.3%). In the most conserved area, the species richness was higher in the forest fragment than in the rural settlement, whereas in the degraded area the richness was higher in the peri‐domicile than in the forest. The diversity was higher in the degraded area forest. There were significant statistical differences when comparing the means of total abundance with the intra‐domicile, peri‐domicile, and forest environments. The average abundance was statistically higher in the peri‐domicile compared to the forest (p = 0.009), but there were no statistically significant differences between intra‐domicile‐peri‐domicile (p = 0.11) and forest‐intra‐domicile (p = 0.87). In conclusion, a change in vegetation cover negatively affects the richness and abundance of sand flies in the natural environment.     

Comparison of pollinators and natural enemies: a meta‐analysis of landscape and local effects on abundance and richness in crops

To manage agroecosystems for multiple ecosystem services, we need to know whether the management of one service has positive, negative, or no effects on other services. We do not yet have data on the interactions between pollination and pest‐control services. However, we do have data on the distributions of pollinators and natural enemies in agroecosystems. Therefore, we compared these two groups of ecosystem service providers, to see if the management of farms and agricultural landscapes might have similar effects on the abundance and richness of both. In a meta‐analysis, we compared 46 studies that sampled bees, predatory beetles, parasitic wasps, and spiders in fields, orchards, or vineyards of food crops. These studies used the proximity or proportion of non‐crop or natural habitats in the landscapes surrounding these crops (a measure of landscape complexity), or the proximity or diversity of non‐crop plants in the margins of these crops (a measure of local complexity), to explain the abundance or richness of these beneficial arthropods. Compositional complexity at both landscape and local scales had positive effects on both pollinators and natural enemies, but different effects on different taxa. Effects on bees and spiders were significantly positive, but effects on parasitoids and predatory beetles (mostly Carabidae and Staphylinidae) were inconclusive. Landscape complexity had significantly stronger effects on bees than it did on predatory beetles and significantly stronger effects in non‐woody rather than in woody crops. Effects on richness were significantly stronger than effects on abundance, but possibly only for spiders. This abundance‐richness difference might be caused by differences between generalists and specialists, or between arthropods that depend on non‐crop habitats (ecotone species and dispersers) and those that do not (cultural species). We call this the ‘specialist‐generalist’ or ‘cultural difference’ mechanism. If complexity has stronger effects on richness than abundance, it might have stronger effects on the stability than the magnitude of these arthropod‐mediated ecosystem services. We conclude that some pollinators and natural enemies seem to have compatible responses to complexity, and it might be possible to manage agroecosystems for the benefit of both. However, too few studies have compared the two, and so we cannot yet conclude that there are no negative interactions between pollinators and natural enemies, and no trade‐offs between pollination and pest‐control services. Therefore, we suggest a framework for future research to bridge these gaps in our knowledge.     

Exploring context dependency in eco‐evolutionary patterns with the stick insect Timema cristinae

Rapid evolution can influence the ecology of populations, communities, and ecosystems, but the importance of evolution for ecological dynamics remains unclear, largely because the contexts in which evolution is powerful are poorly resolved. Here, we carry out a large observational study to test hypotheses about context dependency of eco‐evolutionary patterns previously identified on the stick insect Timema cristinae. Experiments and observations conducted in 2011 and 2012 documented predator‐mediated negative effects of camouflage maladaptation (i.e., evolutionary dynamics) on: (a) T. cristinae abundance and, (b) species richness and abundance of other arthropods. Here we show that camouflage maladaptation does not correlate with T. cristinae abundance and, instead, is associated with increased abundance and species richness of cohabitating arthropods. We furthermore find that plants with high levels of Timema maladaptation tend to have higher foliar nitrogen, that is, higher nutritional value, and more positive mass‐abundance slopes in the coexisting arthropod communities. We propose explanations for the observed contrasting results, such as negative density‐ and frequency‐dependent selection, feedbacks between herbivore abundance and plant nutritional quality, and common effects of predation pressure on selection and prey abundance. Our results demonstrate the utility of observational studies to assess the context dependency of eco‐evolutionary dynamics patterns and provide testable hypotheses for future work.     

Fine‐scale heterogeneity in beetle assemblages under co‐occurring Eucalyptus in the same subgenus

Aim Insect biodiversity is often positively associated with habitat heterogeneity. However, this relationship depends on spatial scale, with most studies focused on differences between habitats at large scales with a variety of forest tree species. We examined fine‐scale heterogeneity in ground‐dwelling beetle assemblages under co‐occurring trees in the same subgenus: Eucalyptus melliodora A. Cunn. ex Schauer and E. blakelyi Maiden (Myrtaceae). Location Critically endangered grassy woodland near Canberra, south‐eastern Australia. Methods We used pitfall traps and Tullgren funnels to sample ground‐dwelling beetles from the litter environment under 47 trees, and examined differences in diversity and composition at spatial scales ranging from 100 to 1000 m. Results Beetle assemblages under the two tree species had distinctive differences in diversity and composition. We found that E. melliodora supported a higher richness and abundance of beetles, but had higher compositional similarity among samples. In contrast, E. blakelyi had a lower abundance and species richness of beetles, but more variability in species composition among samples. Main conclusions Our study shows that heterogeneity in litter habitat under co‐occurring and closely related eucalypt species can influence beetle assemblages at spatial scales of just hundreds of metres. The differential contribution to fine‐scale alpha and beta diversity by each eucalypt can be exploited for conservation purposes by ensuring an appropriate mix of the two species in the temperate woodlands where they co‐occur. This would help not only to maximize biodiversity at landscape scales, but also to maintain heterogeneity in species richness, trophic function and biomass at fine spatial scales.