On the factors that promote the diversity of herbivorous insects and plants in tropical forests.

ABSTRACT: Some of the most fascinating and challenging questions in ecology are why biodiversity is highest in tropical forests and whether the factors involved are unique to these habitats. I did a worldwide test of the hypotheses that plant community divergence in antiherbivore traits results in higher insect herbivore diversity, and that predominant attack by specialized herbivores promotes plant richness. I found strong correlative support for both ideas. Butterfly diversity was greatest in regions where the community average species-pairwise dissimilarity in antiherbivore traits among plant species was highest. There was also a strong positive relationship between specialized (insect) vs. generalized (mammal) herbivores and plant richness. Regions where herbivory impact by mammals was higher th

SUBMITTER: Becerra JX 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4434756 | biostudies-literature | 2015 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature