Logging cuts the functional importance of invertebrates in tropical rainforest

Robert M. Ewers (), Michael J. W. Boyle, Rosalind A. Gleave, Nichola S. Plowman, Suzan Benedick, Henry Bernard, Tom R. Bishop, Effendi Y. Bakhtiar, Vun Khen Chey, Arthur Y. C. Chung, Richard G. Davies, David P. Edwards, Paul Eggleton, Tom M. Fayle, Stephen R. Hardwick, Rahman Homathevi, Roger L. Kitching, Min Sheng Khoo, Sarah H. Luke, Joshua J. March, Reuben Nilus, Marion Pfeifer, Sri V. Rao, Adam C. Sharp, Jake L. Snaddon, Nigel E. Stork, Matthew J. Struebig, Oliver R. Wearn, Kalsum M. Yusah and Edgar C. Turner
Additional contact information
Robert M. Ewers: Imperial College London, Silwood Park Campus
Michael J. W. Boyle: Imperial College London, Silwood Park Campus
Rosalind A. Gleave: Imperial College London, Silwood Park Campus
Nichola S. Plowman: Imperial College London, Silwood Park Campus
Suzan Benedick: Faculty of Sustainable Agriculture, Universiti Malaysia Sabah
Henry Bernard: Institute for Tropical Biology and Conservation, Universiti Malaysia Sabah, Jln UMS
Tom R. Bishop: Imperial College London, Silwood Park Campus
Effendi Y. Bakhtiar: Institute for Tropical Biology and Conservation, Universiti Malaysia Sabah, Jln UMS
Vun Khen Chey: Forest Research Centre (Sepilok)
Arthur Y. C. Chung: Forest Research Centre (Sepilok)
Richard G. Davies: School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia
David P. Edwards: University of Sheffield
Paul Eggleton: Natural History Museum
Tom M. Fayle: Imperial College London, Silwood Park Campus
Stephen R. Hardwick: Imperial College London, Silwood Park Campus
Rahman Homathevi: Institute for Tropical Biology and Conservation, Universiti Malaysia Sabah, Jln UMS
Roger L. Kitching: Environmental Futures Research Institute and Griffith School of the Environment, Griffith University
Min Sheng Khoo: Imperial College London, Silwood Park Campus
Sarah H. Luke: School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia
Joshua J. March: Natural History Museum
Reuben Nilus: Forest Research Centre (Sepilok)
Marion Pfeifer: Imperial College London, Silwood Park Campus
Sri V. Rao: School of Rural, Animal and Environmental Sciences, Nottingham Trent University
Adam C. Sharp: Imperial College London, Silwood Park Campus
Jake L. Snaddon: Centre for Biological Sciences, University of Southampton
Nigel E. Stork: Environmental Futures Research Institute and Griffith School of the Environment, Griffith University
Matthew J. Struebig: Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology, School of Anthropology and Conservation, University of Kent
Oliver R. Wearn: Imperial College London, Silwood Park Campus
Kalsum M. Yusah: Institute for Tropical Biology and Conservation, Universiti Malaysia Sabah, Jln UMS
Edgar C. Turner: Imperial College London, Silwood Park Campus

Nature Communications, 2015, vol. 6, issue 1, 1-7

Abstract: Abstract Invertebrates are dominant species in primary tropical rainforests, where their abundance and diversity contributes to the functioning and resilience of these globally important ecosystems. However, more than one-third of tropical forests have been logged, with dramatic impacts on rainforest biodiversity that may disrupt key ecosystem processes. We find that the contribution of invertebrates to three ecosystem processes operating at three trophic levels (litter decomposition, seed predation and removal, and invertebrate predation) is reduced by up to one-half following logging. These changes are associated with decreased abundance of key functional groups of termites, ants, beetles and earthworms, and an increase in the abundance of small mammals, amphibians and insectivorous birds in logged relative to primary forest. Our results suggest that ecosystem processes themselves have considerable resilience to logging, but the consistent decline of invertebrate functional importance is indicative of a human-induced shift in how these ecological processes operate in tropical rainforests.

Date: 2015
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DOI: 10.1038/ncomms7836

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