Climate change alters slug abundance but not herbivory in a temperate grassland.
Climate change will significantly impact the world's ecosystems, in part by altering species interactions and ecological processes, such as herbivory and plant community dynamics, which may impact forage quality and ecosystem production. Yet relatively few field experimental manipulations asses...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Public Library of Science (PLoS)
2023-01-01
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| Series: | PLoS ONE |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0283128 |
| _version_ | 1797843137569226752 |
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| author | Daniel Weber Rebecca K McGrail A Elizabeth Carlisle James D Harwood Rebecca L McCulley |
| author_facet | Daniel Weber Rebecca K McGrail A Elizabeth Carlisle James D Harwood Rebecca L McCulley |
| author_sort | Daniel Weber |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Climate change will significantly impact the world's ecosystems, in part by altering species interactions and ecological processes, such as herbivory and plant community dynamics, which may impact forage quality and ecosystem production. Yet relatively few field experimental manipulations assessing all of these parameters have been performed to date. To help fill this knowledge gap, we evaluated the effects of increased temperature (+3°C day and night, year-round) and precipitation (+30% of mean annual rainfall) on slug herbivory and abundance and plant community dynamics biweekly in a pasture located in central Kentucky, U.S.A. Warming increased slug abundance once during the winter, likely due to improving conditions for foraging, whereas warming reduced slug abundance at times in late spring, mid-summer, and early fall (from 62-95% reduction depending on month). We found that warming and increased precipitation did not significantly modify slug herbivory at our site, despite altering slug abundance and affecting plant community composition and forage quality. Climate change will alter seasonal patterns of slug abundance through both direct effects on slug biology and indirect effects mediated by changes in the plant community, suggesting that pasture management practices may have to adapt. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-09T16:59:57Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-cd101cdb96dc40129824461b9e3e7092 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1932-6203 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-09T16:59:57Z |
| publishDate | 2023-01-01 |
| publisher | Public Library of Science (PLoS) |
| record_format | Article |
| series | PLoS ONE |
| spelling | doaj.art-cd101cdb96dc40129824461b9e3e70922023-04-21T05:33:02ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032023-01-01183e028312810.1371/journal.pone.0283128Climate change alters slug abundance but not herbivory in a temperate grassland.Daniel WeberRebecca K McGrailA Elizabeth CarlisleJames D HarwoodRebecca L McCulleyClimate change will significantly impact the world's ecosystems, in part by altering species interactions and ecological processes, such as herbivory and plant community dynamics, which may impact forage quality and ecosystem production. Yet relatively few field experimental manipulations assessing all of these parameters have been performed to date. To help fill this knowledge gap, we evaluated the effects of increased temperature (+3°C day and night, year-round) and precipitation (+30% of mean annual rainfall) on slug herbivory and abundance and plant community dynamics biweekly in a pasture located in central Kentucky, U.S.A. Warming increased slug abundance once during the winter, likely due to improving conditions for foraging, whereas warming reduced slug abundance at times in late spring, mid-summer, and early fall (from 62-95% reduction depending on month). We found that warming and increased precipitation did not significantly modify slug herbivory at our site, despite altering slug abundance and affecting plant community composition and forage quality. Climate change will alter seasonal patterns of slug abundance through both direct effects on slug biology and indirect effects mediated by changes in the plant community, suggesting that pasture management practices may have to adapt.https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0283128 |
| spellingShingle | Daniel Weber Rebecca K McGrail A Elizabeth Carlisle James D Harwood Rebecca L McCulley Climate change alters slug abundance but not herbivory in a temperate grassland. PLoS ONE |
| title | Climate change alters slug abundance but not herbivory in a temperate grassland. |
| title_full | Climate change alters slug abundance but not herbivory in a temperate grassland. |
| title_fullStr | Climate change alters slug abundance but not herbivory in a temperate grassland. |
| title_full_unstemmed | Climate change alters slug abundance but not herbivory in a temperate grassland. |
| title_short | Climate change alters slug abundance but not herbivory in a temperate grassland. |
| title_sort | climate change alters slug abundance but not herbivory in a temperate grassland |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0283128 |
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