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Vertical stratification of moth communities in a deciduous forest in Belgium
Author(s) -
De Smedt Pallieter,
Vangansbeke Pieter,
Bracke Rani,
Schauwvliege Warre,
Willems Luc,
Mertens Jan,
Verheyen Kris
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
insect conservation and diversity
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.061
H-Index - 39
eISSN - 1752-4598
pISSN - 1752-458X
DOI - 10.1111/icad.12320
Subject(s) - ecology , temperate deciduous forest , stratification (seeds) , biology , temperate forest , deciduous , ecological niche , ecosystem , abundance (ecology) , herbivore , geography , habitat , botany , seed dormancy , germination , dormancy
Moths are a diverse and abundant species group, playing important functional roles in many terrestrial ecosystems, as pollinators, herbivores and as bulk food for many other taxa. Forests are complex ecosystems and beside horizontal variation, they exhibit a very diverse vertical structure, creating a matrix of micro‐niches along the vertical gradient. One could expect that this results in varying moth community assemblages, but the vertical distribution and underlying mechanisms have hardly been investigated in temperate forest ecosystems. We sampled macro‐moths on a weekly basis for 14 months on a tower in an ancient deciduous forest in Belgium. Alternatingly light and bait traps were used at ground level and at 7, 14, 21, 28 and 35 m height in the forest. We analysed total moth abundance along the vertical gradient and distribution patterns of individual species and families, using generalised linear mixed‐effects models. We demonstrated a strong vertical stratification, resulting in distinct moth communities in different strata. The observed patterns were non‐random but related to specific response traits of the species. Notably, we found large differences between families; whereas Geometridae‐moths were much more abundant at ground level, Noctuidae showed a preference for both the ground level and the canopy layer. Comparing species‐specific patterns within families revealed strong differences between species. We welcome future research to further document vertical stratification patterns and unravel the different underlying mechanisms.