Mechanisms Driving Galling Success in a Fragmented Landscape: Synergy of Habitat and Top-Down Factors along Temperate Forest Edges

• Published in: PloS one Vol. 11; no. 6; p. e0157448
• Main Authors: Kelch, Nina-S., Neves, Frederico S., Fernandes, G. Wilson, Wirth, Rainer
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Public Library of Science 01.06.2016; Public Library of Science (PLoS)
• Subjects: Abundance; Animal Distribution - physiology; Animals; Anthropogenic factors; Beech; Biodiversity; Biological control; Biology and Life Sciences; Biota; Cecidomyiidae; Chironomidae - physiology; Climate change; Deciduous forests; Diptera; Ecology and Environmental Sciences; Ecosystem; Empirical analysis; Environmental changes; Environmental conditions; Fagus - parasitology; Fagus sylvatica; Food Chain; Forest ecosystems; Forests; Fragmentation; Gall; Galling; Habitat fragmentation; Habitats; Herbivores; Human influences; Insects; Microclimate; Modulators; Nutrition; Parasitism; Parasitoids; People and Places; Pest status; Plant ecology; Plant Tumors - parasitology; Population Density; Precipitation; Studies; Temperate forests; Transformation; Trophic relationships; Brazil; Germany

Edge effects play key roles in the anthropogenic transformation of forested ecosystems and their biota, and are therefore a prime field of contemporary fragmentation research. We present the first empirical study to address edge effects on the population level of a widespread galling herbivore in a...