Percentage leaf herbivory across vascular plant species

摘要: Herbivory is viewed as a major driver of plant evolution and the most important energy pathway from plants to higher trophic levels. Therefore, understanding patterns herbivory on remains key focus in ecology. The evolutionary impacts leaf include altering fitness, local adaptation, defenses, diversification well natural enemies. Leaf also ecological processes such productivity, community composition, ecosystem nutrient cycling. Understanding impact these requires species-specific, opposed community-level, measures herbivory. In addition, species-specific data enables use modern comparative methods account for phylogenetic non-independence. Although hundreds studies have measured rates consumption, we are unaware any accessible compilation data. We created set provide raw needed test general hypotheses relating plant–herbivore interactions influence biotic abiotic factors across large spatial scales. A repository will make this endeavor more efficient robust. total, compiled 2641 population-level either annual or daily 1145 species vascular collected 189 studies. All damage represent occurrences that span numerous angiosperm, gymnosperm, fern species. To enable researchers explore causes variation how might interact, added information about study sites including: geolocation, climate classification, habitat descriptions (e.g., seashore, grassland, forest, agricultural fields), trait concerning growth form duration vs. perennial). included extensive details methodology used measure damage, including seasons months sampling, age leaves, method estimate percentage area missing. anticipate it possible literature, apparency hypothesis, latitudinal-herbivory defense resource availability macroevolutionary escalation hypothesis.