Abstract
Summary 1. Canopy invertebrate responses to Hurricane Hugo, tree species, and recovery time were examined at the Luquillo Experimental Forest in Puerto Rico during 1991–92 and 1994–95. Six tree species representing early and late successional stages were examined in paired plots representing severe hurricane disturbance (most trees toppled) and light hurricane disturbance (all trees standing and most branches intact). 2. Hurricane disturbance affected invertebrate abundances significantly. Sap‐suckers and molluscs were more abundant, and defoliators, detritivores, and emergent aquatic insects were less abundant in recovering tree‐fall gaps than in intact forest during this 5‐year period. These changes in functional organisation are consistent with comparable studies of arthropod responses to canopy removal during harvest in temperate forests. 3. Tree species also affected invertebrate abundances significantly, but invertebrate communities did not differ significantly between the three early successional and three later successional tree species. 4. Most taxa showed significant annual variation in abundances, but only two Homoptera species showed a significant linear decline in abundance through time, perhaps reflecting long‐term trends during recovery. 5. Leaf area missing, an indicator of herbivore effect on canopy processes, showed significant seasonal and annual trends, as well as differences among tree species and hurricane treatments. Generally, leaf area missing peaked during the wet season each year, but reached its highest levels during an extended drought in 1994. Leaf area missing also tended to be higher on the more abundant tree species in each disturbance treatment. 6. Herbivore abundances and leaf area missing were not related to concentrations of nitrogen, phosphorous, potassium, or calcium in the foliage. 7. This study demonstrated that invertebrate community structure and herbivory are dynamic processes that reflect the influences of host species and variable environmental conditions.
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Claims 13
Claim · model-written summary
Hurricane disturbance significantly affected canopy invertebrate abundance.
Not reportedDirection
Verbatim
e0“Hurricane disturbance affected invertebrate abundances significantly”
e1“Six tree species”
Claim · model-written summary
Sap-suckers and molluscs were more abundant in tree-fall gaps than intact forest.
Verbatim
e0“Sap‐suckers and molluscs were more abundant, and defoliators, detritivores, and emergent aquatic insects were less abundant in recovering tree‐fall gaps than in intact forest”
e1“Six tree species”
Claim · model-written summary
Defoliators, detritivores and emergent aquatic insects were less abundant in tree-fall gaps than intact forest.
Verbatim
e0“Sap‐suckers and molluscs were more abundant, and defoliators, detritivores, and emergent aquatic insects were less abundant in recovering tree‐fall gaps than in intact forest”
e1“Six tree species”
Claim · model-written summary
Tree species significantly affected invertebrate abundance.
Not reportedDirection
Verbatim
e0“Tree species also affected invertebrate abundances significantly”
e1“Six tree species”
Claim · model-written summary
Invertebrate communities did not differ significantly between early and late successional trees.
Verbatim
e0“invertebrate communities did not differ significantly between the three early successional and three later successional tree species”
e1“Six tree species”
Claim · model-written summary
Most invertebrate taxa had significant annual abundance variation.
Not reportedDirection
Verbatim
e0“Most taxa showed significant annual variation in abundances”
e1“Six tree species”
Claim · model-written summary
Two Homoptera species declined linearly through recovery time.
Verbatim
e0“only two Homoptera species showed a significant linear decline in abundance through time”
e1“Six tree species”
Claim · model-written summary
Leaf area missing varied significantly by season and year.
Not reportedDirection
Verbatim
e0“Leaf area missing, an indicator of herbivore effect on canopy processes, showed significant seasonal and annual trends”
e1“Six tree species”
Claim · model-written summary
Leaf area missing differed by tree species and hurricane treatment.
Not reportedDirection
Verbatim
e0“Leaf area missing, an indicator of herbivore effect on canopy processes, showed significant seasonal and annual trends, as well as differences among tree species and hurricane treatments”
e1“Six tree species”
Claim · model-written summary
Leaf area missing generally peaked in the wet season.
Verbatim
e0“leaf area missing peaked during the wet season each year”
e1“Six tree species”
Claim · model-written summary
Leaf area missing was highest during the 1994 drought.
Verbatim
e0“reached its highest levels during an extended drought in 1994”
e1“Leaf area missing also tended to be higher”
e2“Six tree species”
Claim · model-written summary
Leaf area missing tended to be higher on more abundant tree species.
Verbatim
e0“Leaf area missing also tended to be higher on the more abundant tree species in each disturbance treatment”
e1“Six tree species”
Claim · model-written summary
Herbivore abundance and leaf area missing were unrelated to foliar nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium or calcium.
Not reportedDirection
Verbatim
e0“Herbivore abundances and leaf area missing were not related to concentrations of nitrogen, phosphorous, potassium, or calcium in the foliage”
e1“Six tree species”