Document: TOM-3-52-50

Plant ontogeny affects community structure and biodiversity.

WHITHAM, T.G.* 1, B.M.POTTS 2, R.LAWRENCE 2, M.L.KEARSLEY 1, A.MARTIN WALTZ 1 and P.R.MINCHIN 3

Northern Arizona Univ., Flagstaff, AZ 86011 USA 1
Univ. of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania 7001 Australia 2
Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70803 USA 3

Abstract:
Studies of Populus and Eucalyptus in the wild and synthetic populations in common gardens show that the distributions of diverse arthropod and fungal taxa, species richness, and abundance have a strong ontogenetic component (a shift in gene expression with plant age). Using NMDS (non-metric multidimensional scaling) we found that genetic variation in phase shifting from juvenile to mature foliage types affected most arthropods and fungi. Genetic variation in plants affects community structure directly through changing host quality or indirectly through keystone species. The underlying genetic variation in the plant population has important community-level consequences that rival the importance of competition, predation, and edaphic factors in structuring communities.

Keywords: plant ontogeny, arthropod community structure, biodiversity

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This abstract is being presented at: 9:30 AM in session:
Oral Session #26: Invertebrate Herbivore - Plant Interactions.