Invasive plants threaten ecosystems and economies, costing the U.S. about 9.6 billion dollars annually. Amur honeysuckle (Lonicera maackii), native to southeast Asia, has swept through much of eastern North America. In doing so, it is out-competing native plants and reducing habitat quality. Exotic plants have an advantage over native flora: they may either be unrecognizable to native insect herbivores or possess defenses to which these herbivores are poorly adapted. Consequently, these plants often support smaller, less diverse arthropod communities—making them a suspected factor in insect declines. In its native range, L. maackii undoubtedly faces a suite of herbivores adapted to feed on it; however, L. maackii in North America has escaped these natural enemies. Through beat sheet surveys, we assessed how arthropod abundance, diversity, and community structure differ between L. maackii and a related plant, blackhaw (Viburnum prunifolium), in woodland habitats of southwestern Ohio. We found overall arthropod abundances and diversity on L. maackii and V. prunifolium were not significantly different. However, herbivorous arthropods were less abundant and diverse on L. maackii than on V. prunifolium. This implies L. maackii experiences lower herbivory than its native counterparts. Furthermore, L. maackii may be indirectly reducing populations of herbivorous arthropods. These arthropods are a crucial food source for myriad organisms—from frogs to birds to bats. Consequently, L. maackii threatens wildlife in eastern North America by providing fewer resources for higher trophic levels.
.jpg "John O. Stireman photo")