Indirect effects of grazing and nutrient addition on the hemipteran community of heather moorlands

Abstract

Summary Moorlands dominated by heather Calluna vulgaris are of international conservation importance, but are declining as a result of increased grazing pressure and deposition of atmospheric pollutants. Grazing and nutrient deposition can alter the composition, structure and nutritional quality of the vegetation, which may affect the diversity of herbivorous insects. However, the drivers of insect community diversity in moorlands remain poorly understood. Here we quantify the changes in moorland vegetation caused by grazing and nutrient addition, together with the effects of these changes on the community structure of a major group of herbivorous insects on moorlands, the Hemiptera. Fencing and fertilizer treatments were used to test the hypotheses that: (1) hemipteran species richness is related to plant species richness; (2) fertilizer addition increases host plant quality and hence the abundance and diversity of Hemiptera; and (3) a reduction in grazing alters vegetation structure and hence the composition of the hemipteran community. Sites with more mineral soils had the most plant species and the largest species richness and abundance of Hemiptera, supporting hypothesis 1. Fertilizer increased the nitrogen content of both grasses and Calluna and significantly increased Hemiptera abundance and species richness (hypothesis 2), although the effect of fertilizer on diversity was smaller than that of site‐based factors such as plant species richness. Grazing altered vegetation structure (hypothesis 3): fenced plots increased Calluna ground cover, height and canopy occupancy but reduced grass cover. Four months after the fencing and fertilizer treatments, the level of grazing on Calluna was the prime factor influencing the composition of the hemipteran community. However, after 2 years of the treatments, soil organic content and prevalence of Nardus and new‐growth Calluna had become the greatest influence on community composition. Synthesis and applications. Grazing and nitrogen deposition alter the vegetation of moorland landscapes and this study shows that these factors also have significant effects on the abundance, species richness and species composition of moorland invertebrates. However, site‐based factors such as soil organic content and plant species richness had the greatest impact on the hemipteran community because plant diversity appears to be the most important driver of hemipteran diversity. Moorland managers may be able to maximize hemipteran species richness using a grazing regime that maintains a mosaic of dwarf shrub and grass cover. Site‐specific factors such as soil type need to be considered when managing moorlands for conservation.