Effects of experimental warming on herbivory and fungal pathogen load on subalpine grasses
Abstract
Rising global temperatures are predicted to alter community dynamics by shifting species ranges and altering biotic interactions. Herbivory is expected to increase with prolonged growing seasons and heightened animal metabolic rates; pathogen damage may increase as well. Thus, we investigated whether damage by herbivores and pathogens on subalpine grass species would increase with warming. We compared percentage aboveground herbivory and foliar pathogen loads on three grass species (Festuca thurberi, Poa pratensis, and Achnatherum lettermanii) using a long-term experimental warming treatment in which plots subjected to experimental warming by infrared heaters alternated with ambient control plots. Within our warming plots there was an increase in the magnitude of herbivory for two of the three subalpine grass species observed. This increase in herbivory suggests that with global warming the damage from insects on grasses will can increase, but may be species specific.
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References (23)
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