FOR 5281:  Multi-Trophic Interactions in a Forest Biodiversity Experiment in China

• Subject Area: Biology ; Agriculture, Forestry and Veterinary Medicine ; Geosciences
• Term: since 2022
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 452861007

Biodiversity-ecosystem functioning (BEF) research demonstrated the importance of biodiverse communities for promoting ecosystem functions such as biomass production, carbon sequestration, herbivory and predation. Likewise, plant diversity increases ecosystem stability but little is known on how tree diversity structures complex trophic interaction networks associated with plants. To understand how tree diversity is linked to biomass production, element cycling and species conservation, the DFG has initiated, with the Research Unit FOR 891, the largest forest biodiversity experiment worldwide located in subtropical China and thereby established the BEF-China research platform.Our proposed multi-disciplinary Research Unit MultiTroph will use the unique opportunity of the BEF-China Experiment to identify mechanisms underlying the relationships between biodiversity and ecosystem functions across multi-trophic levels. We aim to quantify species interactions of different trophic and functional groups of consumers with trees along an experimental tree diversity gradient to ultimately connect the different interaction types to large food webs. The studied interactions focus on functional redundancy and complementarity identified via specific interaction modules including key trophic levels. Our guiding principle is the expectation that quantitative trophic interaction networks will help to identify niche overlaps within interactions in generalised/redundant communities with overlapping niches in tree species-rich habitats. This will be compared to specialised/complementary communities with separated niches in species-poor habitats. Applicants are experts from different research fields including soil sciences, botany, ecological networks, animal ecology and nature conservation and we will intensify our long-standing collaborations in China. We aim to apply novel methods in collaboration with Chinese partners such as DNA barcoding/meta-barcoding or stable isotopes to identify realised food niches of various arthropods to better understand specific links of trophic interactions across multiple functional groups. Additionally, selected chemical elements and their stoichiometry between the soil, plants, herbivores and predators will be studied to understand how soil processes are interacting with tree diversity and how these plant-soil interactions structure trophic food webs. MultiTroph comprises two central projects (coordination, data management and synthesis) and six thematic subprojects with a focus on deadwood decomposition, herbivory (including pollen-collecting bees), seed predation, and predation by ants and wasps. Deadwood decomposition and element flows from soil to the plants to higher trophic levels are central parts to go beyond individual trophic links.We are convinced that our proposed Research Unit will critically extend existing forest biodiversity data to achieve a holistic understanding of multi-trophic food webs in forest ecosystems.

• DFG Programme: Research Units
• International Connection: Austria, China

Projects

• Coordination Funds (Applicant Klein, Alexandra-Maria )
• Linking cavity-nesting bee and wasp food webs to other trophic interactions (Applicants Fornoff, Felix ;  Klein, Alexandra-Maria ;  Sann, Manuela )
• Plant-herbivore-predator food webs, stoichiometry and functions (Applicant Schuldt, Andreas )
• Synergies and processing of data for an understanding of biodiversity and functioning across trophic levels and networks (Applicants Bruelheide, Helge ;  Schuldt, Andreas )
• Trophic-interaction, tree-diversity and soil-erosion effects on soil-plant stoichiometry (Applicants Oelmann, Yvonne ;  Scholten, Thomas ;  Seitz, Steffen )
• Trophic interactions across tree regeneration stages (Applicants Diekötter, Tim ;  Erfmeier, Alexandra )
• Trophic interactions and ecological functions of ants under changing tree diversity (Applicants Feldhaar, Heike ;  Staab, Michael )
• Wood decomposition and decomposer interactions (Applicants Feldhaar, Heike ;  Thorn, Simon )

• Spokesperson: Professorin Dr. Alexandra-Maria Klein