Abstract:
We havc the working hypothesis th:lt the high species richness of lowland
tropical forcsts is maintained in lllajor part by the herbivore COllllllllllity. The ecological
proccss is that thcsc consumers prevcnt the best competitors within a given life form frolll
becoming common cnough to eliminate competitively thc other species ('( th:lt life form
from thc coml1lunity. In short, the herbivores arc llIaking space for the lloorer COIllpctitors.
The dfectivcllcss of such a process depends in great 'part on the degree of hostspecificity
displaycd by the members olthe herbivore community. In gL'ncral, the highly
host-specific fr:1Ction of the herbivore community should be TespollSiblc for the dellSitydependent
rnponscs that result in he.lvin dam;lge per plant as the plant or plant part
becoll!es more abllndant.
