Herbivory through the ages: Herbarium specimens for determining effects of plant traits on changing insect damage to plants

Citation:

Emily K Meineke, Charles C Davis, and Jonathan T Davies. 11/20/2019. “Herbivory through the ages: Herbarium specimens for determining effects of plant traits on changing insect damage to plants.” Entomology 11/20/2019.

Abstract:

Some of the most consequential interactions expected to shift with climate change are between insect herbivores and plants, both of which are highly sensitive to temperature. Historically, insect herbivores and their host plants display varying levels of synchrony that could be disrupted or enhanced by climate change. Here, we use herbarium specimens collected over the past 100+ years to explore how phenological sensitivity, bloom/leaf-out season, and plant growth form affect changing insect damage to leaves. Our results suggest that warming may lengthen growing seasons for phenologically sensitive species, exposing them to more damage from resident or novel herbivores early in the growing season.
See also: 2016-2020