Comparison of tree functional diversity as linked to animal
abundance between sites
We have strong albeit indirect evidence that the above linkages between
initial deadwood quality, termites and decomposition through time had
cascading effects, via termites populations, to predator (pangolin)
populations, respectively. The CWM of WES (PC1) of deadwood species
collected from PT was -0.02±0.03 (range -0.289 to 0.190) (PC1), while
that from TT was -0.035±0.04 (range -0.744 to 0.090) (Table 1); i.e.,
resource-acquisitive species were broadly more prevalent in PT and
resource-conservative species more prevalent in TT. The higher mean WES
value, and the higher functional diversity (i.e., abundance-weighted WES
variance), corresponded with the higher termite abundance in PT than
that in TT at the beginning of the experiment. After the wood samples
(with overall range -3.99 to 4.65 along the WES) had been put in the
plots, termite abundance showed an increasing trend in both sites,
resulting in significantly higher values by approximately 250% after 18
months of incubation (Table 1). On the whole, the termite abundance in
PT was about twice as high as that in TT (Table 1). In turn, in line
with our expectations, pangolin mound density was significantly and four
times higher in the experimental plots with deadwood samples added
(thereby increasing termite abundance) compared to the control plots in
PT (Table 1).