Tag: herbivory

Behind the paper

Oriana Sánchez-Mahecha: What are the potential single and combined effects of heatwaves and extremes in water availability on microbe-plant interactions and the consequences that may leave on posterior plant-insect interactions?  

In this new post, Oriana Sánchez-Mahecha – a PhD student from the Technical University of Munich, Germany – presents her work “Microbe-induced plant resistance against insect pests depends on timing of inoculation but is consistent across climatic conditions”. Here, she discusses the importance of including extreme abiotic factors associated to climate change scenarios when studying bacteria-plant-insect interactions, shows how they might influence microbe-plant associations and … Continue reading Oriana Sánchez-Mahecha: What are the potential single and combined effects of heatwaves and extremes in water availability on microbe-plant interactions and the consequences that may leave on posterior plant-insect interactions?  

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Behind the paper

Carla Vázquez González: Deciphering the context-dependency of plant communication: How does drought stress affect plant-plant signalling by volatile organic compounds?

In our latest post, Carla Vázquez González—a postdoctoral researcher from the University of California-Irvine—presents her last work ‘Effect of water availability on volatile-mediated communication between potato plants in response to insect herbivory’. In this post, she sheds new light on how plants communicate to overcome adversity, discusses the striking results in her paper, and shares her thought about the rough path early-career ecologists currently face. … Continue reading Carla Vázquez González: Deciphering the context-dependency of plant communication: How does drought stress affect plant-plant signalling by volatile organic compounds?

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Behind the paper

Yanjun Li: Herbivory increases the dominance of invasive alien species

In this post, Ms. Yanjun Li, PhD student at Northeast Institute of Geography and Agroecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, China, presents her latest work: “Herbivory may mediate the effects of nutrients on the dominance of alien plants.” She discusses how the level and fluctuation of nutrient availability interacts with the trophic level to affect plant invasion. About the paper It is frequently assumed that increases … Continue reading Yanjun Li: Herbivory increases the dominance of invasive alien species

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Robin Heinen in his favorite office, outside, at a newly established plant chemodiversity field experiment at Dürnast Experimental Station, Freising, Germany.
Behind the paper

Robin Heinen: Feeding from up to bottom: belowground herbivory impacts on plant-soil feedbacks

In this new post, Robin Heinen from the Netherlands Institute of Ecology presents his latest work ‘Foliar herbivory creates subtle soil legacy effects that alter future herbivores via changes in plant community biomass allocation’, discuss the importance of complex interactions to understand ecological communities and shares his worries about not being able to disconnect from nature when you are ecologist. About the paper In early … Continue reading Robin Heinen: Feeding from up to bottom: belowground herbivory impacts on plant-soil feedbacks

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Michel at the WisAsp common garden
Behind the paper

Michael Eisenring: Within-crown heterogeneity can affect herbivore performance in tree canopies

Dr. Michael Eisenring presents his work at University of Wisconsin titled “Spatial, genetic and biotic factors shape within‐crown leaf trait variation and herbivore performance in a foundation tree species”. He discusses the importance of sub-individual trait variation and how overcoming his fear to heights was worth it. 

Continue reading “Michael Eisenring: Within-crown heterogeneity can affect herbivore performance in tree canopies”
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Charlotte Poeydebat taking notes in the field (c) Soline MARTIN-BLANGY
Behind the paper

Charlotte Poeydebat: Effects of tree diversity on forest resistance to insect herbivores

Charlotte Poeydebat, postdoc at University of Bordeaux, presents her work “Climate affects neighbour‐induced changes in leaf chemical defences and tree diversity–herbivory relationships”, discusses the importance of research networks to address general questions in ecology and share her passion for ecosystems research. 

Continue reading “Charlotte Poeydebat: Effects of tree diversity on forest resistance to insect herbivores”
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