Insect herbivory is one of the major drivers of seedling mortality in the tropics and influences plant abundances and community composition. Anthropogenic disturbance can alter patterns of insect herbivory with potential consequences on plant communities in restored forests. We planted seedlings of early- and later-stage successional tree species in 13–15-year-old restored and remnant tropical forests. We then either excluded insect herbivores or left seedlings exposed to examine how insect herbivory-affected seedling mortality. Early-successional seedlings experienced similar decreases in mortality when insect herbivores were excluded from both restored and remnant forest sites, but this effect was smaller and driven by only a few species in restored forests. Later-successional seedlings experienced a stronger decrease in mortality between open and insect-excluded treatments in remnant than restored sites. Our results suggest that herbivory-driven seedling mortality is lower in restored forests, particularly for later-successional seedlings. Results are encouraging from a restoration perspective because recruitment of later-successional seedlings is a key component of ecosystem recovery. However, if reductions in seedling mortality continue over the long term, this may affect tree community composition as succession progresses.

中文翻译：

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食虫对恢复和残存热带林幼苗死亡率的影响

昆虫食草是热带地区幼苗死亡率的主要驱动因素之一，并影响植物丰度和群落组成。人为干扰可以改变昆虫食草的模式，并对恢复森林中的植物群落产生潜在影响。我们在 13-15 岁的恢复和残余热带森林中种植了早期和后期演替树种的幼苗。然后，我们要么排除昆虫食草动物，要么将幼苗暴露在外，以检查昆虫食草动物如何影响幼苗死亡率。当昆虫食草动物被排除在恢复和残留的森林地点之外时，早期演替幼苗的死亡率也出现了类似的下降，但这种影响较小并且仅由恢复森林中的少数物种驱动。与恢复的地点相比，在开放和排除昆虫的处理之间，后期演替幼苗的死亡率下降幅度更大。我们的研究结果表明，在恢复的森林中，食草驱动的幼苗死亡率较低，特别是对于后期继承的幼苗。从恢复的角度来看，结果是令人鼓舞的，因为后期继承幼苗的招募是生态系统恢复的关键组成部分。然而，如果幼苗死亡率长期持续下降，随着演替的进行，这可能会影响树木群落组成。从恢复的角度来看，结果是令人鼓舞的，因为后期继承幼苗的招募是生态系统恢复的关键组成部分。然而，如果幼苗死亡率长期持续下降，随着演替的进行，这可能会影响树木群落组成。从恢复的角度来看，结果是令人鼓舞的，因为后期继承幼苗的招募是生态系统恢复的关键组成部分。然而，如果幼苗死亡率长期持续下降，随着演替的进行，这可能会影响树木群落组成。