Plant size, latitude, and phylogeny explain within-population variability in herbivory
The Herbivory Variability Network* †, Moria Robinson, Philip G. Hahn, Brian D. Inouye, Nora Underwood, Susan R. Whitehead, Kevin C. Abbott, Emilio M. Bruna, N. Ivalú Cacho, Lee A. Dyer, Luis Abdala‐Roberts, Warwick J. Allen, Janete F. Andrade, Diego F. Angulo, Daniela O. Anjos, Daniel N. Anstett, Robert Bagchi, Sumanta Bagchi, Milton Barbosa, Spencer C. H. Barrett, Carina A. Baskett, Eyal Ben-Simchon, Kathryn J. Bloodworth, J. L. Bronstein, Yvonne M. Buckley, Karin T. Burghardt, Carlos Bustos‐Segura, Eduardo Soares Calixto, Raquel L. Carvalho, Bastien Castagneyrol, Mariana C. Chiuffo, Damla Cinoğlu, Elizeth Cinto Mejía, Marina C. Cock, Rodrigo Cogni, Olivia L. Cope, Tatiana Cornelissen, Diego Cortez, David W. Crowder, Caroline Dallstream, Wesley Dáttilo, Jules K. Davis, Romina D. Dimarco, Haley E. Dole, Ikponmwosa Nathaniel Egbon, Michael Eisenring, Afure J. Ejomah, Bret D. Elderd, María‐José Endara, Micky D. Eubanks, S. E. Everingham, Keiko N. Farah, Rafael de Paiva Farias, A. P. Fernandes, G. Wilson Fernandes, Marco Ferrante, Adam Finn, G. A. Florjancic, M. L. Forister, Quinn N. Fox, Enric Frago, Filipe França, A. S. Getman-Pickering, Zoe L. Getman‐Pickering, Ernesto Gianoli, Ben Gooden, Martin M. Goßner, Keri Greig, Sofia Gripenberg, Ronny Groenteman, Patrick Grof‐Tisza, Neville Haack, LeRoy Hahn, Shazia Haq, Anjel M. Helms, Justus Hennecke, Sara L. Hermann, Liza M. Holeski, Sille Holm, M. C. Hutchinson, Eleanor E. Jackson, Shinnosuke Kagiya, Aino Kalske, Michael Kalwajtys, Richard Karban, Rupesh Kariyat, Tamar Keasar, Mônica F. Kersch‐Becker, Heather M. Kharouba, Tae Nyun Kim, Duncan M. Kimuyu, Jennifer Kluse, Sally E. Koerner, Kimberly J. Komatsu, Smitha Krishnan, Miika Laihonen, Lucas Lamelas-López, Michael C. LaScaleia, Nicolas Lecomte, Carlos Rodrigo Lehn
Abstract
Interactions between plants and herbivores are central in most ecosystems, but their strength is highly variable. The amount of variability within a system is thought to influence most aspects of plant-herbivore biology, from ecological stability to plant defense evolution. Our understanding of what influences variability, however, is limited by sparse data. We collected standardized surveys of herbivory for 503 plant species at 790 sites across 116° of latitude. With these data, we show that within-population variability in herbivory increases with latitude, decreases with plant size, and is phylogenetically structured. Differences in the magnitude of variability are thus central to how plant-herbivore biology varies across macroscale gradients. We argue that increased focus on interaction variability will advance understanding of patterns of life on Earth.