Associational resistance to both insect and pathogen damage in mixed forests is modulated by tree neighbour identity and drought

Field, Elsa; Castagneyrol, Bastien; Gibbs, Melanie ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4091-9789; Jactel, Hervé; Barsoum, Nadia; Schonrogge, Karsten ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0122-6493; Hector, Andrew. 2020 Associational resistance to both insect and pathogen damage in mixed forests is modulated by tree neighbour identity and drought. Journal of Ecology, 108 (4). 1511-1522. 10.1111/1365-2745.13397

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Official URL: https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2745.13397

Abstract/Summary

1. Tree health declines can be caused by interactions between pests and pathogens and many studies have shown a reduction in their damage in mixed species forests compared to monocultures. Yet few authors have considered tree diversity effects on both groups simultaneously. Moreover, it is unclear whether diversity effects on tree pests and pathogens are robust to changes in abiotic conditions, such as drought. 2. We addressed tree diversity effects on foliar insect herbivory, oak powdery mildew and their interaction under contrasting water regimes in a large-scale tree diversity experiment in SW France. Using an irrigation treatment that alleviated drought conditions, we were able to experimentally assess the effects of tree diversity under contrasting abiotic environments. We surveyed plots along a richness gradient from one to four tree species, in which a focal study species of oak (Quercus robur) was mixed with other oak species (Q. pyrenaica and Q. ilex) and a taller, broadleaved species (Betula pendula). 3. Increasing tree species richness lowered leaf miner abundance, leaf chewer damage and oak powdery mildew infection, consistent with a protective effect of resource dilution. However, richness effects on leaf miners were stronger in irrigated compared to non-irrigated blocks, indicating that environmental conditions can modulate diversity effects. Separate from the effect of tree species richness, the presence of birch in a plot increased damage by leaf chewers and powdery mildew, but lowered leaf miner damage, suggesting additional tree neighbour identity effects potentially linked to modulation of microclimate. We found a negative association between leaf miner abundance and oak powdery mildew, consistent with antagonism between oak damage agents. 4. Synthesis . Overall, our study illustrates the importance of considering both tree diversity and composition (neighbour identity) in designing forests more resistant to pest and pathogen damage.

Item Type:	Publication - Article
Digital Object Identifier (DOI):	10.1111/1365-2745.13397
UKCEH and CEH Sections/Science Areas:	Biodiversity (Science Area 2017-)
ISSN:	0022-0477
Additional Information. Not used in RCUK Gateway to Research.:	Open Access paper - full text available via Official URL link.
Additional Keywords:	Erysiphe alphitoides, irrigation, mixed forest, multi‐trophic interactions, oak powdery mildew, plant apparency, plant vigour, Quercus robur
NORA Subject Terms:	Ecology and Environment Biology and Microbiology
Date made live:	14 Apr 2020 18:50 +0 (UTC)
URI:	https://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/527465

Item Type:

Publication - Article

Digital Object Identifier (DOI):

10.1111/1365-2745.13397

UKCEH and CEH Sections/Science Areas:

Biodiversity (Science Area 2017-)

ISSN:

0022-0477

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

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

Additional Keywords:

Erysiphe alphitoides, irrigation, mixed forest, multi‐trophic interactions, oak powdery mildew, plant apparency, plant vigour, Quercus robur