K.B. Stricker, W.W. Dillon, S.L. Flory
An investigation into phenotypic plasticity of Microstegium across latitudinal gradients of light and herbivory.
Seeds were sourced from 12 populations spanning six degrees of latitude and then grown in a common greenhouse experiment. There were 2-3 seeds per plot and they were exposed to either shade or ambient lighting for the duration of the experiment. The shade treatment decreased light by ~90%.
An herbivory treatment was implemented initially using fall army worms (FAW). Herbivory reduced overhead leaf area by 13.1% on average before FAW pupation. Because we were interested in a much more significant level of herbivory, we supplemented damage by FAW by removing most of the remaining leaf biomass by hand, resulting in a total reduction of 45.5% overhead leaf area.