Canopy insect communities are shaped by the genes and phenotypes of their aspen hosts.

ABSTRACT: 1. Community genetics research aims to identify genetic and phenotypic mechanisms that shape communities as extended phenotypes. To date, most progress has been made identifying variation in herbivore communities associated with intraspecific variation in plants, with little focus on identifying specific genes or traits responsible for that variation. Here, we identify how extended phenotype variation of a foundation tree species, Populus tremuloides, arises from trait variation among individuals and specific genes. 2. We quantified heritability for 13 tree traits -- including phenology, defense chemistry, reproduction, and morphology -- and for 18 associated insect species (640,557 individuals). We performed genomic association analyses to identify genetic links to heritable traits and in

SUBMITTER: Morrow CJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12270107 | biostudies-literature | 2025

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature