TY - JOUR
T1 - Herbivory makes major contributions to ecosystem carbon and nutrient cycling in tropical forests
AU - Metcalfe, Daniel B.
AU - Asner, Gregory P.
AU - Martin, Roberta E.
AU - Silva Espejo, Javier E.
AU - Huasco, Walter Huaraca
AU - Farfán Amézquita, Felix F.
AU - Carranza-Jimenez, Loreli
AU - Galiano Cabrera, Darcy F.
AU - Baca, Liliana Durand
AU - Sinca, Felipe
AU - Huaraca Quispe, Lidia P.
AU - Taype, Ivonne Alzamora
AU - Mora, Luzmila Eguiluz
AU - Dávila, Angela Rozas
AU - Solórzano, Marlene Mamani
AU - Puma Vilca, Beisit L.
AU - Laupa Román, Judith M.
AU - Guerra Bustios, Patricia C.
AU - Revilla, Norma Salinas
AU - Tupayachi, Raul
AU - Girardin, Cécile A.J.
AU - Doughty, Christopher E.
AU - Malhi, Yadvinder
PY - 2014/3
Y1 - 2014/3
N2 - The functional role of herbivores in tropical rainforests remains poorly understood. We quantified the magnitude of, and underlying controls on, carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus cycled by invertebrate herbivory along a 2800 m elevational gradient in the tropical Andes spanning 12°C mean annual temperature. We find, firstly, that leaf area loss is greater at warmer sites with lower foliar phosphorus, and secondly, that the estimated herbivore-mediated flux of foliar nitrogen and phosphorus from plants to soil via leaf area loss is similar to, or greater than, other major sources of these nutrients in tropical forests. Finally, we estimate that herbivores consume a significant portion of plant carbon, potentially causing major shifts in the pattern of plant and soil carbon cycling. We conclude that future shifts in herbivore abundance and activity as a result of environmental change could have major impacts on soil fertility and ecosystem carbon sequestration in tropical forests.
AB - The functional role of herbivores in tropical rainforests remains poorly understood. We quantified the magnitude of, and underlying controls on, carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus cycled by invertebrate herbivory along a 2800 m elevational gradient in the tropical Andes spanning 12°C mean annual temperature. We find, firstly, that leaf area loss is greater at warmer sites with lower foliar phosphorus, and secondly, that the estimated herbivore-mediated flux of foliar nitrogen and phosphorus from plants to soil via leaf area loss is similar to, or greater than, other major sources of these nutrients in tropical forests. Finally, we estimate that herbivores consume a significant portion of plant carbon, potentially causing major shifts in the pattern of plant and soil carbon cycling. We conclude that future shifts in herbivore abundance and activity as a result of environmental change could have major impacts on soil fertility and ecosystem carbon sequestration in tropical forests.
KW - Climate change
KW - Ecosystem biogeochemistry
KW - Montane rainforest
KW - Net primary productivity
KW - Nitrogen cycle
KW - Plant-soil feedbacks
KW - Soil phosphorus
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U2 - 10.1111/ele.12233
DO - 10.1111/ele.12233
M3 - Article
C2 - 24372865
AN - SCOPUS:84892632855
SN - 1461-023X
VL - 17
SP - 324
EP - 332
JO - Ecology letters
JF - Ecology letters
IS - 3
ER -