Off-target drift of the herbicide dicamba disrupts plant-pollinator interactions via novel pathways

While herbicide use in agriculture is expected to have many effects on surrounding weed communities, it is largely unknown how plant exposure to sublethal doses of herbicide may subsequently impact plant-pollinator interactions. We tested the hypothesis that sublethal herbicide exposure indirectly alters plant-pollinator interactions through changes in plant traits, and specifically through alterations in floral display.
Using a common garden experiment, we exposed 11 weed species to the herbicide dicamba and examined the potential for changes in pollinator abundance and patterns of pollinator visitation as well as alterations to plant traits.
We found variation among plant species in the extent of damage from dicamba drift, and variation in size, flowering time, and flower displays, with some plant species showing negative impacts and others showing little effect. Pollinator frequencies were reduced in dicamba-exposed plots, and pollinator visits were reduced for some weed species yet ..., Plant growth, damage, day of flowering and number of flowers following dicamba drift exposure were measured on eleven commen weed species during a replicated common garden field experiment. Data has been processed and cleaned to reflect the contents of this study. Scripts for the analyses in this study are also included., , # Off-target drift of the herbicide dicamba disrupts plant-pollinator interactions via novel pathways

Regina S Baucom1, Veronica Iriart, Anah Soble, Matthew R. Armstrong, and Tia-Lynn Ashman

[https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.5x69p8ddt](https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.5x69p8ddt)

## Description of the data and file structure

### Key for headers in \"DicambaMasterDatasheet2021.csv\" and \"Pollinator\_2021\_reformat.csv\"

Data collected from a common garden field experiment conducted with eleven weed species and the herbicide dicamba. Note that NA filled in cells of either datasheet indicates data not present or is not relevant.

### Files and variables

#### File: DicambaMasterDatasheet2021.csv

**Description:** Plant growth and damage data

##### Variables

column label description

* ID Individual plant id
* num.label: front side of the tags on the plants in the field-- every plot is numbered 1-66. All except plot 11 have 13 columns and 6 rows, the counting is left to right top to bottom Plo...