Bats limit arthropods and herbivory in a tropical forest.
Previous exclosure studies measuring the top-down control of arthropod abundance and herbivory combined the effects of birds and bats. We experimentally partitioned bird predation from bat predation in a lowland tropical forest in Panama and measured the direct effects (arthropod abundance) and indirect effects (herbivory). The exclusion of birds and bats each directly increased arthropod abundance on plants: Bird-exclosed plants contained 65% more, and bat-exclosed plants 153% more, arthropods than controls. Birds and bats also indirectly increased herbivory: Bird-exclosed plants suffered 67% more, and bat-exclosed plants 209% more, herbivory than controls. We conclude that bats have dramatic ecological effects that were previously overlooked.
Kalka
Margareta B
MB
Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Apdo. 0843-03092, Balboa, Ancon, Panama. mbkalka@gmail.com
Smith
Adam R
AR
Kalko
Elisabeth K V
EK
D000818:Animals; D001181:Arthropods; D001717:Birds; D002685:Chiroptera; D017753:Ecosystem; D010176:Panama; D018515:Plant Leaves; D011235:Predatory Behavior; D011897:Random Allocation; D014197:Trees; D014329:Tropical Climate