Title: BIRDS AS PREDATORS IN TROPICAL AGROFORESTRY SYSTEMS
Abstract: EcologyVolume 89, Issue 4 p. 928-934 Special Feature-Tropical Agroforests BIRDS AS PREDATORS IN TROPICAL AGROFORESTRY SYSTEMS Sunshine A. Van Bael, Corresponding Author Sunshine A. Van Bael [email protected] Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Unit 0948, APO, AA 34002 USA E-mail: [email protected] for more papers by this authorStacy M. Philpott, Stacy M. Philpott Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center, National Zoological Park, Washington, D.C. 20008 USA Present address: Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Toledo, Toledo, Ohio 43606 USA.Search for more papers by this authorRussell Greenberg, Russell Greenberg Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center, National Zoological Park, Washington, D.C. 20008 USASearch for more papers by this authorPeter Bichier, Peter Bichier Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center, National Zoological Park, Washington, D.C. 20008 USASearch for more papers by this authorNicholas A. Barber, Nicholas A. Barber Department of Biology, University of Missouri, One University Boulevard, St. Louis, Missouri 63121 USASearch for more papers by this authorKailen A. Mooney, Kailen A. Mooney Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Irvine, California 92697-2525 USASearch for more papers by this authorDaniel S. Gruner, Daniel S. Gruner Bodega Marine Lab, University of California–Davis, P.O. Box 247, 2099 Westside Road, Bodega Bay, California 94923-0247 USA Present address: Department of Entomology, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland 20742 USA.Search for more papers by this author Sunshine A. Van Bael, Corresponding Author Sunshine A. Van Bael [email protected] Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Unit 0948, APO, AA 34002 USA E-mail: [email protected] for more papers by this authorStacy M. Philpott, Stacy M. Philpott Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center, National Zoological Park, Washington, D.C. 20008 USA Present address: Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Toledo, Toledo, Ohio 43606 USA.Search for more papers by this authorRussell Greenberg, Russell Greenberg Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center, National Zoological Park, Washington, D.C. 20008 USASearch for more papers by this authorPeter Bichier, Peter Bichier Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center, National Zoological Park, Washington, D.C. 20008 USASearch for more papers by this authorNicholas A. Barber, Nicholas A. Barber Department of Biology, University of Missouri, One University Boulevard, St. Louis, Missouri 63121 USASearch for more papers by this authorKailen A. Mooney, Kailen A. Mooney Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Irvine, California 92697-2525 USASearch for more papers by this authorDaniel S. Gruner, Daniel S. Gruner Bodega Marine Lab, University of California–Davis, P.O. Box 247, 2099 Westside Road, Bodega Bay, California 94923-0247 USA Present address: Department of Entomology, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland 20742 USA.Search for more papers by this author First published: 01 April 2008 https://doi.org/10.1890/06-1976.1Citations: 171 Read the full textAboutPDF ToolsRequest permissionExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL Share a linkShare onFacebookTwitterLinked InRedditWechat Abstract Insectivorous birds reduce arthropod abundances and their damage to plants in some, but not all, studies where predation by birds has been assessed. The variation in bird effects may be due to characteristics such as plant productivity or quality, habitat complexity, and/or species diversity of predator and prey assemblages. Since agroforestry systems vary in such characteristics, these systems provide a good starting point for understanding when and where we can expect predation by birds to be important. We analyze data from bird exclosure studies in forests and agroforestry systems to ask whether birds consistently reduce their arthropod prey base and whether bird predation differs between forests and agroforestry systems. Further, we focus on agroforestry systems to ask whether the magnitude of bird predation (1) differs between canopy trees and understory plants, (2) differs when migratory birds are present or absent, and (3) correlates with bird abundance and diversity. We found that, across all studies, birds reduce all arthropods, herbivores, carnivores, and plant damage. We observed no difference in the magnitude of bird effects between agroforestry systems and forests despite simplified habitat structure and plant diversity in agroforests. Within agroforestry systems, bird reduction of arthropods was greater in the canopy than the crop layer. Top-down effects of bird predation were especially strong during censuses when migratory birds were present in agroforestry systems. Importantly, the diversity of the predator assemblage correlated with the magnitude of predator effects; where the diversity of birds, especially migratory birds, was greater, birds reduced arthropod densities to a greater extent. We outline potential mechanisms for relationships between bird predator, insect prey, and habitat characteristics, and we suggest future studies using tropical agroforests as a model system to further test these areas of ecological theory. Citing Literature Supporting Information Filename Description https://dx.doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.c.3300263 Research data pertaining to this article is located at figshare.com: Please note: The publisher is not responsible for the content or functionality of any supporting information supplied by the authors. Any queries (other than missing content) should be directed to the corresponding author for the article. Volume89, Issue4April 2008Pages 928-934 RelatedInformation