Open AccessSpecies identity influences belowground arthropod assemblages via functional traits
Author(s) -
Courtney E. Gorman,
Quentin D. Read,
Michael E. Van Nuland,
Jessica A. Bryant,
Jessica Nicole Welch,
Joseph T. Altobelli,
Morgan Douglas,
Mark A. Genung,
Elliot N. Haag,
Devin N. Jones,
Hannah Long,
Adam D. Wilburn,
Jennifer A. Schweitzer,
Joseph K. Bailey
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
aob plants
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.998
H-Index - 39
ISSN - 2041-2851
DOI - 10.1093/aobpla/plt049
Subject(s) - biology , arthropod , ecology , community , life history theory , plant community , community structure , ecosystem , life history , species richness
Plants link above- and belowground subsystems, and our results suggest that their phylogenetic relationships leave a “fingerprint” on belowground communities. We found that after correcting for evolutionary history, tree species identity influenced belowground arthropod communities through plant functional traits. These data suggest that plant species structure may be an important predictor in shaping associated soil arthropod communities and further suggest the importance of better understanding the extended consequences of evolutionary history on ecological processes, as similarity in traits may not always reflect similar ecology.
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