Herbivore and detritivore effects on rainforest plant production are altered by disturbance (original) (raw)

2019, Ecology and Evolution

Disturbances drive plant growth and plant community structure in many different ecosystems, including highly productive tropical forests, where, for example, an increase in light underneath a treefall gap can increase plant growth and alter plant community structure (Brokaw & Grear, 1991). Beyond primary producers, higher trophic levels are influenced by disturbances as well. Herbivores in many different ecosystems respond to changes in plant communities from disturbances in a variety of ways, and their taxonomy or feeding guild may affect their responses (Lewinsohn, Novotny, & Basset, 2005). Light gaps in rainforests promote the rapid growth of new leaves which increases herbivory (Angulo-Sandoval & Aide, 2000; Spiller & Agrawal, 2003), abundances of gap-specialist plants often preferred by herbivores (Coley & Barone, 1996), and the litterfall reaching the forest floor (Lodge & McDowell, 1991). Thus, consumer effects on plants may be amplified in light gaps where both herbivores and detritivores have greater resources available when consumers are limited by food. Consumer effects on vegetation structure may be modified by other factors, such as season (highly