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1,187 results for “herbivores”
Local thermal extremes shape the nature of herbivore plasticity that controls plant communities
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Great tits (Parus major) flexibly learn that herbivore-induced plant volatiles indicate prey location – an experimental evidence with two tree species
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Large differences in herbivore performance emerge from simple herbivore behaviors and fine-scale spatial heterogeneity in phytochemistry
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Evolutionary history of grazing and resources determine herbivore exclusion effects on plant diversity
Ecological models predict that the effects of mammalian herbivore exclusion on plant diversity depend on resource availability and plant exposure to ungulate grazing over evolutionary time. Using an experiment replicated in 57 grasslands on six continents, with contrasting evolutionary history of grazing, we tested how resources (mean annual precipitation and soil nutrients) determine herbivore exclusion effects on plant diversity, richness, and evenness. Here we show that at sites with a long history of ungulate grazing, herbivore exclusion reduced plant diversity by reducing both richness and evenness, and the responses of richness and diversity to herbivore exclusion decreased with mean annual precipitation. At short with a short history of grazing, the effects of herbivore exclusion were not related to precipitation but differed for native and exotic plant richness. Thus, plant species’ evolutionary history of grazing continues to shape the response of the world’s grasslands to changing mammalian herbivory.
Insect herbivore impact on a keystone plant colonist in primary succession at Mount St. Helens from 1994 to 2017
This data base contains estimates of damage to lupin (Lupinus lepidus var. lobbii) by several species of leaf-tying and root-boring moth larvae (Lepidoptera), along with associated estimates of vegetation cover, in primary successional sites at Mount St. Helens. The surveys began in 1993 and are ongoing; This database includes data for 1994, 1995, and 1998-2017. Surveys were located at a variety of primary successional sites on Mount St. Helens’ Pumice Plain. Surveys generally occurred in mid to late August, when leaf-miner damage is at its maximum, but prior to maximum damage by root-borers. The number of sites, location of sites, and types of data collected varied across years and, but lupin cover, bare ground, and % lupin damage are reliable across the time series. Please note, leaf-miner damage has been been temporarily deleted from lupin.csv. Contact data authors if you seek a collaboration using the deleted data.
Variation in the relative effects of top-down and bottom-up forces on herbivores and herbivory along an elevational gradient in the southern Appalachian mountains in 2001
It is a well established fact that top-down (predation), bottom-up (resource availability) and lateral (interference) interactions are the dominant biotic forces in terrestrial ecosystems in addition to a host of other interactions like mutualism and symbiosis. The primary emphasis has always been to look for a singular mechanistic explanation in determining community dynamics. The ecological literature is replete with controversy on the subject of whether top-down or bottom-up forces predominate in ecosystems and their role in dynamics of ecological communities. The emerging consensus is that both top-down and bottom-up forces act in concert and the impetus is shifting towards the elucidation of the context, biotic and abiotic, under which these forces come into play. There are very few studies that have addressed this question and looked at the simultaneous interaction of these forces. I propose to study the effects of spatial heterogeneity in biotic and abiotic factors along an elevation gradient on the relative impacts of top-down and bottom-up forces and the result of their interactive effects on folivory. Specifically, I shall address the effects of spatial variation in plant quality and predation pressure and their interactive impacts on insect herbivore biomass and consumption. I shall also address the effects of complexity within/among trophic levels on the impact of these forces. The study aims to bring about a greater understanding of the role played by abiotic factors and complexity in community dynamics.
Effects of Herbivores on Seed Banks of Grass and Shrublands at the Sevilleta National Wildlife Refuge, New Mexico (2004)
Grazers and granivores have the potential to affect seed banks. Several studies have examined the impact of these herbivores on the aboveground vegetation, but few have looked at how they influence the seed bank. I asked whether both grazers and granivores alter the seed bank at the Sevilleta National Wildlife Refuge. Long-term experimental plots were installed in 1996 to exclude grazers and granivores from a grassland and shrubland. Soil samples were collected from these plots and seeds were germinated in a greenhouse. The grassland had significantly more species in its seed bank than the shrubland. Also, the seed bank composition differed significantly between the two sites. However, the number of species in the seed bank did not vary among herbivore treatments nor did total seed numbers vary among treatments at the grassland. At the shrubland, in contrast, plots that excluded both herbivores had fewer total seeds than control plots and plots where only grazers were excluded. Therefore, although herbivores play some role in the shrubland, herbivores do not reduce seed numbers at either site. Thus, seed bank size is not controlled by the consumption of seeds from these herbivores, but by some other factor (e.g. disturbance or abiotic events).
Predation risk constrains herbivores' adaptive capacity to warming
<p>Global warming compels larger endothermic animals to adapt either physiologically or behaviourally to avoid thermal stress, especially in tropical ecosystems. Their adaptive responses may however be compromised by other constraints, such as predation risk or starvation. Using an exceptional camera trap dataset spanning 32 protected areas across Southern Africa, we find that intermediate-sized herbivores (100-550kg) switch activity to hotter times of the day when exposed to predation by lions. These herbivores thus face a tight window for foraging activity being exposed to nocturnal predation and to heat during the day, suggesting a trade-off between predation risk and thermoregulation mediated by body size. These findings stress the importance of incorporating trophic interactions into climate change predictions.</p>
Range-extending tropical herbivores increase diversity, intensity and extent of herbivory functions in temperate marine ecosystems
1. Climate change is modifying species distributions around the world, forcing some species poleward, where they can alter trophic interactions. Many tropical herbivorous fishes have successfully expanded their ranges into temperate ecosystems, and while it is clear they drive increases in herbivory rates in specific localities, little is known about how they might affect the diversity of herbivory functions across large spatial scales, considering their interaction with assemblages of native herbivores in temperate habitats. 2. We assessed the spatial overlap and habitat associations of native temperate and range-expanding tropical herbivorous fishes in six sub-regions of south-western Australia to determine how incursions of tropical species may have affected the diversity, redundancy (index of uniqueness) and the 'spatial extent' (addition of functions in new areas) and 'intensity' (increasing density of functional groups) of specific herbivory functions in recipient ecosystems. 3. Tropical herbivores were more abundant in temperate ecosystems, forming schools from 40 (parrotfish) to 200 (rabbitfish) individuals strongly associated with seagrass meadows and reefs with high cover of turf algae. Overlap with temperate herbivores was highest in the northern sub-regions, forming unique assemblages, with no apparent species displacements. The addition of tropical species increased functional diversity and uniqueness (the complement of redundancy), introducing novel herbivory functions to many locations. Seagrass browsing increased in spatial extent (27%) and intensity (15 x), while seaweed browsing and grazing increased in intensity by up to 2.5 x in regions with high abundances of tropical herbivores. 4. Our results suggest that the diversity, intensity and spatial extent of different herbivory functions can change as tropical species with different habitat affinities, behaviors and diets shift their distributions poleward. Changes in functional redundancy are likely to be heterogeneous in space and might not increase initially because the diversity of herbivory functions is relatively low in some temperate marine ecosystems. However, there is the potential for greater redundancy as further tropical species arrive, their abundances increase and the spatial and functional overlap of communities rises.
Climate seasonality drives ant-plant-herbivore interactions via plant phenology in an extrafloral nectary-bearing plant community
<ol> <li>Interactions between ants and plants bearing extrafloral nectaries (EFNs) are among the most common mutualisms in Neotropical regions. Plants secrete extrafloral nectar, a carbohydrate-rich food that attracts ants, which in return protect plants against herbivores. This ant-plant mutualism is subjected to temporal variation, in which abiotic factors can drive the establishment and frequency of such mutualistic interaction. However, studies investigating how abiotic factors (e.g., climate) directly and indirectly influence ant-plant-herbivore interactions are incipient.</li> <li>In this study, we investigated direct and indirect (via plant phenology) effects of temperature and rainfall on ant-plant-herbivore interactions. To address these goals, we estimated six plant phenophases (newly flushed leaves, fully-expanded leaves, deciduousness, floral buds, flowers, and fruits) monthly, the activity of EFNs and abundance of ants and herbivores in 18 EFN-bearing plant species growing in a markedly seasonal region (the Brazilian Cerrado) during a complete growing season.</li> <li>Our results showed that (i) there were marked seasonal patterns in all plant phenophases, EFN activity, and the abundance of ants and herbivores; (ii) the peak of EFN activity and ant and herbivore abundance simultaneously occurred at the beginning of the rainy season, when new leaves flushed; and (iii) rainfall directly and indirectly (via changes in theproduction of new leaves) influenced EFN activity and this in turn provoked changes in ant abundance (but not on herbivores).</li> <li> <i>Synthesis</i>: Overall, our results build toward a better understanding of how climate drives seasonal patterns in ant-plant-herbivore interactions, explicitly considering plant phenology over time.</li> </ol>
Predation and parasitism on herbivorous insects change in opposite directions in a latitudinal gradient crossing a boreal forest zone
<ol> <li>The Latitudinal Biotic Interaction Hypothesis (LBIH) predicts that the strength of various biotic interactions decreases from low to high latitudes. Inconsistency between studies testing this hypothesis may result from variations among different types of interactions and among study systems. Therefore, exploration of multiple interactions within one system would help to disentangle latitudinal patterns across individual interactions and to evaluate latitudinal changes in the overall impact of enemies on prey.</li> <li>We tested the prediction based on the LBIH that the pressure of natural enemies on herbivorous insects decreases with an increase in latitude across the boreal forest zone. We also asked whether the impacts of major groups of these enemies exhibit similar latitudinal patterns and whether these patterns are consistent across study years. </li> <li>In 10 forest sites located from 60°N to 69°N in Northern Europe, each summer, from 2016–2019, we measured (i) mortality of three groups of leafmining insects caused by birds, ants, parasitoids, and unknown factors, (ii) bird attacks on caterpillar-shaped plasticine models, and (iii) birch foliar damage caused by defoliators and leafminers.</li> <li>Latitudinal patterns in both insect herbivory on birch and top-down pressure on herbivorous insects varied considerably and inconsistently among the four study years, so that only some of the year-specific correlations with latitude were statistically significant. Nevertheless, meta-analysis combining correlations across years, preys and enemies revealed general decreases in predation by birds (on both natural and model prey) and ants, but an increase in parasitism rates, from low to high latitudes.</li> <li>We found that the direction of latitudinal changes in the strength of biotic interactions was interaction-specific: predation and herbivory supported LBIH, whereas parasitism exhibited an opposite trend. Consequently, the overall impact of natural enemies on herbivorous insects did not change with latitude and was therefore an unlikely reason for the poleward decrease in herbivory observed in our gradient. Considerable among-year variation in the strength of the latitudinal patterns in all the studied interactions suggests that this variation is a widespread phenomenon. </li> </ol>
Short-term resistance that persists: Rapidly induced silicon anti-herbivore defence affects carbon-based plant defences
<p><b>1. </b>Silicon (Si) is known to alleviate diverse biotic and abiotic stresses including insect herbivory.<b> </b>Si accumulation in plants, notably the Poaceae, can be induced through stimulation of the jasmonic acid (JA) pathway (associated with chewing herbivores). Nevertheless, the temporal dynamics of Si accumulation as a defence response and its consequential effects on carbon-based defences (e.g. phenolics), particularly in the short-term, remain unclear.</p> <p><b>2. </b>The model grass <i>Brachypodium distachyon</i> was grown in a hydroponic solution where half the plants were supplemented with 2 mM potassium silicate and half had no Si supplied. Plants were treated with methyl jasmonate (MeJA) as a form of standardised simulated herbivory. We measured Si accumulation, the phytohormones JA and salicylic acid (SA), and carbon-based defences over 24 hours to determine the temporal dynamics of Si accumulation and the interplay between Si, simulated herbivory and plant defence machinery.</p> <p><b>3. </b>MeJA-induced Si accumulation occurred as early as 6 hours after treatment via increased JA concentrations. Si supplementation decreased SA concentrations, which could have implications on additional downstream defences. We show a trade-off between Si and phenolics in untreated plants, but this relationship was weakened upon MeJA treatment. Further, this trade-off did not apply to phenolic precursor compounds such as phenylalanine.</p> <p><span><b>4. </b>We provide evidence for rapidly induced Si accumulation associated with herbivory, and that increased Si accumulation impacts on phytohormones and carbon-based defences over a 24-hour period. Additionally, herbivory modifies the relationship between Si- and carbon-based defences. Thus, in addition to its well-documented role as a long-term defence against herbivores, we demonstrate that, over short-term temporal scales, Si accumulation responds to herbivore signals and impacts on plant defence machinery. </span></p>
Elevated atmospheric concentrations of CO2 increase endogenous immune function in a specialist herbivore
<p>1. Animals rely on a balance of endogenous and exogenous sources of immunity to mitigate parasite attack. Understanding how environmental context affects that balance is increasingly urgent under rapid environmental change. In herbivores, immunity is determined, in part, by phytochemistry which is plastic in response to environmental conditions. Monarch butterflies, <i>Danaus plexippus,</i> consistently experience infection by a virulent parasite, <i>Ophryocystis elektroscirrha</i>, and some medicinal milkweed (<i>Asclepias</i>) species, with high concentrations of toxic steroids (cardenolides), provide a potent source of exogenous immunity. 2. We investigated plant-mediated influences of elevated CO<sub>2</sub> (eCO<sub>2</sub>) on endogenous immune responses of monarch larvae to infection by <i>O. elektroscirrha</i>. Recently, transcriptomics have revealed that infection by <i>O. elektroscirrha </i>does not alter monarch immune gene regulation in larvae, corroborating that monarchs rely more on exogenous than endogenous immunity. However, monarchs feeding on medicinal milkweed grown under eCO<sub>2</sub> lose tolerance to the parasite, associated with changes in phytochemistry. Whether changes in milkweed phytochemistry induced by eCO<sub>2</sub> alter the balance between exogenous and endogenous sources of immunity remains unknown. 3. We fed monarchs two species of milkweed; <i>A. curassavica</i> (medicinal) and <i>A. incarnata </i>(non-medicinal) grown under ambient CO<sub>2</sub> (aCO2) or eCO<sub>2</sub>. We then measured endogenous immune responses (phenoloxidase activity, hemocyte concentration, and melanization strength), along with foliar chemistry, to assess mechanisms of monarch immunity under future atmospheric conditions. 4. The melanization response of late-instar larvae was reduced on medicinal milkweed in comparison to non-medicinal milkweed. Moreover, the endogenous immune responses of early-instar larvae to infection by <i>O. elektroscirrha</i> were generally lower in larvae reared on foliage from aCO<sub>2</sub> plants and higher in larvae reared on foliage from eCO<sub>2</sub> plants. When grown under eCO<sub>2</sub>, milkweed plants exhibited lower cardenolide concentrations, lower phytochemical diversity, and lower nutritional quality (higher C:N ratios). Together, these results suggest that the loss of exogenous immunity from foliage under eCO<sub>2</sub> results in increased endogenous immune function. 5. Animal populations face multiple threats induced by anthropogenic environmental change. Our results suggest that shifts in the balance between exogenous and endogenous sources of immunity to parasite attack may represent an underappreciated consequence of environmental change. </p>
Changes in arthropod community but not plant quality benefit a specialist herbivore on plants under reduced water availability
<p>Plants growing under reduced water availability can affect insect herbivores differently, in some instances benefitting them. However, the forces mediating these positive impacts remain mostly unclear. To identify how water availability impacts plant quality and multitrophic interactions, we conducted manipulative field studies with two populations of the specialist herbivore <i>Pieris rapae</i>, and its host plant, <i>Rorippa indica</i>. We found that <i>P. rapae </i>larvae experienced higher survival on <i>R. indica</i> growing under low water availability compared with plants grown under high water availability. Higher survival of eggs and larvae was related to the reduced abundance of other herbivores and natural enemies. Water availability had differential impacts on other members of the herbivore community by altering plant quality. Low water availability decreased the quality of <i>R. indica</i> to most herbivores, as indicated by reduced abundance in the field and decreased relative growth rate in laboratory feeding assays. In contrast, <i>P. rapae </i>larval performance was not affected by sympatric <i>R. indica </i>grown under different water availability. These results indicate that local <i>P. rapae</i> populations possess physiological adaptations to overcome fluctuations in host quality. Our findings illustrate that reduced water availability is beneficial to a specialist herbivore but detrimental to most other herbivores. Our work highlights the complex effects of the arthropod communities associated with plants in determining the impacts of water availability on insect herbivores.</p>
Data from: High specialization and limited structural change in plant‐herbivore networks along a successional chronosequence in tropical montane forest
Secondary succession is well‐understood, to the point of being predictable for plant communities, but the successional changes in plant‐herbivore interactions remains poorly explored. This is particularly true for tropical forests, despite the increasing importance of early successional stages in tropical landscapes. Deriving expectations from successional theory, we examine properties of plant‐herbivore interaction networks while accounting for host phylogenetic structure along a succession chronosequence in montane rainforest in Papua New Guinea. We present one of the most comprehensive successional investigations of interaction networks, equating to >40 person years of field sampling, and one of the few focused on montane tropical forests. We use a series of nine 0.2ha forest plots across young secondary, mature secondary and primary montane forest, sampled almost completely for woody plants and larval leaf chewers (Lepidoptera), using forest felling. These networks comprised of 12,357 plant‐herbivore interactions and were analysed using quantitative network metrics, a phylogenetically controlled host‐use index and a qualitative network beta diversity measure. Network structural changes were low and specialisation metrics surprisingly similar throughout succession, despite high network beta diversity. Herbivore abundance was greatest in the earliest stages, and hosts here had more species‐rich herbivore assemblages, presumably reflecting higher palatability due to lower defensive investment. All herbivore communities were highly specialised, using a phylogenetically narrow set of hosts, while host phylogenetic diversity itself decreased throughout the chronosequence. Relatively high phylogenetic diversity, and thus high diversity of plant defenses, in early succession forest may result in herbivores feeding on fewer hosts than expected. Successional theory, derived primarily from temperate systems, is limited in predicting tropical host‐herbivore interactions. All succession stages harbour diverse and unique interaction networks, which together with largely similar network structures and consistent host use patterns, suggests general rules of assembly may apply to these systems.
Data from: Endemism in Wyoming plant and insect herbivore communities during the early Eocene hothouse
The warm, equable, and ice-free early Eocene Epoch permits investigation of ecosystem function and macro-ecological patterns during a very different climate regime than exists today. It also provides insight into what the future may entail, as anthropogenic CO2 release drives Earth towards a comparable hothouse condition. Studying plant-insect herbivore food webs during hothouse intervals is warranted because these account for the majority of non-microbial terrestrial biodiversity. Here, we report new plant and insect herbivore damage census data from two floodplain sites in the Wind River Basin of central Wyoming, one in the Aycross Formation (50-48.25 Ma) at the basin edge (WRE) and the second in the Wind River Formation in the interior of the basin (WRI). The WRI site is in stratigraphic proximity to a volcanic ash that is newly dated to 52.416 ± 0.016/0.028/0.063 (2σ). We compare the Wind River Basin assemblages to published data from a 52.65 Ma floodplain flora in the neighboring Bighorn Basin (BH) and find that only 5.6% of plant taxa occur at all three sites and approximately 10% occur in both basins. The dissimilar floras support distinct suites of insect herbivores, as recorded by leaf damage. The relatively low diversity BH flora has the highest diversity of insect damage, contrary to hypotheses that insect herbivore diversity tracks floral diversity. The distinctiveness of the WRE flora is likely due to its younger age and cooler reconstructed paleotemperature, but these factors are nearly identical for the WRI and BH floras. Site-specific microenvironmental factors that cannot be measured easily in deep time may account for these differences. Alternatively, the Owl Creek Mountains between the two basins may have provided a formidable barrier to the thermophilic organisms that inhabited the basin interiors, supporting Janzen's hypothesis that mountain passes appear higher in tropical environments.
Domestic and wild native herbivores combined are still overgrazing Patagonia rangelands: A response to Marino et al. (2019)
<p>1. Oliva et al. (2019) based upon primary productivity estimates concluded that, after long periods of overgrazing, Patagonia´s domestic stocks adjusted to regional-scale herbivore carrying capacity at the end of last century. Guanaco populations, a native camelid, increased thereafter driving combined grazing pressures once again over carrying capacity in some areas.</p> <p>2. Marino, Rodriguez and Schroeder (2019) argued that domestic grazing is not really at equilibrium because domestic stocks are concentrated in areas that remain overgrazed. They support the idea that guanacos auto-regulate their density by resource-defence territoriality and are weak competitors with domestic herbivores, occupying marginal areas. In their view Oliva et al. (2019) put guanacos in the role of scapegoats, leaving domestic stocks unchecked. </p> <p>3. Equilibrium at regional scale does not preclude over and under-grazing at smaller (local) scales. By separating areas with and without domestic stocks Marino et al. (2019) estimated 28% and 73% overgrazing in the provinces of Chubut and Santa Cruz, respectively. We recalculated these estimates and found overgrazing of 28% and 47% for Chubut and Santa Cruz, respectively. But when combined with guanaco densities overgrazing increases to 48 and 108% for Chubut and Santa Cruz, respectively.</p> <p>4. We question the hypothesised lack of competitive value and effective self-regulating mechanisms in guanacos. A data set of 13 sheep farms show densities of 12-61 (mean 27) guanacos.km-2 with a combined grazing pressure above carrying capacity. Populations in a protected area in Chubut reached 42 guanacos.km-2, crashed during drought with 60% mortality, and increased thereafter to 70 guanacos.km-2, but even at peak numbers recruitment population rates remained extremely high. </p> <p>5. Synthesis and applications. Marino et al 2019 are right to question the apparent equilibrium of domestic stocks with carrying capacity, as they are concentrated in part of the territory that may be still overgrazed. But ground assessments show that guanaco populations can reach densities well over carrying capacity with or without sheep. This only stresses our conclusion that joint management of the native-domestic herbivore system is urgently needed. Farm management plans may transform an apparent competitor into a valuable natural complementary resource to sheep raising</p>
Plant carbohydrate-active enzymes in bamboo (Neosinocalamus affinis): identification, classification and function in lignocellulose biosynthesis in herbivore defence
<p><i><span>Neosinocalamus affinis</span></i>, a type of cluster bamboo,<i> </i>is a good candidate feedstock for biomass energy. In the study, we found a total of 686 genes were identified as belonging to CAZyme families in the <i><span>N. affinis</span></i> transcriptome, including 222 glycoside hydrolases (GHs), 288 glycosyltransferases (GTs), 64 carbohydrate esterases (CEs), 70 auxiliary activities (AAs), 37 carbohydrate binding modules (CBMs) and five polysaccharide lyases (PLs). Expression profiles revealed that several CAZyme genes were up-regulated after insect infestation, particularly the GT, GH, AA and CE family members. Lignocellulose assays showed that the contents of three components, cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin, increased after insect infestation. Our findings showed that CAZyme genes were abundant in the <i><span>N. affinis</span></i> transcriptome and were involved in the response to herbivory. These findings could be applied to protect bamboo against herbivores, such as the bamboo snout beetle <i><span>Cyrtotrachelus buqueti</span></i>, and develop low-cost chemical feedstock from bamboo.</p>
Protection offered by leaf fungal endophytes to an invasive species against native herbivores depends on soil nutrients
1. Natural grassland ecosystems are increasingly threatened by excessive loadings of nutrients and by the presence of species bred for high productivity. By manipulating grazing regimes and nutrient availability, agricultural practices facilitate the establishment and spread of certain forage plant species outside managed landscapes, challenging local biodiversity. The ecological success of some species in the invaded range sometimes seems to be associated with the symbiosis with foliar fungal endophytes. Symbiotic fungi may increase the competitiveness of host species, but also the resistance to herbivory through the production of toxic secondary compounds such as alkaloids. While progress has been made in understanding how soil nutrients modulate other benefits offered by fungal endophytes to plants (for example, stress tolerance, competitive ability, etc), the consequences for a higher trophic level (i.e. herbivores) and the potential feedbacks on plant invasion have not been explored yet. 2. We explored the relative and interactive importance of soil nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) in modulating the interaction of the invasive grass tall fescue -associated with fungal endophytes- and native herbivores in a natural grassland. We hypothesized that N and P nutrients modulate differentially leaf quality traits, namely nutritional value and fungal alkaloid contents, determining the level of damage by native insect herbivores on the exotic tall fescue. 3. We found that only P addition significantly increased native caterpillar density in the field, which corresponded to a concomitant increase in leaf damage. Contrary to expectations, the concentration of the alkaloid ergovaline in leaves was not strongly related to N. It was the level of soil P which dictated the concentration of the element (P) in the leaves and reduced the level of defence against herbivores in this endophyte-symbiotic species. Then, herbivore performance increased, and plants were more prone to be attacked. 4. Synthesis: Our study indicates a strong control of soil P fertility on the tritrophic interaction among plants, fungal endophytes and native herbivores. This highlights the potential role of increased soil nutrients on the invasion spread of endophyte-symbiotic forage plants in natural grasslands.
Data from: 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, data were collected 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 intercropped 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 were more abundant under completely closed compared to 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.
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Allen Brain Atlas
Allen Brain Atlas is an Allen Institute collection of brain map atlases, datasets, APIs, and analysis tools covering mouse, human, and non-human primate brain resources.
Annotated Behaviour and Observability Dataset (ABODe)
ABODe is a University of Edinburgh DataShare dataset for behavior classification in group-housed mice using home-cage video, identities, bounding boxes, ground-plate positions, and annotator labels.
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The International Brain Laboratory public data releases expose standardized mouse decision-making experiments, including Neuropixels recordings, widefield calcium imaging, behavior, and session metadata accessed through the ONE API.
OpenNeuro
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