Artículo
Ecosystem engineering by burrowing crabs increases cordgrass mortality caused by stem-boring insects
Canepuccia, Alejandro Daniel
; Alberti, Juan
; Daleo, Pedro
; Pascual, Jesus Maria
; Farina, J; Iribarne, Oscar Osvaldo
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Fecha de publicación:
04/2010
Editorial:
Inter-Research
Revista:
Marine Ecology Progress Series
ISSN:
0171-8630
Idioma:
Inglés
Tipo de recurso:
Artículo publicado
Clasificación temática:
Resumen
Some studies have shown that the balance between top-down and bottom-up processes is context dependent, but few have tested how biotic interactions can affect this balance. We quantified the attack frequencies by the stem borer moth Haimbachia sp. nov. on the cordgrasses Spartina densiflora and S. alterniflora in 5 marshes of the southwestern Atlantic coastline, located between 36° S and 41° S. We examined whether ecosystem engineering by burrowing crabs Neohelice (Chasmagnathus) granulata, which improves plant performance, increases herbivory incidence by moths. The results show that moths attack an important proportion of Spartina spp. stems (4% to 26%). Moth attack frequencies were higher on low elevation than on high elevation marsh plants, probably due to variations in plant performance across the physical stress gradient. Within marshes, burrowing crab densities and moth attack frequencies were positively correlated, suggesting that ecosystem engineering by crabs may increase moth attacks. Field experiments confirmed this prediction and suggest that the effect of crabs on moth attacks may be driven by nutrient availability. Our results show that stem-boring herbivores can cause significant plant mortality in Spartina spp. marshes, and that ecosystem engineering by burrowing crabs increases this effect. Thus, in this system, biotic factors that improve plant performance lead to an increase in herbivory control.
Palabras clave:
control
,
community
,
saltmarsh
,
crabs
Archivos asociados
Licencia
Identificadores
Colecciones
Articulos(CCT - MAR DEL PLATA)
Articulos de CTRO.CIENTIFICO TECNOL.CONICET - MAR DEL PLATA
Articulos de CTRO.CIENTIFICO TECNOL.CONICET - MAR DEL PLATA
Articulos(IIMYC)
Articulos de INSTITUTO DE INVESTIGACIONES MARINAS Y COSTERAS
Articulos de INSTITUTO DE INVESTIGACIONES MARINAS Y COSTERAS
Citación
Canepuccia, Alejandro Daniel; Alberti, Juan; Daleo, Pedro; Pascual, Jesus Maria; Farina, J; et al.; Ecosystem engineering by burrowing crabs increases cordgrass mortality caused by stem-boring insects; Inter-Research; Marine Ecology Progress Series; 404; 4-2010; 151-159
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