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Range-wide variations in common milkweed traits and their effect on monarch larvae
David S DeLaMater1, John J Couture2, Joshua R Puzey1
1Department of Biology, William & Mary, 540 Landrum Drive, Williamsburg, VA, 23185, USA.
American Journal of Botany
|April 1, 2021
Summary
Leaf economic spectrum (LES) theory and plant traits influence monarch butterfly development. Environmental factors drive common milkweed (Asclepias syriaca) traits, impacting herbivore performance across its range.
Area of Science:
- Ecology
- Evolutionary Biology
- Plant Science
Background:
- Leaf Economic Spectrum (LES) theory traditionally models ecosystem processes but overlooks intraspecific variation and biotic interactions.
- Integrating environment-plant trait-herbivore interactions within a species at a range-wide scale is crucial for comprehensive ecological understanding.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate intraspecific variation in common milkweed (Asclepias syriaca) traits across its range.
- To determine the influence of environmental factors on these trait variations.
- To assess the impact of plant traits on monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus) larval development.
Main Methods:
- Measured traits in 53 common milkweed populations across its geographic range.
- Utilized a common garden experiment to isolate environmental influences on trait variation.
- Conducted feeding trials with monarch larvae to evaluate the role of plant traits in larval development.
Main Results:
- Trait-trait relationships aligned with LES theory and persisted in common garden settings.
- Common milkweed exhibited significant intraspecific variation and biogeographic clines in traits, though these clines diminished in the common garden.
- Monarch larvae demonstrated enhanced growth and consumption on milkweed with higher nitrogen content, linked to precipitation gradients.
Conclusions:
- Biogeographic patterns in common milkweed traits are influenced by environmental conditions and impact monarch larval performance.
- Alterations in milkweed nutrient dynamics can affect monarch population dynamics.
- Intraspecific variation trends significantly shape key ecological interactions, particularly in widespread species.
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