Data for: Shifts in plant-invertebrate interactions between wild and ex-situ conservation populations of a critically endangered tree

Ex-situ conservation is an effective approach to prevent the extinction of
endangered species. Biotic interactions (eg herbivory and pollination) are
critical to ex-situ conservation success, including plant establishment,
survival, and reproduction. However, shifts in biotic interactions between
wild and ex-situ populations are still poorly understood.  We
compared herbivory and pollination characteristics between the only wild
population (WP) and three ex-situ populations (LP, local population,
nearby WP; NP, north population, ca. 850 km; and SP, south population, ca.
750 km) of a critically endangered tree species (Sinojackia huangmeiensis)
to explore the latitudinal changes in plant-invertebrate
interactions.  Larvae of the Limacodidae family were the dominant
herbivores in WP, LP, and NP, while the only herbivore observed in SP was
a snail. Compared to WP, the leaf herbivory rate was unchanged in LP but
decreased in NP and SP. Leaf defense traits (total phenols, tannins, leaf
thickness, and leaf dry matter content) increased or remained unchanged in
the three ex-situ populations. A pollinator (Apis cerana) of S.
huangmeiensis was present in the four populations. NP and SP lacked some
pollinators that were found in both WP and LP, but they shared one
pollinator that was not observed in WP and LP. The pollinator visiting
frequency increased in SP, while it did not change significantly in LP and
NP. Synthesis and applications: Our results suggested that both herbivory
and pollination of S. huangmeiensis changed in ex-situ populations, with
complete or partial changes in herbivores, leaf herbivory rate,
pollinators, pollinator visiting frequency, and fruit set in the two
distant ex-situ populations. This work provides a unique empirical study
of shifts in both antagonistic and mutualistic biotic interactions between
wild and ex-situ populations. We emphasized that it is essential to
integrate herbivore and pollinator management in future ex-situ
conservation of plant species.