Trophic dynamics of cicada nymphs after severe wildfires
Description
This dataset supports the research on how wildfires affect the belowground trophic dynamics of cicada nymphs (Cicada orni) in the north-eastern Iberian Peninsula. The study focuses on changes in cicada nutrition due to altered plant communities and soil properties following severe wildfires. The data include: - Two datasets with stable isotope values (δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N) from cicada exuviae collected from both burnt and unburnt areas across different years. - One dataset containing isotopic values of host plant species present in the same locations. These data allow interpretation of changes in cicada trophic relationships over time and space, and assessment of the role of specific plant regeneration strategies in post-fire food web recovery. Data Collection and Interpretation Cicada exuviae were collected annually over a 10-year period from multiple sites with varying fire histories. Plant samples were gathered in parallel to create a reference isotopic baseline. All samples were analyzed for δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N using standard stable isotope ratio mass spectrometry. The datasets can be used to evaluate long-term ecological impacts of fire on insect-plant-soil interactions and to model resilience in Mediterranean ecosystems.
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Institutions
- Universitat de Girona Facultat de Ciencies