Vertical canopy gradient shaping the stratification of leaf-chewer-parasitoid interactions in a temperate forest

Knowledge about herbivores and their parasitoids in forest canopies remains limited, despite their diversity and ecological importance. Thus, it is important to understand the factors that shape the herbivore–parasitoid community structure, particularly the effect of vertical gradient. We investigated a quantitative community dataset of exposed and semiconcealed leaf‐chewing larvae and their parasitoids along a vertical canopy gradient in a temperate forest. We sampled target insects using an elevated work platform in a 0.2 ha broadleaf deciduous forest plot in the Czech Republic. We analyzed the effect of vertical position among three canopy levels (first [lowest], second [middle], and third [highest]) and tree species on community descriptors (density, diversity, and parasitism rate) and food web structure. We also analyzed vertical patterns in density and parasitism rate between exposed and semiconcealed hosts, and the vertical preference of the most abundant parasitoid taxa in relat...

尽管森林冠层中的植食性昆虫（herbivore）及其寄生性天敌（parasitoid）物种多样且具有重要的生态功能，但目前学界对其相关认知仍较为匮乏。因此，厘清调控植食性昆虫-寄生性天敌群落结构的关键因素，尤其是垂直梯度的影响，具有重要的科学意义。本研究针对温带森林冠层的垂直梯度，采集了裸露型、半隐蔽型食叶幼虫及其寄生性天敌的定量群落数据集。本次研究在捷克共和国一处面积为0.2公顷的阔叶落叶林样地中，借助高空作业平台对目标昆虫进行了采样。我们分析了冠层三个垂直层次（第一层[最低层]、第二层[中层]、第三层[最高层]）的垂直位置以及树木种类对群落特征指标（密度、多样性和寄生率）以及食物网结构的影响。此外，我们还分析了裸露型与半隐蔽型寄主的密度和寄生率的垂直分布模式，以及优势寄生类群的垂直偏好性……