Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 29, 2026

Herbivore-induced Blueberry Volatiles and Intra-plant Signaling
Published on: December 18, 2011
Insect herbivory, plant defense, and early Cenozoic climate change
P Wilf1, C C Labandeira, K R Johnson
1Museum of Paleontology and Department of Geological Sciences, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1079, USA. pwilf@umich.edu
Abstract:
Insect damage on fossil leaves from the Central Rocky Mountains, United States, documents the response of herbivores to changing regional climates and vegetation during the late Paleocene (humid, warm temperate to subtropical, predominantly deciduous), early Eocene (humid subtropical, mixed deciduous and evergreen), and middle Eocene (seasonally dry, subtropical, mixed deciduous and thick-leaved evergreen). During all three time periods, greater herbivory occurred on taxa considered to have short rather than long leaf life spans, consistent with studies in living forests that demonstrate the insect resistance of long-lived, thick leaves. Variance in herbivory frequency and diversity was highest during the middle Eocene, indicating the increased representation of two distinct herbivory syndromes: one for taxa with deciduous, palatable foliage, and the other for hosts with evergreen, thick-textured, small leaves characterized by elevated insect resistance. Leaf galling, which is negatively correlated with moisture today, apparently increased during the middle Eocene, whereas leaf mining decreased.
More Related Videos
05:56Detached Leaf Assays to Simplify Gene Expression Studies in Potato During Infestation by Chewing Insect Manduca sexta
Published on: May 15, 2019
10:14Reconstructing Terrestrial Paleoclimate and Paleoecology with Fossil Leaves Using Digital Leaf Physiognomy and Leaf Mass Per Area
Published on: October 25, 2024
Related Concept Videos
Global Climate Change
Introduction to Plant Diversity
Adaptations that Reduce Water Loss
Epiphytes, Parasites, and Carnivores
Responses to Heat and Cold Stress
Defenses Against Pathogens and Herbivores