Data for 'Weak latitudinal gradients in insect herbivory for dominant rangeland grasses of North America'

Data for Kent et al. Accepted manuscript in Ecology and Evolution,
with abstract: Patterns of insect herbivory may follow predictable
geographical gradients, with greater herbivory at low latitudes.
However, biogeographic studies of insect herbivory often do not
account for multiple abiotic factors (e.g. precipitation, soil
nutrients) that could underlie gradients. We tested for latitudinal
clines in insect herbivory as well as climatic, edaphic, and
trait-based drivers of herbivory. We quantified herbivory on five
dominant grass species over 23 sites across the Great Plains, USA. We
examined the importance of climate, edaphic factors, and traits as
correlates of herbivory. Herbivory increased at low latitudes when all
grass species were analysed together and for two grass species
individually, while two other grasses trended in this direction.
Higher precipitation was related to more herbivory for two species but
less herbivory for a different species, while higher specific root
length was related to more herbivory for one species and less
herbivory for a different species. Taken together, results highlight
that climate and trait-based correlates of herbivory can be highly
contextual and species specific. Patterns of insect herbivory on
dominant grasses supports the hypothesis that herbivory increases
towards lower latitudes, though weakly, and indicates that climate
change may have species-specific effects on plant-herbivore
interactions.