Local Habitat Complexity and Its Effects on Herbivores and Predators in Urban Agroecosystems
In urban community gardens, cultivated vegetation provides variable levels of habitat complexity, which can suppress pests by promoting predator diversity and improving pest control. In this study, we examine three components of the structural complexity of garden vegetation (cover, diversity, and c...
| Main Authors: | , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2024-01-01
|
| Series: | Insects |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4450/15/1/41 |
| _version_ | 1797343328042221568 |
|---|---|
| author | Azucena Lucatero Shalene Jha Stacy M. Philpott |
| author_facet | Azucena Lucatero Shalene Jha Stacy M. Philpott |
| author_sort | Azucena Lucatero |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | In urban community gardens, cultivated vegetation provides variable levels of habitat complexity, which can suppress pests by promoting predator diversity and improving pest control. In this study, we examine three components of the structural complexity of garden vegetation (cover, diversity, and connectivity) to investigate whether higher garden vegetation complexity leads to fewer herbivores, more predators, and higher predation. We worked in eight community gardens where we quantified vegetation complexity, sampled the arthropod community, and measured predation on corn earworm eggs. We found that plots with high vegetation cover supported higher species richness and greater abundance of predatory insects. High vegetation cover also supported a greater abundance and species richness of spiders. In contrast, high vegetation diversity was negatively associated with predator abundance. While high predator abundance was positively associated with egg predation, greater predator species richness had a negative impact on egg predation, suggesting that antagonism between predators may limit biological control. Community gardeners may thus manipulate vegetation cover and diversity to promote higher predator abundance and diversity in their plots. However, the species composition of predators and the prevalence of interspecific antagonism may ultimately determine subsequent impacts on biological pest control. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-08T10:46:01Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-2d1ba3e0368d48eca43b562cfefdfd82 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2075-4450 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-08T10:46:01Z |
| publishDate | 2024-01-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Insects |
| spelling | doaj.art-2d1ba3e0368d48eca43b562cfefdfd822024-01-26T17:04:13ZengMDPI AGInsects2075-44502024-01-011514110.3390/insects15010041Local Habitat Complexity and Its Effects on Herbivores and Predators in Urban AgroecosystemsAzucena Lucatero0Shalene Jha1Stacy M. Philpott2Environmental Studies Department, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, USAIntegrative Biology Department, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USAEnvironmental Studies Department, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, USAIn urban community gardens, cultivated vegetation provides variable levels of habitat complexity, which can suppress pests by promoting predator diversity and improving pest control. In this study, we examine three components of the structural complexity of garden vegetation (cover, diversity, and connectivity) to investigate whether higher garden vegetation complexity leads to fewer herbivores, more predators, and higher predation. We worked in eight community gardens where we quantified vegetation complexity, sampled the arthropod community, and measured predation on corn earworm eggs. We found that plots with high vegetation cover supported higher species richness and greater abundance of predatory insects. High vegetation cover also supported a greater abundance and species richness of spiders. In contrast, high vegetation diversity was negatively associated with predator abundance. While high predator abundance was positively associated with egg predation, greater predator species richness had a negative impact on egg predation, suggesting that antagonism between predators may limit biological control. Community gardeners may thus manipulate vegetation cover and diversity to promote higher predator abundance and diversity in their plots. However, the species composition of predators and the prevalence of interspecific antagonism may ultimately determine subsequent impacts on biological pest control.https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4450/15/1/41vegetation complexityurban agriculturepredatorsbiological pest control |
| spellingShingle | Azucena Lucatero Shalene Jha Stacy M. Philpott Local Habitat Complexity and Its Effects on Herbivores and Predators in Urban Agroecosystems Insects vegetation complexity urban agriculture predators biological pest control |
| title | Local Habitat Complexity and Its Effects on Herbivores and Predators in Urban Agroecosystems |
| title_full | Local Habitat Complexity and Its Effects on Herbivores and Predators in Urban Agroecosystems |
| title_fullStr | Local Habitat Complexity and Its Effects on Herbivores and Predators in Urban Agroecosystems |
| title_full_unstemmed | Local Habitat Complexity and Its Effects on Herbivores and Predators in Urban Agroecosystems |
| title_short | Local Habitat Complexity and Its Effects on Herbivores and Predators in Urban Agroecosystems |
| title_sort | local habitat complexity and its effects on herbivores and predators in urban agroecosystems |
| topic | vegetation complexity urban agriculture predators biological pest control |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4450/15/1/41 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT azucenalucatero localhabitatcomplexityanditseffectsonherbivoresandpredatorsinurbanagroecosystems AT shalenejha localhabitatcomplexityanditseffectsonherbivoresandpredatorsinurbanagroecosystems AT stacymphilpott localhabitatcomplexityanditseffectsonherbivoresandpredatorsinurbanagroecosystems |