Superhost Plants Alter the Structure of Plant–Galling Insect Networks in Neotropical Savannas
Host plants may harbor a variable number of galling insect species, with some species being able to harbor a high diversity of these insects, being therefore called superhost plants. In the present study, we tested the hypothesis that the occurrence of superhost plant species of genus <i>Quale...
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MDPI AG
2019-09-01
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| Series: | Plants |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/8/10/369 |
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| author | Walter Santos de Araújo Leuzeny Teixeira Moreira Luiz Alberto Dolabela Falcão Magno Augusto Zazá Borges Marcílio Fagundes Maurício Lopes de Faria Frederico Augusto Guimarães Guilherme |
| author_facet | Walter Santos de Araújo Leuzeny Teixeira Moreira Luiz Alberto Dolabela Falcão Magno Augusto Zazá Borges Marcílio Fagundes Maurício Lopes de Faria Frederico Augusto Guimarães Guilherme |
| author_sort | Walter Santos de Araújo |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Host plants may harbor a variable number of galling insect species, with some species being able to harbor a high diversity of these insects, being therefore called superhost plants. In the present study, we tested the hypothesis that the occurrence of superhost plant species of genus <i>Qualea</i> (Vochysiaceae) affects the structure of plant−galling insect ecological networks in Brazilian Cerrado. We sampled a total of 1882 plants grouped in 131 species and 43 families, of which 64 species and 31 families of host plants hosted 112 galling insect species. Our results showed that occurrence of superhosts of genus <i>Qualea</i> increased the linkage density of plant species, number of observed interactions, and the size of plant−galling insect networks and negatively affected the network connectance (but had no effect on the residual connectance). Although the occurrence of <i>Qualea</i> species did not affect the plant species richness, these superhosts increased the species richness and the number of interactions of galling insects. Our study represents a step forward in relation to previous studies that investigated the effects of plant diversity on the plant−insect networks, showing that few superhost plant species alter the structure of plant−herbivore networks, even without having a significant effect on plant diversity. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-19T23:49:42Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-e46f5283370e47fdb2c49334f8885d7f |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2223-7747 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-19T23:49:42Z |
| publishDate | 2019-09-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Plants |
| spelling | doaj.art-e46f5283370e47fdb2c49334f8885d7f2022-12-21T20:01:11ZengMDPI AGPlants2223-77472019-09-0181036910.3390/plants8100369plants8100369Superhost Plants Alter the Structure of Plant–Galling Insect Networks in Neotropical SavannasWalter Santos de Araújo0Leuzeny Teixeira Moreira1Luiz Alberto Dolabela Falcão2Magno Augusto Zazá Borges3Marcílio Fagundes4Maurício Lopes de Faria5Frederico Augusto Guimarães Guilherme6Departamento de Biologia Geral, Universidade Estadual de Montes Claros, Montes Claros, MG 39401-089, BrazilPrograma de Pós-Graduação em Biodiversidade e Uso dos Recursos Naturais, Universidade Estadual de Montes Claros, Montes Claros, MG 39401-089, BrazilDepartamento de Biologia Geral, Universidade Estadual de Montes Claros, Montes Claros, MG 39401-089, BrazilDepartamento de Biologia Geral, Universidade Estadual de Montes Claros, Montes Claros, MG 39401-089, BrazilDepartamento de Biologia Geral, Universidade Estadual de Montes Claros, Montes Claros, MG 39401-089, BrazilDepartamento de Biologia Geral, Universidade Estadual de Montes Claros, Montes Claros, MG 39401-089, BrazilInstituto de Biociências, Universidade Federal de Goiás, Regional Jataí, Jataí, GO 75804-020, BrazilHost plants may harbor a variable number of galling insect species, with some species being able to harbor a high diversity of these insects, being therefore called superhost plants. In the present study, we tested the hypothesis that the occurrence of superhost plant species of genus <i>Qualea</i> (Vochysiaceae) affects the structure of plant−galling insect ecological networks in Brazilian Cerrado. We sampled a total of 1882 plants grouped in 131 species and 43 families, of which 64 species and 31 families of host plants hosted 112 galling insect species. Our results showed that occurrence of superhosts of genus <i>Qualea</i> increased the linkage density of plant species, number of observed interactions, and the size of plant−galling insect networks and negatively affected the network connectance (but had no effect on the residual connectance). Although the occurrence of <i>Qualea</i> species did not affect the plant species richness, these superhosts increased the species richness and the number of interactions of galling insects. Our study represents a step forward in relation to previous studies that investigated the effects of plant diversity on the plant−insect networks, showing that few superhost plant species alter the structure of plant−herbivore networks, even without having a significant effect on plant diversity.https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/8/10/369ecological networksgalling insectshost specificityplant–insect interactions<i>Qualea</i> |
| spellingShingle | Walter Santos de Araújo Leuzeny Teixeira Moreira Luiz Alberto Dolabela Falcão Magno Augusto Zazá Borges Marcílio Fagundes Maurício Lopes de Faria Frederico Augusto Guimarães Guilherme Superhost Plants Alter the Structure of Plant–Galling Insect Networks in Neotropical Savannas Plants ecological networks galling insects host specificity plant–insect interactions <i>Qualea</i> |
| title | Superhost Plants Alter the Structure of Plant–Galling Insect Networks in Neotropical Savannas |
| title_full | Superhost Plants Alter the Structure of Plant–Galling Insect Networks in Neotropical Savannas |
| title_fullStr | Superhost Plants Alter the Structure of Plant–Galling Insect Networks in Neotropical Savannas |
| title_full_unstemmed | Superhost Plants Alter the Structure of Plant–Galling Insect Networks in Neotropical Savannas |
| title_short | Superhost Plants Alter the Structure of Plant–Galling Insect Networks in Neotropical Savannas |
| title_sort | superhost plants alter the structure of plant galling insect networks in neotropical savannas |
| topic | ecological networks galling insects host specificity plant–insect interactions <i>Qualea</i> |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/8/10/369 |
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