Biological Conservation 311: 111418, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2025.111418
Involved members of MultiTroph: Ming-Qiang Wang, Kai Zhang, Georg Albert, Jing-Ting Chen, Qing-Song Zhou, Arong Luo, Tobias Proß, Helge Bruelheide, Xiaojuan Liu, Chao-Dong Zhu, Andreas Schuldt
Summary: This study examined how tree species richness and functional diversity influence herbivore–parasitoid interactions in subtropical forests. Wang et al. found that increasing tree species richness enhanced herbivore and parasitoid diversity and led to higher parasitism rates, whereas higher tree functional diversity reduced parasitism through trait-mediated constraints on host suitability. Parasitoid community composition closely tracked herbivore richness and identity rather than herbivore abundance, highlighting strong trophic coupling. Overall, the results reveal contrasting bottom-up pathways through which taxonomic and functional aspects of plant diversity shape multitrophic communities and ecosystem functioning.
Conclusion: The study demonstrates that high tree species richness is critical for sustaining effective top-down control by promoting diverse herbivore and parasitoid communities, while functional trait mismatches can weaken these interactions. Conservation and forest management should therefore maintain both species-rich and functionally compatible tree communities to support resilient multitrophic interactions under ongoing biodiversity loss.