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Forest-fragment quality rather than matrix habitat shapes herbivory on tree recruits in South Africa

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  19 March 2013

Alexandra Botzat ,
Lena Fischer  and
Nina Farwig
Alexandra Botzat*
Affiliation:
Department of Ecology – Conservation Ecology, Philipps-Universität Marburg, Karl-von-Frisch-Straße 8, D-35032 Marburg, Germany
Lena Fischer
Affiliation:
Department of Ecology – Conservation Ecology, Philipps-Universität Marburg, Karl-von-Frisch-Straße 8, D-35032 Marburg, Germany
Nina Farwig
Affiliation:
Department of Ecology – Conservation Ecology, Philipps-Universität Marburg, Karl-von-Frisch-Straße 8, D-35032 Marburg, Germany
*
1Corresponding author. Email: abotzat@botlan.de
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Abstract:

Forest fragmentation can alter herbivory on tree recruits with possible consequences for regeneration. We assessed effects of forest-fragment quality (tree diversity, vegetation complexity, relative abundance of pioneer trees) and matrix habitat on arthropods and herbivory in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. We compared arthropod abundances and herbivory on woody seedlings and saplings among four forest-fragment types differing in size and matrix (large fragments and small fragments surrounded by natural grassland, eucalypt and sugarcane plantations; nplots = 24) using analyses of covariance. We recorded 3385 arthropods and inspected 897 seedlings (71 species) and 876 saplings (91 species). Relative abundance of predators increased with fragment quality; that of herbivores decreased. Herbivory responses to fragment quality varied: seedling herbivory decreased with relative abundance of pioneers and sapling herbivory increased with vegetation complexity. Matrix effects were low with little variation in relative abundance of predators (0.39–0.53) and herbivores (0.22–0.32), proportion of seedling (8.3–11.0%) and sapling herbivory (12.4–14.3%) among the forest-fragment types. These findings indicate that herbivory on tree recruits is mediated by forest-fragment quality rather than matrix habitat. Future studies should evaluate whether contrasting effects of fragment quality on arthropods and herbivory are caused by weak trophic interactions and variable herbivore compositions.

Keywords

arthropodsdiversity–herbivory relationshipshabitat qualityinsectsKwaZulu-Natalleaf damageplant–animal interactionssaplingsscarp forestseedlings
Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of Tropical Ecology , Volume 29 , Issue 2 , March 2013 , pp. 111 - 122
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2013

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