In:
PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science (PLoS), Vol. 18, No. 3 ( 2023-3-14), p. e0283128-
Abstract:
Climate change will significantly impact the world’s ecosystems, in part by altering species interactions and ecological processes, such as herbivory and plant community dynamics, which may impact forage quality and ecosystem production. Yet relatively few field experimental manipulations assessing all of these parameters have been performed to date. To help fill this knowledge gap, we evaluated the effects of increased temperature (+3°C day and night, year-round) and precipitation (+30% of mean annual rainfall) on slug herbivory and abundance and plant community dynamics biweekly in a pasture located in central Kentucky, U.S.A. Warming increased slug abundance once during the winter, likely due to improving conditions for foraging, whereas warming reduced slug abundance at times in late spring, mid-summer, and early fall (from 62–95% reduction depending on month). We found that warming and increased precipitation did not significantly modify slug herbivory at our site, despite altering slug abundance and affecting plant community composition and forage quality. Climate change will alter seasonal patterns of slug abundance through both direct effects on slug biology and indirect effects mediated by changes in the plant community, suggesting that pasture management practices may have to adapt.
Type of Medium:
Online Resource
ISSN:
1932-6203
DOI:
10.1371/journal.pone.0283128
DOI:
10.1371/journal.pone.0283128.g001
DOI:
10.1371/journal.pone.0283128.g002
DOI:
10.1371/journal.pone.0283128.g003
DOI:
10.1371/journal.pone.0283128.g004
DOI:
10.1371/journal.pone.0283128.g005
DOI:
10.1371/journal.pone.0283128.g006
DOI:
10.1371/journal.pone.0283128.t001
DOI:
10.1371/journal.pone.0283128.t002
DOI:
10.1371/journal.pone.0283128.t003
DOI:
10.1371/journal.pone.0283128.t004
DOI:
10.1371/journal.pone.0283128.s001
DOI:
10.1371/journal.pone.0283128.s002
DOI:
10.1371/journal.pone.0283128.s003
DOI:
10.1371/journal.pone.0283128.s004
Language:
English
Publisher:
Public Library of Science (PLoS)
Publication Date:
2023
detail.hit.zdb_id:
2267670-3
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