TAKESHI MIKIUtsumi, ShunsukeShunsukeUtsumiAndo, YoshinoYoshinoAndoMiki, T.T.Miki2018-09-102018-09-102010http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?eid=2-s2.0-79959349657&partnerID=MN8TOARShttp://scholars.lib.ntu.edu.tw/handle/123456789/356694Plants have diverse ways of responding to damage by herbivores, such as changes in allelochemistry, physiology, morphology, growth, and phenology. These responses form the mechanistic basis for trait-mediated indirect interactions (TMIIs) between organisms on the plants. There is a growing appreciation that such TMIIs form complex networks (i. e., indirect interaction webs) in terrestrial plant-associated arthropod communities. Almost all previous studies have had the same framework: examining trait-mediated indirect effects within a single interactive unit consisting of one initiator of herbivore, a host plant as a mediator, and one receiver [trait-mediated indirect interaction unit (TMIU)]. However, this framework is too simple to understand the dynamics of the indirect interaction web. Recent studies suggest that there is a wide variety of interactions among TMIUs within a community, which may largely affect the outcomes of indirect effects in each unit. Here, we review recent advance in studies of trait-mediated indirect effects in plant-associated arthropod communities and explore the mechanisms of linkages among TMIUs. Then, we argue the importance of examining linkages among TMIUs as a new framework for future studies on the indirect interaction web. Finally, we propose the hypothesis that linkages among TMIUs contribute to the maintenance of biodiversity. © 2010 The Society of Population Ecology and Springer.Biodiversity; Community structure; Complexity; Herbivore-induced plant response; Plant-insect interaction; Plant-mediated indirect effect[SDGs]SDG15arthropod; ecological modeling; host plant; induced response; plant-herbivore interaction; plant-insect interaction; species diversity; Arthropoda; Hexapodajournal article10.1007/s10144-010-0237-2