Periodical cicadas as resource pulses in North American forests.
Resource pulses are occasional events of ephemeral resource superabundance that occur in many ecosystems. Aboveground consumers in diverse communities often respond strongly to resource pulses, but few studies have investigated the belowground consequences of resource pulses in natural ecosystems. This study shows that resource pulses of 17-year periodical cicadas (Magicicada spp.) directly increase microbial biomass and nitrogen availability in forest soils, with indirect effects on growth and reproduction in forest plants. These findings suggest that pulses of periodical cicadas create "bottom-up cascades," resulting in strong and reciprocal links between the aboveground and belowground components of a North American forest ecosystem.
Yang
Louie H
LH
Center for Population Biology, Section of Evolution and Ecology, University of California, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616, USA. lhyang@ucdavis.edu
D000818:Animals; D001419:Bacteria / Q000254:growth & development; D018533:Biomass; D029422:Campanulaceae / Q000737:chemistry / Q000254:growth & development*; D017753:Ecosystem; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000032:analysis; D005658:Fungi / Q000254:growth & development; D006430:Hemiptera / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology*; D008018:Life Cycle Stages; D009566:Nitrates / Q000032:analysis; D009587:Nitrogen Isotopes / Q000032:analysis; D000644:Quaternary Ammonium Compounds / Q000032:analysis; D012639:Seeds / Q000254:growth & development; D012987:Soil / Q000032:analysis; D012988:Soil Microbiology; D013997:Time Factors; D014197:Trees / Q000254:growth & development; D014481:United States
D005227:Fatty Acids; D009566:Nitrates; D009587:Nitrogen Isotopes; D000644:Quaternary Ammonium Compounds; D012987:Soil