Aphid Colony Size in Tansy is Affected by Plant Chemical Composition but not by Belowground Herbivory.

ABSTRACT: Plants are hosts for above- and belowground insect communities that can influence each other via above-belowground plant-physiological dynamics. To mediate interactions, plants produce secondary metabolites, including terpenoids, and mixtures can differ intraspecifically. While intraspecific variation in plant chemistry gained increased interest, the extent to which intraspecific differences in plant chemistry mediate above-belowground interactions of herbivores remains unclear. We used a full factorial design with six distinct terpenoid chemotypes, differing in their chemical diversity of tansy (Tanacetum vulgare). We exposed these to the aboveground herbivore Macrosiphoniella tanacetaria (Hemiptera: Aphididae), the belowground herbivore Agriotes sp. (Coleoptera: Elateridae), no herbivore

SUBMITTER: Neuhaus-Harr A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12122609 | biostudies-literature | 2025 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature