Moreira et al. 2024

In this study, we conducted a broad-scale study across three distant regions (California, Spain, and Sweden), comparing plant defenses and insect herbivory in serpentine and non-serpentine habitats within each region. We performed in situ leaf sampling for 78 plant species to quantify leaf damage by chewing insects, as well as plant secondary metabolites, nutrients, and physical traits potentially associated with herbivory. To gain mechanistic insight into soil bottom-up effects, we collected soil samples and quantified a suite of variables such as pH, texture, nutrient content, and heavy metal content. We aimed to determine whether these variables predicted variation in plant traits and herbivory, and to test for plant trait-mediated effects on leaf herbivory.