S1 Environmental Variables
S1.1 Correlations of temperature measurements.
Additional temperature data were available for a one-month period (January 2012) for one location (Sheep
Station Creek) during the time that leaf miners were sampled. Median values for this month were compared
to values calculated for the same site and month in the subsequent year and both sets of values were highly
correlated (Pearson’s correlation coefficient =0.95). In addition, our temperature data were also highly
correlated (Pearson’s correlation coefficient = 0.87) with modelled (using a 250m digital elevation model)
annual mean temperature for each site, based on interpolations from long-term weather station data
(Courtesy of Dr Luke Shoo, University of Queensland).
Figure S1.2 Principal Coordinates Analysis plot of mined plant species at each of twelve elevational study sties,
within three locations (BM = Bar Mountain, GM = Green Mountains, and SC = Sheep Station Creek).
40
510m-GM
PCO2 (20% of total variation)
757m-GM
20
1159m-GM
1059m-SC
1128m-BM
947m-SC
0
744m-SC
493m-BM
706m-BM
-20
928m-GM
557m-SC
924m-BM
-40
-60
-40
-20
0
20
PCO1 (46.5% of total variation)
40
60
Table S1.3 Pearson’s correlation coefficients for environmental variables.
Elevation
Median
temperature
Average annual
precipitation
Median temperature
-0.905589996
Average annual precipitation
0.928274171
-0.770677728
Average annual temperature
-0.976627123
0.867297879
-0.954307405
PCO1 plant composition
-0.857007918
0.823904053
-0.732002824
Average annual
temperature
0.864380756
Table S1.4 Marginal test results and minimum model results of Distance-based linear models (DistLM) relating
environmental variables to dissimilarity matrices based on a coverage measure or presence/absence of plant
species. The values highlighted in bold are statistically significant (p < 0.05).
Marginal Test Results
Explanatory variable
SS
Pseudo-F
P
Proportion
Elevation
Median temperature
Annual precipitation
Elevation
Median temperature
Annual precipitation
8948.4
8722.1
6700.1
7344.9
6787.6
5739.5
5.510
5.297
3.624
7.803
6.808
5.209
0.001
0.001
0.012
<0.001
0.002
0.005
0.355
0.3462
0.266
0.4382
0.4050
0.3425
Dissimilarity matrix
Minimum models
Variable
AICc
SS
Pseudo-F
P
R2
Plant cover
Plant presence/absence
Elevation
Elevation
91.857
85.313
8948.4
7344.9
5.510
7.802
<0.001
<0.001
0.355
0.438
Dissimilarity matrix
Plant cover
Plant presence/absence
S2 Species Lists
Table S2.1 Leaf miner species/morphospecies and associated parasitoids (see Table S2.2) included in the food
webs in this paper (sampling occasions: Aug. & Nov. 2011; Jan. & June. 2012). M#’s and P#’s are unique
morphospecies numbers assigned to each leaf miner and parsaitoid species respectively.
Order
Species/morphospecies
M#
Parasitoids (P#)
Orchestes sp.
M10
P44, P10, P5, P17
Platynotocis sp.
M12
P5, P34
Storeini sp. A.
M9
P43, P10
Storeini sp. B.
M14
P5
nr Thaumastophasis sp.
M22
-
Drosophilidae
Scaptodrosophila sp.
M20
P29
Agromyzidae
Phytoliromyza queenslandica Spencer
M16
P46
Tropicomyia polyphyta (Kleinschmidt)
M15
P22, P25
Acrocercops chionosema (Turner)
M2
P26, P10
Acrocercops trapezoides (Turner)
M18
-
Caloptilia bryonoma (Turner)
M40
P8
Gracillariidae sp. A.
M1
P4, P5, P23, M24, P25, P26
Gracillariidae sp. B.
M3
P26, P10, P3, P5, P37
Gracillariidae sp. C.
M8
P7, P10, P38
Gracillariidae sp. D.
M45
P36
Gracillariidae sp. E.
M23
-
Gracillariidae sp. F.
M24
P5, P26, P30, P31, P32, P36
Gracillariidae sp. G.
M47
-
Macarostola formosa
M33
P1
Phyllocnistinae sp. A.
M7
P3, P4, P9, P15, P26
Phyllocnistinae sp. B.
M30
P4
Phyllocnistinae sp. C.
M36
Phyllocnistinae sp. D.
M52
Family
Coleoptera
Curculionidae
Diptera
Lepidoptera
Gracillariidae
P23
Order
Species/morphospecies
M#
Parasitoids (P#)
Heliozelidae
Heliozelidae sp. A.
M4
Lyonetidae
Lyonetia lechrioscia Turner
M11
P26, P45
Unknown Lepidoptera
Lep5
M5
P3, P10
Lep6
M6
P3, P4, P19, P23, P47
Lep27
M27
P5, P25
Lep28
M28
-
Lep29
M29
-
Lep31
M31
P33
Lep32
M32
-
Lep35
M35
P5, P10
Lep37
M37
-
Lep39
M39
-
Lep43
M43
-
Lep46
M46
P5, P34
Lep48
M48
-
Lep49
M49
P39
Lep50
M50
-
Lep51
M51
-
Lep53
M53
-
Lep54
M54
-
M59
M59
P11
M63
M63
P5
Family
Lepidoptera
Unknown
No specimen*
*Assumed unique based on mine shape and host plant (only parasitoids were reared from these hosts)
Table S2.2 Parasitoid species/morphospecies and leaf miner host records (see Table S2.1) included in the food
webs in this paper (sampling occasions: Aug. & Nov. 2011; Jan. & June. 2012). P#’s and M#’s are unique
morphospecies numbers assigned to each parasitoid and leaf miner species respectively.
Family
P#
Species/morphospecies
Leaf-mining hosts (M#’s)
P23
Miracinae sp. A.
M1, M52, M6
P24
Miracinae sp. B.
M1
P25
Braconidae sp. B.
M1, M15, M27
P29
Braconidae sp. F.
M20
P26
Braconidae sp. C.
M1, M11, M2, M24 , M3, M7, M8,
P30
Braconidae sp. H.
M24
P31
Braconidae sp. G.
M24
P32
Braconidae sp. I.
M24
P33
Braconidae sp. J.
M31
P34
Braconidae sp. K.
M12, M46
P39
Braconidae sp. M.
M49
P43
Braconidae sp. O.
M9
P44
Braconidae sp. P.
M10
P45
Braconidae sp. Q.
M11
P46
Braconidae sp. R.
M16
P7
Chrysonotomyia/Closterocerus sp. A.
M8
P8
Chrysonotomyia/Closterocerus sp. B.
M40
P9
Chrysonotomyia/Closterocerus sp. C.
M7
P10
Chrysonotomyia/Closterocerus sp. D.
M10, M2, M3, M35, M5, M8, M9
P3
Kratoysma sp. 3.
M3, M5, M6, M7
P5
Apleurotropis sp.
M1, M10, M12, M14, M24, M27, M3, M35, M46, M63
P11
Zaommomyiella sp. A.
M59
P47
Entedoninae indet. sp. A.
M6
P4
Semielacher sp. A.
M1, M30, M6, M7
Subfamily
Braconidae
Miracinae
Opiinae
Unknown
Eulophidae
Entedoninae
Eulophinae
Family
P#
Species/morphospecies
Leaf-mining hosts (M#’s)
P19
Tetrastichinae sp. F.
M6
P15
Tetrastichinae sp. A.
M7
P17
Tetrastichinae sp. C.
M10
P36
Ichneumonidae sp. A.
M24, M45, M7
P37
Ichneumonidae sp. B.
M3
P38
Ichneumonidae sp. C.
M8
P22
Herbertia sp. A.
M15
Subfamily
Tetrastichinae
Ichneumonidae
Unknown
Pteromalidae
Unknown
S2.3 Information on specific leaf miner-parasitoid interactions.
A single parasitoid species (P8, Eulophidae: Entedoninae) attacked the gracillariid moth, Caloptilia
bryonoma (M40), which was only observed at 1100m sites on its host plant Nothofagus moorei; a wellknown high-elevation specialist and Gondwanan relict (Swenson et al., 2001, Taylor et al., 2005). Another
parasitoid species (P29, Braconidae: Opiinae) was reared only from Scaptodrosophila sp., a drosophilid fly
that mined only the fern Blechnum wattsii (M20), which occurred only at the highest Green Mountains site.
At least two species (Gracillariidae sp. A. (M1), Gracillariidae sp. B. (M3)) of leaf miner attacked by
multiple parasitoids at lower elevations were distributed across the entire gradient, and were also parasitised,
albeit by fewer parasitoids, at higher elevations.
References
Swenson, U., Hill, R. S. & McLoughlin, S. (2001) Biogeography of Nothofagus supports the sequence of Gondwana break-up.
Taxon, 50, 1025-1041.
Taylor, K. J., Lowe, A. J., Hunter, R. J., Ridgway, T., Gresshoff, P. M. & Rossetto, M. (2005) Genetic diversity and regional
identity in the Australian remnant Nothofagus moorei. Australian Journal of Botany, 53, 437-444.
S3 Null Models.
A null model randomization procedure was carried out to ensure that calculated metrics were not simply an
artefact resulting from differences in species’ abundances (a more abundant species will have more
interactions just because it has been observed more). Calculated metrics were compared with metrics
calculated using the ‘Patefield’ null model, which constrains marginal totals, but scatters interactions across
all species (Dormann et al. 2009). For each network metric, 1000 null model metrics were generated and
compared with the observed values using a Z test.
For calculations of quantitative generality, vulnerability and connectance (for each web) our observed values
were more than two standard deviations away from the mean of the values calculated using the null model,
indicating that these metrics reflect real ecological properties (Table S3.1). In three cases, observed values
for interaction evenness were similar (within two standard deviations) to those calculated using the null
model (Table S3.1). Given that only three (out of twelve) metrics were not different to the null model, we
chose to continue to analyse interaction evenness, but acknowledge that values calculated for these three
sites may be a product of differences in species abundances. We also acknowledge that null values
calculated for the 900m site at Sheep Station Creek, may not be particularly reliable, given the small size of
the web (only two parasitoid species). In all other cases, null model webs were less sparse than observed
values, that is, they contained more links (Dormaan 2009). Observed metric values were less than the
average values produced from the null model, indicating that fewer interactions were observed than would
be expected by chance, if miners and parasitoids interacted randomly, given their abundances.
Table S3.1 Z test results for comparisons between observed metric values used in this study and metric values
calculated from the Patefield null model. BM = Bar Mountain, GM = Green Mountains, and SSC = Sheep
Station Creek. Highlighted metrics are those that were not different from the null model.
Site
Metric
Observed
value
Null mean
(Patefield)
Null SD
(Patefield)
Z score
493 BM
493 BM
493 BM
493 BM
510 GM
510 GM
510 GM
510 GM
557 SSC
557 SSC
557 SSC
557 SSC
706 BM
706 BM
706 BM
706 BM
757 GM
757 GM
757 GM
757 GM
744 SSC
744 SSC
744 SSC
744 SSC
924 BM
924 BM
924 BM
924 BM
928 GM
928 GM
Connectance
Interaction evenness
Generality
Vulnerability
Connectance
Interaction evenness
Generality
Vulnerability
Connectance
Interaction evenness
Generality
Vulnerability
Connectance
Interaction evenness
Generality
Vulnerability
Connectance
Interaction evenness
Generality
Vulnerability
Connectance
Interaction evenness
Generality
Vulnerability
Connectance
Interaction evenness
Generality
Vulnerability
Connectance
Interaction evenness
0.09
0.88
1.65
1.72
0.08
0.81
1.64
2.73
0.09
0.89
1.46
2.05
0.09
0.85
1.72
2.18
0.06
0.63
1.28
1.94
0.07
0.87
1.84
1.69
0.07
0.74
1.00
1.09
0.10
0.80
0.15
0.92
2.59
2.77
0.18
0.92
3.48
6.10
0.16
0.92
2.59
3.52
0.16
0.86
2.95
3.87
0.13
0.76
2.68
4.46
0.17
0.95
4.50
4.67
0.18
0.86
2.43
2.62
0.18
0.87
0.02
0.02
0.32
0.34
0.01
0.01
0.17
0.29
0.02
0.02
0.24
0.34
0.01
0.01
0.15
0.20
0.01
0.02
0.14
0.25
0.01
0.01
0.32
0.32
0.01
0.02
0.07
0.08
0.01
0.02
-3.17
-1.57
-2.98
-3.15
-11.65
-13.25
-10.93
-11.46
-4.34
-1.97
-4.69
-4.30
-8.26
-0.70
-7.97
-8.57
-9.99
-8.37
-10.01
-10.08
-9.22
-9.02
-8.36
-9.20
-20.62
-5.31
-20.16
-18.81
-7.48
-4.33
928 GM
928 GM
947 SSC
947 SSC
947 SSC
947 SSC
1128 BM
1128 BM
1128 BM
1128 BM
1159 GM
1159 GM
1159 GM
1159 GM
1059 SSC
1059 SSC
1059 SSC
1059 SSC
Generality
Vulnerability
Connectance
Interaction evenness
Generality
Vulnerability
Connectance
Interaction evenness
Generality
Vulnerability
Connectance
Interaction evenness
Generality
Vulnerability
Connectance
Interaction evenness
Generality
Vulnerability
1.51
2.86
0.08
0.24
1.00
1.00
0.07
0.68
1.00
1.21
0.07
0.72
1.00
1.88
0.06
0.43
1.00
1.26
2.64
4.72
0.09
0.30
1.18
1.18
0.13
0.83
1.86
2.16
0.15
0.83
2.14
3.68
0.10
0.57
1.76
2.07
0.16
0.27
0.00
0.01
0.03
0.03
0.02
0.04
0.21
0.25
0.00
0.01
0.07
0.12
0.00
0.01
0.05
0.06
-7.16
-6.89
-5.41
-5.41
-5.41
-5.41
-3.91
-3.40
-4.09
-3.81
-16.45
-8.41
-16.73
-15.37
-15.19
-9.63
-15.38
-13.61
S4 Testing food web metrics.
Table S4.1 AICc values for models with elevation, temperature or plant composition as explanatory variables.
The best fitting models (with the lowest AICc values) are highlighted in bold, but for most metrics there was
little difference in AICc between the different models.
Model 1: Metric~ Elevation*log(abundance)+(1|Location)
Model 2: Metric~ Temperature*log(abundance)+(1|Location)
Model 3: Metric~ Plant composition*log(abundance)+(1|Location)
Metric
Generality
Vulnerability
Connectance
Interaction evenness
Proportion of species
parasitised
# Leaf miner species
# Parasitoid species
AICc Model 1
16.928
41.577
-41.559
18.307
AICc Model 2
18.247
39.850
-42.452
16.505
AICc Model 3
29.602
41.769
-41.896
17.949
25.689
32.222
29.910
27.003
21.991
30.286
26.807
22.054
27.470
Table S4.2. Results of likelihood ratio tests for regressions of quantitative and qualitative network metrics with
either temperature or composition of mined plant species (PCoA Axis 1) as an explanatory variable. Minimum
models were obtained after model simplification. The interaction between elevation and the log abundance was
not significant in any case and was dropped from all models. χ² and P values are those obtained from
comparing models shown to models with temperature removed. Values highlighted in bold show where
temperature or plant composition was statistically significant (p < 0.05).
Maximum model: temperature*log(abundance)+(1|Location)
Index (dependent variable)
Quantitative
Generality
Vulnerability
Interaction evenness
Connectance
Qualitative
Proportion species parasitised
Leaf miner richness
Parasitoid richness
Minimum Model
χ²
d.f.
χ²
P
temperature+(1|location)
temperature+(1|location)
temperature+(1|location)
temperature+(1|location)
1
1
1
1
11.434
6.970
5.899
3.500
<0.001***
0.008**
0.015 *
0.059
temperature+(1|location)
temperature+(1|location)
log(abundance)+(1|location)
1
1
1
4.562
0.311
0.844
0.033 *
0.577
0.358
Minimum Model
χ²
d.f.
χ²
P
Elevation+(1|Location)
Elevation+log(abundance)+(1|Location)
Elevation+(1|Location)
Elevation+(1|Location)
1
1
1
1
5.344
8.557
2.880
1.656
0.021 *
0.003 **
0.090
0.198
Elevation+(1|Location)
Elevation+(1|Location)
log(abundance)+(1|Location)
1
1
1
4.649
0.169
5.212
0.031 *
0.681
0.023 *
Maximum model: Plant composition*log(abundance) +(1|Location)
Index (dependent variable)
Quantitative
Generality
Vulnerability
Interaction evenness
Connectance
Qualitative
Proportion species parasitised
Leaf miner richness
Parasitoid richness
Table S4.3 Regression coefficients from minimum models of quantitative network metrics. LME indicates
where linear mixed effects models were used (assuming a normal distribution) and GLMM indicates where
generalised linear models were used (assuming a Poisson distribution for richness data and a binomial
distribution for parasitism data).
Elevation minimum models
Dependent variable (LME)
Generality
Vulnerability
Interaction evenness
Connectance
Dependent variable (GLMM)
Proportion species parasitised
Leaf miner richness
Parasitoid richness
Coefficient
Intercept
Elevation
log(abundance)
Intercept
Elevation
log(abundance)
Intercept
Elevation
Intercept
Elevation
Coefficient
Intercept
Elevation
Intercept
Elevation
Intercept
log(abundance)
Estimate
SE
t value
1.0416
-0.0018
0.3006
0.2793
-0.0027
0.6509
1.0998
-0.0005
0.1015
0.0000
0.5095
0.0003
0.1167
1.2964
0.0008
0.2944
0.1928
0.0002
0.0158
0.0000
2.0440
-5.2210
2.5750
0.2150
-3.3740
2.2110
5.7030
-2.0760
6.4160
-1.4920
Estimate
SE
z value
1.0156
-0.0015
2.7295
-0.0002
2.8943
-0.1670
0.6220
0.0007
0.3002
0.0004
0.1748
0.1748
0.6330
-2.0800
9.0920
-0.5000
2.8130
-0.9550
Temperature minimum models
Dependent variable (LME)
Coefficient
Estimate
SE
t value
Generality
Intercept
Temperature
Intercept
Temperature
Intercept
Temperature
Intercept
Temperature
Coefficient
-0.9419
0.1800
-1.4052
0.2555
-0.3279
0.0821
0.0144
0.0051
Estimate
0.5023
0.0393
1.0642
0.0808
0.4159
0.0326
0.0347
0.0027
SE
-1.8750
4.5750
-1.3200
3.1600
-0.7880
2.5200
0.4150
1.8630
z value
-3.377
0.2452
2.1954
0.0306
2.8943
-0.1670
1.4767
0.1144
0.7026
0.0547
0.1748
0.1748
-2.287
2.1430
3.1250
0.5580
2.8130
-0.9550
Vulnerability
Interaction evenness
Connectance
Dependent variable (GLMM)
Proportion species parasitised
Leaf miner richness
Parasitoid richness
Intercept
Temperature
Intercept
Temperature
Intercept
log(abundance)
Table S4.3 (continued)
Plant composition minimum models
Dependent variable
Coefficient
Generality
Vulnerability
Interaction evenness
Connectance
Dependent variable (GLMM)
Proportion species parasitised
Leaf miner richness
Parasitoid richness
Intercept
Plant composition
Intercept
Plant composition
log(abundance)
Intercept
Plant composition
Intercept
Plant composition
Coefficient
Intercept
Plant composition
Intercept
Plant composition
Intercept
Plant composition
Estimate
SE
t value
1.342
0.006
-1.448
0.019
0.561
0.713
0.003
0.079
0.000
Estimate
0.080
0.003
1.716
0.006
0.292
0.053
0.002
0.004
0.000
SE
16.739
2.368
-0.844
3.177
1.920
13.343
1.647
18.453
1.217
z value
0.258
-0.011
2.583
0.001
1.906
0.009
0.163
0.005
0.079
0.003
0.118
0.004
1.589
-2.131
32.560
0.410
16.187
2.455
S5 Further details of translocation experiment.
Table S5.1 Total abundance of Platynotocis sp. (larvae) recorded across four sampling occasions (Aug. & Nov.
2011; Jan. & June 2012) and coverage of its host plant, Polyosma cunninghamii (recorded on one occasion: May
2012).
Elevation
Location
Abundance
(Platynoticis sp.
larvae)
495
510
557
706
744
757
924
928
947
1059
1128
1159
BM
GM
SC
BM
SC
GM
BM
GM
SC
SC
BM
GM
0
0
0
0
137
0
0
0
175
553
202
80
Coverage
(P.cunninghamii)
0
0
0
0
16
0
1
1
17
25
8
25