The multiple dimensions of diversity and their effect on herbivory

 
Modern ecosystems are facing increasing threats from anthropogenic climate change and biodiversity loss. The reduction of biodiversity both at the species and population levels has the potential to alter emergent ecosystem processes instrumental to ecosystem function and resilience to ongoing climate change. Using large-scale transplant experiments conducted at five Neotropical sites, we sought to understand the impacts inter- and intraspecific plant diversity on herbivory, herbivorous insect richness, and ecosystem resilience to climate change. We found increased water availability caused reduced herbivory;  that reductions to both inter- and intraspecific plant diversity had dramatic positive and negative effects on herbivory, insect richness, and plant mortality; and that the reduction of biodiversity modulated ecosystem response to environmental perturbations in a site specific manner. Our results underscore the need to maintain both species level and population level diversity as foundations of ecosystem function and demonstrate the importance of community specific contingencies in controlling function in complex tropical systems.