Authors: Felix Fornoff, Michael Staab, Chao-Dong Zhu, Alexandra-Maria Klein
Oecologia, 196, 289–301 (2021), https://doi.org/10.1007/s00442-021-04921-y
Summary: Plant diversity affects multi-trophic communities, but in young regrowth forests, where forest insects are in the process of re-establishment, other factors might be more important. We showed in the BEF-China experiment that tree diversity was not important, but tree biomass and canopy cover, mediated by changes in microclimatic conditions, were important for the bee, wasp and natural enemy community re-establishment.
Conclusion: Although maximizing tree diversity is an important goal of forest reforestation and conservation, rapid closure of canopies is an important driver for re-establishing communities of forest bees, wasps and their natural enemies.