Plant pathogens structure arthropod communities across multiple spatial and temporal scales

Plant pathogens and herbivores frequently co-occur on the same host plants. Despite this, little is known about the impact of their interactions on the structure of plant-based ecological communities. Here, we synthesize evidence that indicates that plant pathogens may profoundly impact arthropod performance, preference, population dynamics and community structure across multiple spatial and temporal scales. Intriguingly, the effects of plantpathogenherbivore interactions frequently cascade up and down multiple trophic levels and explain variation in the arthropod community at spatial scales ranging from patterns within single host plants to entire landscapes. This review indicates that knowledge on pathogenherbivore interactions may be crucial for understanding the dynamics of terrestrial communities.