DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.4630979
title: Effect of vertebrate exclusion on ecosystem functioning

description: <b>Description: </b>Vertebrate communities can be the most sensitive to deforestation, therefore it is important to understand how their loss impacts the ecosystem. This study investigated the removal of top-down control by vertebrates and the resulting trophic cascade, through exclusion plots. Here, I examined the effect of vertebrate exclusion on aboveground invertebrate communities and herbivory rate, and the effect on belowground invertebrate communities and decomposition rate. I also assessed whether this trophic cascade accumulated over time by comparing results in newly established plots to those established the previous year. <b>Project: </b>This dataset was collected as part of the following SAFE research project: <b>The effect of vertebrate exclusion on above and below-ground ecosystem functioning across a forest quality gradient</b><b>Permits: </b>These data were collected under permit from the following authorities:Sabah Biodiversity Centre (Research licence JKM/MBS.1000-2/2 JLD.8 (57))<b>XML metadata: </b>GEMINI compliant metadata for this dataset is available here<b>Files: </b>This consists of 1 file: Mackintosh_ExclusionPlotData_Invertebrates_2019.xlsx<b>Mackintosh_ExclusionPlotData_Invertebrates_2019.xlsx</b>This file contains dataset metadata and 4 data tables:<b>Aboveground invertebrate abundance</b> (described in worksheet Aboveground_abundance)Description: During each visit, understorey invertebrates were assessed by visual observation of foliage within plot. Search time was seven minutes. All invertebrates observed identified to order where possible and class when further taxonomic knowledge was required to identify further. Isoptera of the Blattodea and Formicidae of the Hymenoptera and Curculionidae, Staphylinidae and Chrysomelidae of the Coleoptera order were recorded separately due to the difference in functional guild. For groups such as Lepidoptera and Diptera, which have distinct life cycle stages with different diets, adult and larvae were recorded separately. Number of fields: 49Number of data rows: 144Fields: <b>Location</b>: Sampling location within SAFE landscape. Codes reflect sampling (Field type: location)<b>Plot_type</b>: Each sampling plot has two treatments, an vertebrate exclusion cage (2mx2mx1.5m) and a control with no vertebrate exclusion (Field type: categorical)<b>Date</b>: Data colleced in 2019 (Field type: date)<b>Visit</b>: Each plot visited three times to collect data during study. This field indicates the number of visit. (Field type: replicate)<b>Year_built</b>: Indicates the year the plot was established. (Field type: numeric)<b>Acaridae</b>: Count of individuals in seven-minute timed count (Field type: abundance)<b>Annelida</b>: Count of individuals in seven-minute timed count (Field type: abundance)<b>Aranae</b>: Count of individuals in seven-minute timed count (Field type: abundance)<b>Archaeognatha</b>: Count of individuals in seven-minute timed count (Field type: abundance)<b>Termitidae</b>: Count of individuals in seven-minute timed count (Field type: abundance)<b>Blattodea_other</b>: Count of individuals in seven-minute timed count (Field type: abundance)<b>Chilopoda</b>: Count of individuals in seven-minute timed count (Field type: abundance)<b>Coleoptera_Chrysomelidae</b>: Count of individuals in seven-minute timed count (Field type: abundance)<b>Coleoptera_Curculionidae</b>: Count of individuals in seven-minute timed count (Field type: abundance)<b>Coleoptera_Staphylinidae</b>: Count of individuals in seven-minute timed count (Field type: abundance)<b>Coleoptera_other</b>: Count of individuals in seven-minute timed count (Field type: abundance)<b>Coleoptera_larvae</b>: Count of individuals in seven-minute timed count (Field type: abundance)<b>Collembola</b>: Count of individuals in seven-minute timed count (Field type: abundance)<b>Dermaptera</b>: Count of individuals in seven-minute timed count (Field type: abundance)<b>Diplopoda</b>: Count of individuals in seven-minute timed count (Field type: abundance)<b>Diptera</b>: Count of individuals in seven-minute timed count (Field type: abundance)<b>Diptera_larvae</b>: Count of individuals in seven-minute timed count (Field type: abundance)<b>Embioptera</b>: Count of individuals in seven-minute timed count (Field type: abundance)<b>Ephemeroptera</b>: Count of individuals in seven-minute timed count (Field type: abundance)<b>Gastropoda</b>: Count of individuals in seven-minute timed count (Field type: abundance)<b>Hemiptera</b>: Count of individuals in seven-minute timed count (Field type: abundance)<b>Hymenoptera_Formicidae</b>: Count of individuals in seven-minute timed count (Field type: abundance)<b>Hymenoptera_other</b>: Count of individuals in seven-minute timed count (Field type: abundance)<b>Isopoda</b>: Count of individuals in seven-minute timed count (Field type: abundance)<b>Lepidoptera</b>: Count of individuals in seven-minute timed count (Field type: abundance)<b>Lepidoptera_larvae</b>: Count of individuals in seven-minute timed count (Field type: abundance)<b>Mantodea</b>: Count of individuals in seven-minute timed count (Field type: abundance)<b>Myriapoda</b>: Count of individuals in seven-minute timed count (Field type: abundance)<b>Neuroptera</b>: Count of individuals in seven-minute timed count (Field type: abundance)<b>Neuroptera_larvae</b>: Count of individuals in seven-minute timed count (Field type: abundance)<b>Opiliones</b>: Count of individuals in seven-minute timed count (Field type: abundance)<b>Orthoptera</b>: Count of individuals in seven-minute timed count (Field type: abundance)<b>Phasmida</b>: Count of individuals in seven-minute timed count (Field type: abundance)<b>Plecoptera</b>: Count of individuals in seven-minute timed count (Field type: abundance)<b>Platyhelminthes</b>: Count of individuals in seven-minute timed count (Field type: abundance)<b>Pseudoscorpiones</b>: Count of individuals in seven-minute timed count (Field type: abundance)<b>Psocodea</b>: Count of individuals in seven-minute timed count (Field type: abundance)<b>Siphonaptera</b>: Count of individuals in seven-minute timed count (Field type: abundance)<b>Thysanoptera</b>: Count of individuals in seven-minute timed count (Field type: abundance)<b>Trichoptera</b>: Count of individuals in seven-minute timed count (Field type: abundance)<b>Thelyphonidae</b>: Count of individuals in seven-minute timed count (Field type: abundance)<b>Indet_adults</b>: Count of individuals in seven-minute timed count (Field type: abundance)<b>Indet_larvae</b>: Count of individuals in seven-minute timed count (Field type: abundance)<b>Comments</b>: Additional notes (Field type: comments)<b>Leaf litter invertebrate abundance</b> (described in worksheet Leaf_litter_abundance)Description: During each visit, three leaf litter samples were collected from a quadrat 30cmx30cm in size within each plot. Samples were randomly selected within the plot (excluding area 10cm from edge of plot to avoid edge effects). Leaf litter was defined as any loose leaves or detritus easily seperated from dense soil. Sample was placed in tray and shaken for 20 seconds to dislodge invertebrates. Samples were sifted by hand and invertebrates distinguishable by naked eye included in count and indentified to order where possible.Number of fields: 52Number of data rows: 134Fields: <b>Location</b>: Sampling location within SAFE landscape. Codes reflect sampling (Field type: location)<b>Plot_type</b>: Each sampling plot has two treatments, an vertebrate exclusion cage (2mx2mx1.5m) and a control with no vertebrate exclusion (Field type: categorical)<b>Date</b>: Data colleced in 2019 (Field type: date)<b>Visit</b>: Each plot visited three times to collect data during study. This field indicates the number of visit. (Field type: replicate)<b>Year_built</b>: Indicates the year the plot was established. (Field type: numeric)<b>Acaridae</b>: Count of individuals in seven-minute timed count (Field type: abundance)<b>Annelida</b>: Count of individuals in seven-minute timed count (Field type: abundance)<b>Aranae</b>: Count of individuals in seven-minute timed count (Field type: abundance)<b>Archaeognatha</b>: Count of individuals in seven-minute timed count (Field type: abundance)<b>Termitidae</b>: Count of individuals in seven-minute timed count (Field type: abundance)<b>Blattodea_other</b>: Count of individuals in seven-minute timed count (Field type: abundance)<b>Chilopoda</b>: Count of individuals in seven-minute timed count (Field type: abundance)<b>Coleoptera_Chrysomelidae</b>: Count of individuals in seven-minute timed count (Field type: abundance)<b>Coleoptera_Curculionidae</b>: Count of individuals in seven-minute timed count (Field type: abundance)<b>Coleoptera_Staphylinidae</b>: Count of individuals in seven-minute timed count (Field type: abundance)<b>Coleoptera_other</b>: Count of individuals in seven-minute timed count (Field type: abundance)<b>Coleoptera_larvae</b>: Count of individuals in seven-minute timed count (Field type: abundance)<b>Collembola</b>: Count of individuals in seven-minute timed count (Field type: abundance)<b>Dermaptera</b>: Count of individuals in seven-minute timed count (Field type: abundance)<b>Diplopoda</b>: Count of individuals in seven-minute timed count (Field type: abundance)<b>Diptera</b>: Count of individuals in seven-minute timed count (Field type: abundance)<b>Diptera_larvae</b>: Count of individuals in seven-minute timed count (Field type: abundance)<b>Embioptera</b>: Count of individuals in seven-minute timed count (Field type: abundance)<b>Ephemeroptera</b>: Count of individuals in seven-minute timed count (Field type: abundance)<b>Gastropoda</b>: Count of individuals in seven-minute timed count (Field type: abundance)<b>Hemiptera</b>: Count of individuals in seven-minute timed count (Field type: abundance)<b>Hymenoptera_Formicidae</b>: Count of individuals in seven-minute timed count (Field type: abundance)<b>Hymenoptera_other</b>: Count of individuals in seven-minute timed count (Field type: abundance)<b>Isopoda</b>: Count of individuals in seven-minute timed count (Field type: abundance)<b>Lepidoptera</b>: Count of individuals in seven-minute timed count (Field type: abundance)<b>Lepidoptera_larvae</b>: Count of individuals in seven-minute timed count (Field type: abundance)<b>Mantodea</b>: Count of individuals in seven-minute timed count (Field type: abundance)<b>Myriapoda</b>: Count of individuals in seven-minute timed count (Field type: abundance)<b>Neuroptera</b>: Count of individuals in seven-minute timed count (Field type: abundance)<b>Neuroptera_larvae</b>: Count of individuals in seven-minute timed count (Field type: abundance)<b>Opiliones</b>: Count of individuals in seven-minute timed count (Field type: abundance)<b>Orthoptera</b>: Count of individuals in seven-minute timed count (Field type: abundance)<b>Phasmida</b>: Count of individuals in seven-minute timed count (Field type: abundance)<b>Plecoptera</b>: Count of individuals in seven-minute timed count (Field type: abundance)<b>Platyhelminthes</b>: Count of individuals in seven-minute timed count (Field type: abundance)<b>Pseudoscorpiones</b>: Count of individuals in seven-minute timed count (Field type: abundance)<b>Psocodea</b>: Count of individuals in seven-minute timed count (Field type: abundance)<b>Siphonaptera</b>: Count of individuals in seven-minute timed count (Field type: abundance)<b>Thysanoptera</b>: Count of individuals in seven-minute timed count (Field type: abundance)<b>Trichoptera</b>: Count of individuals in seven-minute timed count (Field type: abundance)<b>Thelyphonidae</b>: Count of individuals in seven-minute timed count (Field type: abundance)<b>Symphyla</b>: Count of individuals in seven-minute timed count (Field type: abundance)<b>Diplura</b>: Count of individuals in seven-minute timed count (Field type: abundance)<b>Amphipoda</b>: Count of individuals in seven-minute timed count (Field type: abundance)<b>Indet_adults</b>: Count of individuals in seven-minute timed count (Field type: abundance)<b>Indet_larvae</b>: Count of individuals in seven-minute timed count (Field type: abundance)<b>Comments</b>: Additional notes (Field type: comments)<b>Soil invertebrate abundance</b> (described in worksheet Soil_abundance)Description: Soil sample of consistent volume was collected from centre of each plot using 30cm pipe (5cm wide) on third (final) visit. Sample was placed in sieve under lamp to drive out invertebrates. Visible invertebrates were extracted using pooter and identified to order under a light microscope.Number of fields: 34Number of data rows: 44Fields: <b>Plot</b>: Sampling location within SAFE landscape. Codes reflect sampling (Field type: location)<b>Plot_type</b>: Each sampling plot has two treatments, an vertebrate exclusion cage (2mx2mx1.5m) and a control with no vertebrate exclusion (Field type: categorical)<b>Date</b>: Data colleced in 2019 (Field type: date)<b>Year_built</b>: Each plot visited three times to collect data during study. This field indicates the number of visit. (Field type: numeric)<b>Acaridae</b>: Indicates the year the plot was established. (Field type: abundance)<b>Annelida</b>: Count of individuals in seven-minute timed count (Field type: abundance)<b>Aranae</b>: Count of individuals in seven-minute timed count (Field type: abundance)<b>Termitidae</b>: Count of individuals in seven-minute timed count (Field type: abundance)<b>Blattodea_other</b>: Count of individuals in seven-minute timed count (Field type: abundance)<b>Chilopoda</b>: Count of individuals in seven-minute timed count (Field type: abundance)<b>Coleoptera_Chrysomelidae</b>: Count of individuals in seven-minute timed count (Field type: abundance)<b>Coleoptera_Curculionidae</b>: Count of individuals in seven-minute timed count (Field type: abundance)<b>Coleoptera_Staphylinidae</b>: Count of individuals in seven-minute timed count (Field type: abundance)<b>Coleoptera_other</b>: Count of individuals in seven-minute timed count (Field type: abundance)<b>Coleoptera_larvae</b>: Count of individuals in seven-minute timed count (Field type: abundance)<b>Collembola</b>: Count of individuals in seven-minute timed count (Field type: abundance)<b>Dermaptera</b>: Count of individuals in seven-minute timed count (Field type: abundance)<b>Diplopoda</b>: Count of individuals in seven-minute timed count (Field type: abundance)<b>Diptera</b>: Count of individuals in seven-minute timed count (Field type: abundance)<b>Diptera_larvae</b>: Count of individuals in seven-minute timed count (Field type: abundance)<b>Gastropoda</b>: Count of individuals in seven-minute timed count (Field type: abundance)<b>Hemiptera</b>: Count of individuals in seven-minute timed count (Field type: abundance)<b>Hymenoptera_Formicidae</b>: Count of individuals in seven-minute timed count (Field type: abundance)<b>Isopoda</b>: Count of individuals in seven-minute timed count (Field type: abundance)<b>Myriapoda</b>: Count of individuals in seven-minute timed count (Field type: abundance)<b>Plecoptera</b>: Count of individuals in seven-minute timed count (Field type: abundance)<b>Platyhelminthes</b>: Count of individuals in seven-minute timed count (Field type: abundance)<b>Pseudoscorpiones</b>: Count of individuals in seven-minute timed count (Field type: abundance)<b>Psocodea</b>: Count of individuals in seven-minute timed count (Field type: abundance)<b>Thysanoptera</b>: Count of individuals in seven-minute timed count (Field type: abundance)<b>Symphyla</b>: Count of individuals in seven-minute timed count (Field type: abundance)<b>Diplura</b>: Count of individuals in seven-minute timed count (Field type: abundance)<b>Indet_adults</b>: Count of individuals in seven-minute timed count (Field type: abundance)<b>Indet_larvae</b>: Count of individuals in seven-minute timed count (Field type: abundance)<b>Decomposition rate</b> (described in worksheet Decomposition_rate)Description: Naturally senesced leaves of Macaranga sp. were collected within 72 hours of falling, dried to constant weight and cut up into approximately 2cm3 pieces with veins and petioles discarded. Leaf litter was separated in 4g units and placed in leaf litter bags. Bags contained holes 0.5cm in size to allow entry of detritivores. Litter bags were placed in each plot during first visit and collected in final visit. Leaf litter from bags dried to a constant weight and re-weighed. Mass lost calculated using initial weight and final weight. Number of fields: 6Number of data rows: 42Fields: <b>Location</b>: Sampling location within SAFE landscape. Codes reflect sampling (Field type: location)<b>Plot_type</b>: Each sampling plot has two treatments, an vertebrate exclusion cage (2mx2mx1.5m) and a control with no vertebrate exclusion (Field type: categorical)<b>Days_in_field</b>: Indicates number of days in which leaf litter bag was left in the plot. (Ideally bags would be left in the field the same number of days but this was not logistically possible.) (Field type: numeric)<b>Mass_before</b>: Mass of leaf litter intially when it was placed in the plot during the first visit. (Field type: numeric)<b>Mass_after</b>: Mass of leaf litter when re-weighed following collection from the plot during the third visit. (Field type: numeric)<b>Total_loss</b>: Mass loss calculated by subtracting the mass of the leaf litter bag after time in the field from the mass before. (Field type: numeric)<b>Date range: </b>2019-03-04 to 2019-05-17<b>Latitudinal extent: </b>4.6815 to 4.7435<b>Longitudinal extent: </b>117.5396 to 117.5971<b>Taxonomic coverage: </b><br> All taxon names are validated against the GBIF backbone taxonomy. If a dataset uses a synonym, the accepted usage is shown followed by the dataset usage in brackets. Taxa that cannot be validated, including new species and other unknown taxa, morphospecies, functional groups and taxonomic levels not used in the GBIF backbone are shown in square brackets. - Animalia <br> - - Annelida <br> - - Platyhelminthes <br> - - Arthropoda <br> - - - Chilopoda <br> -&ensp