Data from: Complex consequences of herbivory and interplant cues in three annual plants

Information exchange (or signaling) between plants following herbivore damage has recently been shown to affect plant responses to herbivory in relatively simple natural systems. In a large, manipulative field study using three annual plant species (Achyrachaena mollis, Lupinus nanus, and Sinapis arvensis), we tested whether experimental damage to a neighboring conspecific affected a plant's lifetime fitness and interactions with herbivores. By manipulating relatedness between plants, we assessed whether genetic relatedness of neighboring individuals influenced the outcome of having a damaged neighbor. Additionally, in laboratory feeding assays, we assessed whether damage to a neighboring plant specifically affected palatability to a generalist herbivore and, for S. arvensis, a specialist herbivore. Our study suggested a high level of contingency in the outcomes of plant signaling. For example, in the field, damaging a neighbor resulted in greater herbivory to A. mollis, but only when the damaged neighbor was a close relative. Similarly, in laboratory trials, the palatability of S. arvensis to a generalist herbivore increased after the plant was exposed to a damaged neighbor, while palatability to a specialist herbivore decreased. Across all species, damage to a neighbor resulted in decreased lifetime fitness, but only if neighbors were closely related. These results suggest that the outcomes of plant signaling within multi-species neighborhoods may be far more context-specific than has been previously shown. In particular, our study shows that herbivore interactions and signaling between plants are contingent on the genetic relationship between neighboring plants. Many factors affect the outcomes of plant signaling, and studies that clarify these factors will be necessary in order to assess the role of plant information exchange about herbivory in natural systems.植食性昆虫取食造成植物损伤后，植物间的信息交流（或称信号传导，plant signaling）在较为简单的自然系统中，已被证实可调控植物对植食作用的响应。本研究依托一项针对三种一年生植物——美丽匙叶草（*Achyrachaena mollis*）、矮羽扇豆（*Lupinus nanus*）与野芥菜（*Sinapis arvensis*）——的大型操控性野外实验，探究对邻近同种个体的人工损伤是否会影响目标植物的终生适合度及其与植食性昆虫的互作关系。通过操控植物间的亲缘关系，本研究评估了邻近个体的遗传亲缘度是否会对受损邻株带来的效应产生影响。此外，本研究还通过实验室取食实验，探究了邻近植株遭受损伤是否会特异性改变目标植物对广食性植食昆虫的适口性；针对野芥菜（*S. arvensis*），还额外检测了其对专食性植食昆虫的适口性变化。本研究结果表明，植物信号传导的效应存在高度情境依赖性。例如，野外实验中，仅当受损邻株为近缘个体时，对邻株的人工损伤才会导致美丽匙叶草（*A. mollis*）承受更严重的植食为害。与之类似，实验室取食实验显示，当野芥菜（*S. arvensis*）暴露于受损邻株环境后，其对广食性植食昆虫的适口性有所提升，而对专食性植食昆虫的适口性则出现下降。在所有供试物种中，仅当邻株为近缘个体时，邻株受损才会导致目标植物的终生适合度下降。上述结果表明，多物种群落中植物间的信号传导效应，其情境特异性可能远超此前的研究报道。尤为重要的是，本研究证实，植物间的信号传导及植食互作效应，取决于邻株间的遗传亲缘关系。植物信号传导的效应受诸多因素影响，未来需开展相关研究厘清这些影响因子，方能准确评估植食相关的植物信息交流在自然系统中的作用。