Data and code from: Volatile organic compounds diversity mediates tree diversity-insect herbivory relationships

The effects of plant diversity on insect herbivory are inconsistent in the
literature, highlighting the need for further mechanistic understanding.
Plant volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are influenced by plant diversity
and related to insect herbivory. However, the role of VOCs in mediating
plant diversity effects on insect herbivory remains poorly explored. Here,
we investigated chewing insect herbivory of 128,818 leaves from 2606
trees, measured leaf VOCs from 137 tree individuals, and assessed tree
growth across a tree species richness gradient in a Biodiversity-Ecosystem
Functioning experiment in southern China. We aimed to explore the
mechanisms underlying tree diversity effects on insect herbivory by
examining the roles of plant VOCs.

现有文献中，植物多样性对昆虫植食的影响结论并不一致，这凸显了开展进一步机制性研究的必要性。植物挥发性有机化合物（Volatile Organic Compounds，VOCs）会受到植物多样性的调控，且与昆虫植食过程密切相关。然而，目前针对挥发性有机化合物在介导植物多样性对昆虫植食的影响过程中所发挥的作用，相关研究仍较为匮乏。本研究依托中国南方开展的一项生物多样性-生态系统功能实验，针对2606棵树木的128818片叶片开展了咀嚼式昆虫植食危害调查，对137棵树木的叶片挥发性有机化合物进行了测定，并沿树木物种丰富度梯度评估了树木生长状况。本研究旨在通过解析植物挥发性有机化合物的作用，揭示树木多样性影响昆虫植食危害的内在机制。