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What makes a good neighborhood? Interaction of spatial scale and fruit density in the predator satiation dynamics of a masting juniper tree

  • Plant-animal interactions - Original research
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Abstract

Spatio-temporal variability in fruit production (masting) has been regarded as a key mechanism to increase plant fitness by reducing seed predation. However, considerably more effort has been devoted into understanding the consequences of temporal rather than spatial variations in fruit crop for plant fitness. In order to simultaneously evaluate both components, we quantify fruit production and pre-dispersal damage by three arthropod species (mites, chalcid wasps and moths) in the Spanish juniper (Juniperus thurifera) during 3 years in a spatially explicit context. Our aims were to assess (1) the interaction between fruit production and pre-dispersal fruit damage by arthropods, (2) the potential interference or competition between arthropods, and (3) the form of the phenotypic selection exerted by arthropods on fruit traits considering the spatial context. Arthropods damaged a substantial fraction of fruits produced by Spanish juniper with levels of damage showing sharp inter-annual variations. Fruit damage by mites was negatively related to yearly fruit crop and positively correlated at individual trees fruiting in consecutive years. Increased interspecific interference was an additional consequence of reduced fruit availability during small crop years. During a masting year, fruit damage by less mobile species such as mites was negatively affected by tree crop size, and no spatial structure was observed for mite damage. The incidence of chalcid wasps was low, so the spatial pattern of seed predation was unclear, and no preferences for fruit or seed traits were detected. Conversely, moths selected larger fruits and their incidence on trees was spatially aggregated up to 20 m, with predation levels being negatively affected by fruit abundance at the patch level, suggesting a positive density-dependent effect of neighbors on fruit output. These results highlight the importance of including the spatial component to understand complex species interactions at local scales.

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Acknowledgments

We thank Cabrejas del Pinar Council for permission to work in its land and E. Rodríguez for his help in the laboratory. The study plot was set up in collaboration with V. Rozas and L. de Soto. We appreciate the comments made by two anonymous reviewers. This research was partially funded by Junta de Castilla y León (projects VA069A07 and VA006A10-2) and Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación of Spain (project CGL2009-13190-C03-03). The experiments conducted in this study comply with Spanish law.

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  1. Department of Ecology, Faculty of Sciences, Autonomous University of Madrid, Darwin 2, 28049, Madrid, Spain

    Eduardo T. Mezquida

  2. Departamento de Ciencias Agroforestales, EU de Ingenierías Agrarias, Universidad de Valladolid, Los Pajaritos s/n, 42004, Soria, Spain

    José Miguel Olano

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  1. Eduardo T. Mezquida
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Correspondence to Eduardo T. Mezquida.

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Communicated by John Lill.

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Mezquida, E.T., Olano, J.M. What makes a good neighborhood? Interaction of spatial scale and fruit density in the predator satiation dynamics of a masting juniper tree. Oecologia 173, 483–492 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00442-013-2631-x

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