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Cross‐kingdom interactions matter: fungal‐mediated interactions structure an insect community on oak
Author(s) -
Tack Ayco J. M.,
Gripenberg Sofia,
Roslin Tomas
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
ecology letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 6.852
H-Index - 265
eISSN - 1461-0248
pISSN - 1461-023X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1461-0248.2011.01724.x
Subject(s) - biology , powdery mildew , ecology , herbivore , context (archaeology) , insect , community , quercus robur , range (aeronautics) , host (biology) , botany , habitat , paleontology , materials science , composite material
Ecology Letters (2012) Abstract Although phytophagous insects and plant pathogens frequently share the same host plant, interactions among such phylogenetically distant taxa have received limited attention. Here, we place pathogens and insects in the context of a multitrophic‐level community. Focusing on the invasive powdery mildew Erysiphe alphitoides and the insect community on oak ( Quercus robur ), we demonstrate that mildew–insect interactions may be mediated by both the host plant and by natural enemies, and that the trait‐specific outcome of individual interactions can range from negative to positive. Moreover, mildew affects resource selection by insects, thereby modifying the distribution of a specialist herbivore at two spatial scales (within and among trees). Finally, a long‐term survey suggests that species‐specific responses to mildew scale up to generate landscape‐level variation in the insect community structure. Overall, our results show that frequently overlooked cross‐kingdom interactions may play a major role in structuring terrestrial plant‐based communities.