Abstract
Exotic crop production negatively affects native biodiversity and alters ecosystem functions and services. Cultivation of indigenous crops can mediate some biodiversity impacts, as these are often less intensively managed than exotic crops and they provide familiar niches for native organisms. Protea (Proteaceae), a floricultural crop with high economic value and ecological significance, is harvested within both natural and cultivated systems in South Africa. A multitude of organisms are intimately involved in Protea ecology, but many are also pests and pose significant phytosanitary risks. Here we evaluated the impact of Protea cultivation on the diversity of mites associated with inflorescences, infructescences, and the rhizosphere in the Greater Cape Floristic Region biodiversity hotspot of South Africa. Natural sites harboured higher mite diversity than cultivated sites, although this was only significant for those mites associated with the rhizosphere or when Protea crops were intensively managed. Mite community assemblage composition differed between different management types, localities, and niches. Management actions had little effect on mite assemblage composition in inflorescences and infructescences, likely due to continuous long-distance colonisation from natural areas via pollinators. In contrast, mite assemblages associated with the rhizosphere were highly impacted in all cultivated sites. These results indicate that indigenous crops can sustain substantial above-ground native mite biodiversity, but ecologically important soil assemblages may be severely impacted. Current field-based management strategies are not effective in controlling mite assemblages within Protea inflorescences, posing significant phytosanitary risks.
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Claims 6
Claim · model-written summary
Natural Protea sites had higher mite diversity than cultivated sites, significantly so in the rhizosphere or with intensive management.
- Interactor
- mitese0other
- Outcome
- mite diversitye0
- Direction
- highere0
- Qualifier
- only significant for those mites associated with the rhizosphere or when Protea crops were intensively managede0
- Comparator
- cultivated sitese0
- Setting
- Natural sitese0
ProteaOrganisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Natural sites harboured higher mite diversity than cultivated sites, although this was only significant for those mites associated with the rhizosphere or when Protea crops were intensively managed.”
Claim · model-written summary
Mite community composition differed among management types, localities and niches.
- Interactor
- Mitee0other
- Outcome
- Mite community assemblage compositione0
- Direction
- differede0
- Setting
- localitiese0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Mite community assemblage composition differed between different management types, localities, and niches.”
t0“Protea (Proteaceae), a floricultural crop”
Claim · model-written summary
Management actions had little effect on mite assemblages in Protea inflorescences and infructescences.
- Organ / stage
- inflorescences and infructescencese0
- Treatment
- Management actionse0
- Interactor
- mitee0other
- Outcome
- mite assemblage compositione0
Not reportedDirection
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Management actions had little effect on mite assemblage composition in inflorescences and infructescences, likely due to continuous long-distance colonisation from natural areas via pollinators.”
t0“Protea (Proteaceae), a floricultural crop”
Claim · model-written summary
Rhizosphere mite assemblages were highly affected at all cultivated Protea sites.
Not reportedDirection
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“mite assemblages associated with the rhizosphere were highly impacted in all cultivated sites.”
t0“Protea (Proteaceae), a floricultural crop”
Claim · model-written summary
Indigenous crops could sustain substantial above-ground native mite biodiversity, whereas soil assemblages may be severely affected.
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“indigenous crops can sustain substantial above-ground native mite biodiversity, but ecologically important soil assemblages may be severely impacted.”
t0“Protea (Proteaceae), a floricultural crop”
Claim · model-written summary
Current field management did not effectively control mites within Protea inflorescences.
- Organ / stage
- inflorescencese0
- Treatment
- field-based management strategiese0
- Interactor
- mitee0other
- Outcome
- mite assemblagese0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Current field-based management strategies are not effective in controlling mite assemblages within Protea inflorescences, posing significant phytosanitary risks.”