Herbivory and water availability interact to shape the adaptive landscape in the perennial forb, Boechera stricta.

ABSTRACT: Abiotic and biotic factors interact to influence phenotypic evolution; however, identifying the causal agents of selection that drive the evolution and expression of traits remains challenging. In a field common garden, we manipulated water availability and herbivore abundance across 3 years, and evaluated clinal variation in functional traits and phenology, phenotypic plasticity, local adaptation, and selection using diverse accessions of the perennial forb, Boechera stricta. Consistent with expectations, drought stress exacerbated damage from herbivores. We found significant plasticity and genetic clines in foliar and phenological traits. Water availability and herbivory interacted to exert selection, even on traits like flowering duration, which showed no clinal variation. Furthermore,

SUBMITTER: Jameel MI 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11965616 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature