Plant richness, land use and temperature differently shape invertebrate leaf-chewing herbivory on plant functional groups.

ABSTRACT: Higher temperatures can increase metabolic rates and carbon demands of invertebrate herbivores, which may shift leaf-chewing herbivory among plant functional groups differing in C:N (carbon:nitrogen) ratios. Biotic factors influencing herbivore species richness may modulate these temperature effects. Yet, systematic studies comparing leaf-chewing herbivory among plant functional groups in different habitats and landscapes along temperature gradients are lacking. This study was conducted on 80 plots covering large gradients of temperature, plant richness and land use in Bavaria, Germany. We investigated proportional leaf area loss by chewing invertebrates ('herbivory') in three plant functional groups on open herbaceous vegetation. As potential drivers, we considered local mean temperature

SUBMITTER: Fricke U 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9225970 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature