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Mycorrhiza Networks Promote Biodiversity and Stabilize the Tropical Mountain Rain Forest Ecosystem: Perspectives for Understanding Complex Communities

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Ecosystem Services, Biodiversity and Environmental Change in a Tropical Mountain Ecosystem of South Ecuador

Part of the book series: Ecological Studies ((ECOLSTUD,volume 221))

Abstract

To better understand the mechanisms behind maintenance of the extraordinary plant and fungal diversity in tropical mountain forests we applied, for the first time, network theory to investigate the mycobiont–plant communities. We addressed three different mycorrhizal classes, arbuscular mycorrhizae of tropical trees, mycorrhizae of terrestrial and epiphytic Orchidaceae and cavendishioid mycorrhizae among Ericaceae and Sebacinales. We found significant nestedness (NODF) for arbuscular and orchid mycorrhizal networks. In accordance to previous simulations and verifications of species-rich, mutualistic plant–animal networks, we conclude that preferential attachment of new members to already existing links integrates and maintains rare species and stabilizes our species rich assemblages.

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Acknowledgements

The authors are grateful for fruitful discussions with Pedro Jordano on network analysis.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Plant Evolutionary Ecology, Institute of Evolution and Ecology, Eberhard-Karls-University Tübingen, Auf der Morgenstelle 1, 72076, Tübingen, Germany

    Ingrid Kottke & Ingeborg Haug

  2. Centro de Biologia Celular y Molecular, Universidad Técnica Particular de Loja, San Cayetano Alto s/n C. P., 1101608, Loja, Ecuador

    Ingrid Kottke, Paulo Herrera, Dario Cruz & Juan Pablo Suárez

  3. Department of Biology, Wake Forest University, 1834 Wake Forest Road, Winston-Salem, NC, 27106, USA

    Sabrina Setaro

  4. Department of Geography, Philipps-University Marburg, Deutschhausstrasse 10, 33037, Marburg, Germany

    Andreas Fries

  5. Institute of Geography, University of Erlangen, Kochstrasse 4/4, 91054, Erlangen, Germany

    Julia Gawlik & Andrés Gerique

  6. Plant Ecology, University of Göttingen, Untere Karspüle 2, 37075, Göttingen, Germany

    Jürgen Homeier

  7. Institute of Biology and Environmental Sciences, Carl von Ossietzky University Oldenburg, 2503, 26111, Oldenburg, Germany

    Florian A. Werner

Authors
  1. Ingrid Kottke
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  2. Sabrina Setaro
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  3. Ingeborg Haug
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  4. Paulo Herrera
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  5. Dario Cruz
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  6. Andreas Fries
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  7. Julia Gawlik
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  8. Jürgen Homeier
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  9. Florian A. Werner
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  10. Andrés Gerique
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  11. Juan Pablo Suárez
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Ingrid Kottke .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. , Faculty of Geography, Philipps University Marburg, Deutschhausstr. 10, Marburg, 35032, Germany

    Jörg Bendix

  2. , Department of Plant Physiology and Bayre, University of Bayreuth, Universitätsstr. 30, Bayreuth, 95440, Germany

    Erwin Beck

  3. , Institute of Geography, University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Kochstr. 4/4, Erlangen, 91054, Germany

    Achim Bräuning

  4. , Institute of Soil Science and Site Ecolo, Technical University of Dresden, Piennerstr. 19, Tharandt, 01737, Germany

    Franz Makeschin

  5. , Institute of Silviculture, Technische Universität München, Am Hochanger 13, Freising, 85354, Germany

    Reinhard Mosandl

  6. , J.F. Blumenbach Institute of Zoology and, Georg August University Göttingen, Berliner Str. 28, Göttingen, 37073, Germany

    Stefan Scheu

  7. , Geographic Institute of the University o, University of Bern, Hallerstr. 12, Bern, 3012, Switzerland

    Wolfgang Wilcke

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Kottke, I. et al. (2013). Mycorrhiza Networks Promote Biodiversity and Stabilize the Tropical Mountain Rain Forest Ecosystem: Perspectives for Understanding Complex Communities. In: Bendix, J., et al. Ecosystem Services, Biodiversity and Environmental Change in a Tropical Mountain Ecosystem of South Ecuador. Ecological Studies, vol 221. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-38137-9_14

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