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10:20
Linking Predation Risk, Herbivore Physiological Stress and Microbial Decomposition of Plant Litter
Published on: March 12, 2013
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Climate change alters plant-herbivore interactions
Elena Hamann1,2, Cameron Blevins1, Steven J Franks2
1Department of Genetics and Odum School of Ecology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30602, USA.
The New Phytologist
|October 28, 2020
Summary
Climate change intensifies plant-herbivore interactions, increasing herbivory and altering development. Understanding these shifts is crucial for predicting future ecological disruptions and coevolution.
Area of Science:
- Ecology
- Evolutionary Biology
- Climate Change Science
Background:
- Plant-herbivore interactions are shaped by coevolution and abiotic factors.
- Paleontological data indicate increased herbivory during past warming events.
- Current human activities are rapidly altering global climate conditions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate how abiotic factors influence plant and herbivore traits.
- To evaluate the impact of climate change on plant-herbivore interactions.
- To predict future disruptions in these ecological relationships.
Main Methods:
- Phylogenetically corrected meta-analyses were employed.
- Influence of elevated temperatures, CO2 concentrations, drought, and nutrients on herbivory and development was assessed.
- Effects on both annual and perennial plants were examined.
Main Results:
- Elevated temperatures, CO2, drought, and nutrients increase herbivore consumption.
- CO2 delays, while higher temperatures accelerate, herbivore development.
- Increased temperatures, CO2, and drought enhance foliar herbivory in annuals and potentially florivory in perennials.
Conclusions:
- Climate change factors significantly alter plant-herbivore interactions.
- Concurrent climate shifts necessitate multifactorial studies for robust predictions.
- Phenological and distributional shifts may lead to ecological mismatches, driving future adaptation and coevolution.
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