Plant Functional Dispersion, Vulnerability and Originality Increase Arthropod Functions from a Protected Mountain Mediterranean Area in Spring
Plant diversity often contributes to the shape of arthropod communities, which in turn supply important ecosystem services. However, the current biodiversity loss scenario, particularly worrying for arthropods, constitutes a threat for sustainability. From a trait-based ecology approach, our goal wa...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2023-02-01
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| Series: | Plants |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/12/4/889 |
| _version_ | 1797618588196012032 |
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| author | Bruno Calheiros-Nogueira Carlos Aguiar María Villa |
| author_facet | Bruno Calheiros-Nogueira Carlos Aguiar María Villa |
| author_sort | Bruno Calheiros-Nogueira |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Plant diversity often contributes to the shape of arthropod communities, which in turn supply important ecosystem services. However, the current biodiversity loss scenario, particularly worrying for arthropods, constitutes a threat for sustainability. From a trait-based ecology approach, our goal was to evaluate the bottom-up relationships to obtain a better understanding of the conservation of the arthropod function within the ecosystem. Specifically, we aim: (i) to describe the plant taxonomic and functional diversity in spring within relevant habitats of a natural protected area from the Mediterranean basin; and (ii) to evaluate the response of the arthropod functional community to plants. Plants and arthropods were sampled and identified, taxonomic and functional indices calculated, and the plant–arthropod relationships analyzed. Generally, oak forests and scrublands showed a higher plant functional diversity while the plant taxonomic richness was higher in grasslands and chestnut orchards. The abundance of arthropod functional groups increased with the plant taxonomic diversity, functional dispersion, vulnerability and originality, suggesting that single traits (e.g., flower shape or color) may be more relevant for the arthropod function. Results indicate the functional vulnerability of seminatural habitats, the relevance of grasslands and chestnut orchards for arthropod functions and pave the way for further studies about plant–arthropod interactions from a trait-based ecology approach. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T08:14:44Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-5986a4e7771c4e50807ee34611b4dd97 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2223-7747 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T08:14:44Z |
| publishDate | 2023-02-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Plants |
| spelling | doaj.art-5986a4e7771c4e50807ee34611b4dd972023-11-16T22:48:51ZengMDPI AGPlants2223-77472023-02-0112488910.3390/plants12040889Plant Functional Dispersion, Vulnerability and Originality Increase Arthropod Functions from a Protected Mountain Mediterranean Area in SpringBruno Calheiros-Nogueira0Carlos Aguiar1María Villa2Centro de Investigação de Montanha (CIMO), Instituto Politécnico de Bragança, Campus de Santa Apolónia, 5300-253 Bragança, PortugalCentro de Investigação de Montanha (CIMO), Instituto Politécnico de Bragança, Campus de Santa Apolónia, 5300-253 Bragança, PortugalCentro de Investigação de Montanha (CIMO), Instituto Politécnico de Bragança, Campus de Santa Apolónia, 5300-253 Bragança, PortugalPlant diversity often contributes to the shape of arthropod communities, which in turn supply important ecosystem services. However, the current biodiversity loss scenario, particularly worrying for arthropods, constitutes a threat for sustainability. From a trait-based ecology approach, our goal was to evaluate the bottom-up relationships to obtain a better understanding of the conservation of the arthropod function within the ecosystem. Specifically, we aim: (i) to describe the plant taxonomic and functional diversity in spring within relevant habitats of a natural protected area from the Mediterranean basin; and (ii) to evaluate the response of the arthropod functional community to plants. Plants and arthropods were sampled and identified, taxonomic and functional indices calculated, and the plant–arthropod relationships analyzed. Generally, oak forests and scrublands showed a higher plant functional diversity while the plant taxonomic richness was higher in grasslands and chestnut orchards. The abundance of arthropod functional groups increased with the plant taxonomic diversity, functional dispersion, vulnerability and originality, suggesting that single traits (e.g., flower shape or color) may be more relevant for the arthropod function. Results indicate the functional vulnerability of seminatural habitats, the relevance of grasslands and chestnut orchards for arthropod functions and pave the way for further studies about plant–arthropod interactions from a trait-based ecology approach.https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/12/4/889bottom-up interactionsplant–arthropod interactionsecosystem servicestrait-based ecologyfunctional groupsNatural Park of Montesinho |
| spellingShingle | Bruno Calheiros-Nogueira Carlos Aguiar María Villa Plant Functional Dispersion, Vulnerability and Originality Increase Arthropod Functions from a Protected Mountain Mediterranean Area in Spring Plants bottom-up interactions plant–arthropod interactions ecosystem services trait-based ecology functional groups Natural Park of Montesinho |
| title | Plant Functional Dispersion, Vulnerability and Originality Increase Arthropod Functions from a Protected Mountain Mediterranean Area in Spring |
| title_full | Plant Functional Dispersion, Vulnerability and Originality Increase Arthropod Functions from a Protected Mountain Mediterranean Area in Spring |
| title_fullStr | Plant Functional Dispersion, Vulnerability and Originality Increase Arthropod Functions from a Protected Mountain Mediterranean Area in Spring |
| title_full_unstemmed | Plant Functional Dispersion, Vulnerability and Originality Increase Arthropod Functions from a Protected Mountain Mediterranean Area in Spring |
| title_short | Plant Functional Dispersion, Vulnerability and Originality Increase Arthropod Functions from a Protected Mountain Mediterranean Area in Spring |
| title_sort | plant functional dispersion vulnerability and originality increase arthropod functions from a protected mountain mediterranean area in spring |
| topic | bottom-up interactions plant–arthropod interactions ecosystem services trait-based ecology functional groups Natural Park of Montesinho |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/12/4/889 |
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