Climate-Driven Vegetation Characteristics Shape Phytophagous and Carnivorous Insect Diversity in South African Savannahs

Kód výsledku v IS VaVaI

<a href="https://www.isvavai.cz/riv?ss=detail&h=RIV%2F60077344%3A_____%2F25%3A00604348" target="_blank" >RIV/60077344:_____/25:00604348 - isvavai.cz</a>

Nalezeny alternativní kódy

RIV/67985939:_____/25:00604348 RIV/00216208:11310/25:10511722 RIV/00216208:11620/25:10511722

Výsledek na webu

<a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/jbi.15076" target="_blank" >https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/jbi.15076</a>

DOI - Digital Object Identifier

<a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/jbi.15076" target="_blank" >10.1111/jbi.15076</a>

Jazyk výsledku

angličtina

Název v původním jazyce

Climate-Driven Vegetation Characteristics Shape Phytophagous and Carnivorous Insect Diversity in South African Savannahs

Popis výsledku v původním jazyce

Aim: Despite the evidenced importance of insects in savannah ecosystems, the drivers of their diversity patterns remain poorly understood, particularly in the Afrotropical region. This study addresses part of this gap by investigating the effects of climate, habitat, disturbance and vegetation variables on species richness and community composition of phytophagous and predatory insects in South African savannahs. Location: Kruger National Park (KNP), South Africa.Taxon: Phytophagous insects (moths) and carnivorous insects (mantises).Methods: Moths and mantises were light-trapped in 60 plots distributed across KNP during two seasons. Direct and indirect effects of environmental variables on insect species richness were analysed using structural equation models, and on community composition through distance-based redundancy analyses (db-RDA).Results: Based on an extensive dataset of 65,593 moth individuals representing 817 species and 3511 mantis individuals representing 38 species, we identified plant communities as the primary driver of species richness and community structure for both insect groups. The effects of vegetation on insect communities were indirectly shaped by climate, particularly mean temperature (negatively correlated with precipitation), through its effects on plant species richness. Additionally, a complex interplay among bedrock type, water availability and disturbance from large herbivores further shaped insect diversity.Main Conclusions: Our findings highlight the critical role of plant species richness in determining insect diversity patterns in savannah ecosystems. We also confirmed the region's vulnerability to climate change, as decreasing precipitation and increasing temperatures alter vegetation composition and biomass, consequently affecting insect communities. Effective conservation strategies should focus on managing large herbivores to maintain diverse vegetation, which is crucial for supporting insect diversity. Priority should be given to balancing water availability and disturbance intensity, particularly in preserving the health of rivers and their surroundings, to mitigate the adverse effects of climate change on these ecosystems.

Název v anglickém jazyce

Climate-Driven Vegetation Characteristics Shape Phytophagous and Carnivorous Insect Diversity in South African Savannahs

Popis výsledku anglicky

Aim: Despite the evidenced importance of insects in savannah ecosystems, the drivers of their diversity patterns remain poorly understood, particularly in the Afrotropical region. This study addresses part of this gap by investigating the effects of climate, habitat, disturbance and vegetation variables on species richness and community composition of phytophagous and predatory insects in South African savannahs. Location: Kruger National Park (KNP), South Africa.Taxon: Phytophagous insects (moths) and carnivorous insects (mantises).Methods: Moths and mantises were light-trapped in 60 plots distributed across KNP during two seasons. Direct and indirect effects of environmental variables on insect species richness were analysed using structural equation models, and on community composition through distance-based redundancy analyses (db-RDA).Results: Based on an extensive dataset of 65,593 moth individuals representing 817 species and 3511 mantis individuals representing 38 species, we identified plant communities as the primary driver of species richness and community structure for both insect groups. The effects of vegetation on insect communities were indirectly shaped by climate, particularly mean temperature (negatively correlated with precipitation), through its effects on plant species richness. Additionally, a complex interplay among bedrock type, water availability and disturbance from large herbivores further shaped insect diversity.Main Conclusions: Our findings highlight the critical role of plant species richness in determining insect diversity patterns in savannah ecosystems. We also confirmed the region's vulnerability to climate change, as decreasing precipitation and increasing temperatures alter vegetation composition and biomass, consequently affecting insect communities. Effective conservation strategies should focus on managing large herbivores to maintain diverse vegetation, which is crucial for supporting insect diversity. Priority should be given to balancing water availability and disturbance intensity, particularly in preserving the health of rivers and their surroundings, to mitigate the adverse effects of climate change on these ecosystems.

Druh

J_imp - Článek v periodiku v databázi Web of Science

CEP obor

—

OECD FORD obor

10619 - Biodiversity conservation

Projekt

Výsledek vznikl pri realizaci vícero projektů. Více informací v záložce Projekty.

Návaznosti

I - Institucionalni podpora na dlouhodoby koncepcni rozvoj vyzkumne organizace

Rok uplatnění

2025

Kód důvěrnosti údajů

S - Úplné a pravdivé údaje o projektu nepodléhají ochraně podle zvláštních právních předpisů

Název periodika

Journal of Biogeography

ISSN

0305-0270

e-ISSN

1365-2699

Svazek periodika

52

Číslo periodika v rámci svazku

4

Stát vydavatele periodika

US - Spojené státy americké

Počet stran výsledku

12

Strana od-do

e15076

Kód UT WoS článku

001388352000001

EID výsledku v databázi Scopus

2-s2.0-86000436834