Functional diversity positively affects prey suppression by invertebrate predators: a meta-analysis

Greenop, Arran; Woodcock, Ben A. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0300-9951; Wilby, Andy; Cook, Samantha M.; Pywell, Richard F. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6431-9959. 2018 Functional diversity positively affects prey suppression by invertebrate predators: a meta-analysis. Ecology, 99 (8). 1771-1782. https://doi.org/10.1002/ecy.2378

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Official URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/ecy.2378

Abstract/Summary

The use of pesticides within agricultural ecosystems has led to wide concern regarding negative effects on the environment. One possible alternative is the use of predators of pest species that naturally occur within agricultural ecosystems. However, the mechanistic basis for how species can be manipulated in order to maximise pest control remains unclear. We carried out a meta‐analysis of 51 studies that manipulated predator species richness in reference to suppression of herbivore prey to determine which components of predator diversity affect pest control. Overall, functional diversity (FD) based on predator's habitat domain, diet breadth and hunting strategy was ranked as the most important variable. Our analysis showed that increases in FD in polycultures led to greater prey suppression compared to both the mean of the component predator species, and the most effective predator species, in monocultures. Further analysis of individual traits indicated these effects are likely to be driven by broad niche differentiation and greater resource exploitation in functionally diverse predator communities. A decoupled measure of phylogenetic diversity, whereby the overlap in variation with FD was removed, was not found to be an important driver of prey suppression. Our results suggest that increasing FD in predatory invertebrates will help maximise pest control ecosystem services in agricultural ecosystems, with the potential to increase suppression above that of the most effective predator species.

Item Type:	Publication - Article
Digital Object Identifier (DOI):	https://doi.org/10.1002/ecy.2378
UKCEH and CEH Sections/Science Areas:	Biodiversity (Science Area 2017-)
ISSN:	0012-9658
Additional Information. Not used in RCUK Gateway to Research.:	Open Access paper - full text available via Official URL link.
Additional Keywords:	functional diversity, phylogenetic diversity, predator‐prey interactions, traits, conservation biological control, natural enemies, biodiversity and ecosystem functioning, agricultural ecosystems, ecosystem services, species richness
NORA Subject Terms:	Ecology and Environment Agriculture and Soil Science
Date made live:	11 Jun 2018 10:45 +0 (UTC)
URI:	https://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/520245

Item Type:

Publication - Article

Digital Object Identifier (DOI):

https://doi.org/10.1002/ecy.2378

UKCEH and CEH Sections/Science Areas:

Biodiversity (Science Area 2017-)

ISSN:

0012-9658

Additional Information. Not used in RCUK Gateway to Research.:

Open Access paper - full text available via Official URL link.

Additional Keywords:

functional diversity, phylogenetic diversity, predator‐prey interactions, traits, conservation biological control, natural enemies, biodiversity and ecosystem functioning, agricultural ecosystems, ecosystem services, species richness

NORA Subject Terms:

Ecology and Environment
Agriculture and Soil Science

Date made live:

11 Jun 2018 10:45 +0 (UTC)

URI:

https://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/520245