Strengthened insectivory in a temperate fragmented forest.
Habitat fragmentation modifies ecological patterns and processes through changes in species richness and abundance. In the coastal Maulino forest, central Chile, both species richness and abundance of insectivorous birds increases in forest fragments compared to continuous forest. Through a field experiment, we examined larvae predation in fragmented forests. Higher richness and abundance of birds foraging at forest fragments translated into more insect larvae preyed upon in forest fragments than in continuous forest. The assessed level of insectivory in forest fragments agrees with lower herbivory levels in forest fragments. This pattern strongly suggests the strengthening of food interactions web in forest fragments of coastal Maulino forest.
González-Gómez
Paulina L
PL
Departamento de Ciencias Ecológicas, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Chile, Casilla 653, Santiago, Chile. pauligonzalez@yahoo.com
Estades
Cristián F
CF
Simonetti
Javier A
JA
D000818:Animals; D001717:Birds / Q000502:physiology; D002980:Climate; D003247:Conservation of Natural Resources; D005247:Feeding Behavior / Q000502:physiology*; D020387:Food Chain; D007313:Insecta / Q000502:physiology*; D007814:Larva; D012377:Rodentia / Q000502:physiology; D014197:Trees / Q000502:physiology*