Towards an integrative mechanistic framework for biodiversity-consumer relationships.

Halliday, FW; Everingham, SE; Bröcher, M; Ebeling, A; Kempel, A; Mundim, FM; Strauss, AT; Xirocostas, ZA; Kohli, M

Towards an integrative mechanistic framework for biodiversity-consumer relationships.

Halliday, FW Everingham, SE Bröcher, M Ebeling, A Kempel, A Mundim, FM Strauss, AT Xirocostas, ZA Kohli, M

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Publisher:: CELL PRESS
Publication Type:: Journal Article
Citation:: Trends Ecol Evol, 2025, 40, (6), pp. 539-553
Issue Date:: 2025-06

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Field	Value	Language
dc.contributor.author	Halliday, FW
dc.contributor.author	Everingham, SE
dc.contributor.author	Bröcher, M
dc.contributor.author	Ebeling, A
dc.contributor.author	Kempel, A
dc.contributor.author	Mundim, FM
dc.contributor.author	Strauss, AT
dc.contributor.author	Xirocostas, ZA
dc.contributor.author	Kohli, M
dc.date.accessioned	2026-01-14T05:44:10Z
dc.date.available	2025-03-12
dc.date.available	2026-01-14T05:44:10Z
dc.date.issued	2025-06
dc.identifier.citation	Trends Ecol Evol, 2025, 40, (6), pp. 539-553
dc.identifier.issn	0169-5347
dc.identifier.issn	1872-8383
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10453/191832
dc.description.abstract	Terrestrial plant diversity plays a pivotal role in influencing the abundance, diversity, and impacts of herbivores and pathogens (collectively, plant consumers). However, it is unclear whether the relationships between biodiversity and herbivory reflect the same underlying ecological mechanisms as the relationships between biodiversity and disease. This uncertainty results in part from decades of independent, siloed research on each consumer group. We propose that, across herbivores and pathogens, plant diversity-consumer relationships arise from five fundamental factors: (1) density of a focal plant, (2) total plant biomass, (3) plant neighborhood quality, (4) resource diversity, and (5) structural complexity. By matching established hypotheses to these five fundamental factors, we highlight opportunities for growth in the rapidly developing field of plant-consumer interactions.
dc.format	Print-Electronic
dc.language	eng
dc.publisher	CELL PRESS
dc.relation.ispartof	Trends Ecol Evol
dc.relation.isbasedon	10.1016/j.tree.2025.03.005
dc.rights	info:eu-repo/semantics/embargoedAccess
dc.subject	05 Environmental Sciences, 06 Biological Sciences
dc.subject.classification	Evolutionary Biology
dc.subject.classification	31 Biological sciences
dc.subject.classification	41 Environmental sciences
dc.subject.mesh	Biodiversity
dc.subject.mesh	Herbivory
dc.subject.mesh	Plants
dc.subject.mesh	Animals
dc.subject.mesh	Food Chain
dc.subject.mesh	Biomass
dc.subject.mesh	Animals
dc.subject.mesh	Plants
dc.subject.mesh	Biodiversity
dc.subject.mesh	Biomass
dc.subject.mesh	Food Chain
dc.subject.mesh	Herbivory
dc.subject.mesh	Biodiversity
dc.subject.mesh	Herbivory
dc.subject.mesh	Plants
dc.subject.mesh	Animals
dc.subject.mesh	Food Chain
dc.subject.mesh	Biomass
dc.title	Towards an integrative mechanistic framework for biodiversity-consumer relationships.
dc.type	Journal Article
utslib.citation.volume	40
utslib.location.activity	England
utslib.for	05 Environmental Sciences
utslib.for	06 Biological Sciences
pubs.organisational-group	University of Technology Sydney
pubs.organisational-group	University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Science
pubs.organisational-group	University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Science/School of Life Sciences
pubs.organisational-group	University of Technology Sydney/UTS Groups
pubs.organisational-group	University of Technology Sydney/UTS Groups/Chancellor's Research Fellows
utslib.copyright.status	embargoed	*
utslib.copyright.embargo	2026-06-01T00:00:00+1000Z
dc.date.updated	2026-01-14T05:44:08Z
pubs.issue	6
pubs.publication-status	Published
pubs.volume	40
utslib.citation.issue	6

Abstract:

Terrestrial plant diversity plays a pivotal role in influencing the abundance, diversity, and impacts of herbivores and pathogens (collectively, plant consumers). However, it is unclear whether the relationships between biodiversity and herbivory reflect the same underlying ecological mechanisms as the relationships between biodiversity and disease. This uncertainty results in part from decades of independent, siloed research on each consumer group. We propose that, across herbivores and pathogens, plant diversity-consumer relationships arise from five fundamental factors: (1) density of a focal plant, (2) total plant biomass, (3) plant neighborhood quality, (4) resource diversity, and (5) structural complexity. By matching established hypotheses to these five fundamental factors, we highlight opportunities for growth in the rapidly developing field of plant-consumer interactions.

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http://hdl.handle.net/10453/191832