Bottom-up and top-down effects combine to drive predator–prey interactions in a forest biodiversity experiment

Publikation: Beitrag in FachzeitschriftForschungsartikelBeigetragenBegutachtung

Beitragende

  • Jing Ting Chen - , CAS - Institute of Zoology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (UCAS), Georg-August-Universität Göttingen (Autor:in)
  • Ming Qiang Wang - , Georg-August-Universität Göttingen, CAS - Chengdu Institute of Biology (Autor:in)
  • Arong Luo - , CAS - Institute of Zoology (Autor:in)
  • Feng Zhang - , Nanjing Agricultural University (Autor:in)
  • Douglas Chesters - , CAS - Institute of Zoology (Autor:in)
  • Shanlin Liu - , CAS - Institute of Zoology (Autor:in)
  • Yi Li - , CAS - Institute of Botany (Autor:in)
  • Goddert von Oheimb - , Professur für Biodiversität und Naturschutz (Autor:in)
  • Matthias Kunz - , Professur für Biodiversität und Naturschutz (Autor:in)
  • Qing Song Zhou - , CAS - Institute of Zoology (Autor:in)
  • Helge Bruelheide - , Martin-Luther-Universität Halle-Wittenberg, Deutsches Zentrum für integrative Biodiversitätsforschung (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig (Autor:in)
  • Xiao Juan Liu - , CAS - Institute of Botany (Autor:in)
  • Ke Ping Ma - , CAS - Institute of Botany (Autor:in)
  • Andreas Schuldt - , Georg-August-Universität Göttingen (Autor:in)
  • Chao Dong Zhu - , CAS - Institute of Zoology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (UCAS) (Autor:in)

Abstract

The bottom-up effect of producers and the top-down effect of predators are well-known factors shaping community assembly and ecosystem functioning through trophic interactions. Communities differing in their functional composition may induce ecological effects with varying directions and intensities, but previous studies in highly diverse ecosystems have struggled with reliably quantifying these interactions at the community level. We used spider gut-content metabarcoding in a subtropical tree diversity experiment to examine the impact of multiple diversity components of both trees and spiders on prey diversity and the network structure of predator–prey interactions. Our findings reveal that prey richness and spider-prey network structure are simultaneously driven by the bottom-up effects of tree communities and the top-down effects of the spider communities. When categorized by hunting modes, the drivers of prey richness and network structure differed between spider guilds. Large phylogenetic and functional differences within web-building spider communities promoted coexistence, leading to increases in the utilized prey richness, generality, niche overlap and prey vulnerability. For hunting spiders, the effects of vertical tree structure complexity indicated restricted mobility but facilitated coexistence through increased shelter availability, and a concomitant reduction of prey richness and dietary breadth. Our study underscores the significance of integrating multiple diversity components and considering functional trait composition across trophic levels when analysing the ecological effects of generalist predators. Our findings enable a better understanding of how predator–prey interaction patterns may be altered under current environmental changes that result in biodiversity loss.

Details

OriginalspracheEnglisch
Seiten (von - bis)2035-2046
Seitenumfang12
FachzeitschriftJournal of Animal Ecology
Jahrgang94
Ausgabenummer10
Frühes Online-Datum7 Juli 2025
PublikationsstatusVeröffentlicht - Okt. 2025
Peer-Review-StatusJa

Externe IDs

ORCID /0000-0001-7408-425X/work/192582608
PubMed 40620174

Schlagworte

Schlagwörter

  • arthropod, bottom-up and top-down control, diet, metabarcoding, predator–prey interaction, tree diversity, trophic interaction