Impacts on freshwater macrophytes produced by small invertebrate herbivores: Afrotropical and Neotropical wetlands compared

摘要: We compare invertebrate herbivory upon 13 macrophyte species in freshwater wetland systems located two global ecozones, the Afrotropics and Neotropics, context of biotic environmental factors influencing these wetlands. The ecozones are climatically similar regions, with water chemistry, but experience contrasting grazing disturbance pressures from large mammalian herbivores. Our results for macrophytes show that small invertebrates removed significantly more lamina biomass per leaf Neotropical (6.55%) than Afrotropical ones (4.99%). Overall, indicate underestimation up to 15.6% may occur if plant tissue removal by herbivores is not included estimates biomass. Regarding wetlands, seven mammal (especially Black Lechwe antelope, Kobus leche) were observed impacting while only much smaller rodents, capybara, (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris) sporadically observed. discuss relevance both methodological approach importance as additionally populations subtropical tropical