MultiTroph SP5

MultiTroph Trophic interactions across tree regeneration stages

SP5 addresses key questions at the bridge of functional biodiversity, population and community ecology research in forests by combining information from observational and experimental approaches. Objectives are related to mechanisms of woody recruitment of early reproducing tree species in BEF-China. Referring to findings from the BEF-China project that indicated strong multitrophic regulatory influence on tree seedling establishment already in the early stage of the experiment, we intend to widen the perspectives to two directions. While, first, we aim to increase the number of multitrophic interactions studied against the background of JC effects across multiple stages of the tree regeneration life cycle, we, secondly, do so along the gradient of tree diversity. Our main objectives are to quantify the contribution of tree diversity on (i) the reproductive cycle stages of trees that are particularly affected by invertebrate interactions, (ii) pre- and post-dispersal seed predation and (iii) germination and seedling herbivory as trophic interactions that affect these reproductive cycle stages as well as (iv) the contribution of generalist and specialists to these trophic interactions.

2024-02-29

2024-02-29