Interaction complexity matters: disentangling services and disservices of ant communities driving yield in tropical agroecosystems

摘要: Owing to complex direct and indirect effects, impacts of higher trophic levels on plants is poorly understood. In tropical agroecosystems, ants interact with crop mutualists antagonists, but little known about how this integrates into the final ecosystem service, yield. We combined ant exclusion introduction invasive native-dominant species in cacao agroecosystems test whether (i) reduces yield, (ii) dominant maximize certain intermediate services (e.g. control specific pests) rather than which depends several, cascading (iii) even, species-rich communities result highest yields. Ants provided services, including reduced leaf herbivory fruit pest damage pollination facilitation, also disservices, such as increased mealybug density, phytopathogen dissemination enhancement. Yields were unmanipulated, species-rich, even communities, whereas decreased yield by 27%. Introduction an invasive-dominant density evenness resulted 34% lower yields, a non-invasive-dominant similar yields unmanipulated control. Species traits community structure affect disservices for agriculture surprisingly ways, promoting