07/17/2025
Ecology
Canopy insect communities are shaped by the genes and phenotypes of their aspen hosts
Morrow and colleagues identified the genetic links between heritable aspen tree traits and the insect herbivore communities they host. Tree size, leaf metabolites, leaf thickness, and nutritional composition all influenced insect species diversity, with 88 aspen genes found to drive these interactions.
Image credit: Canyon Nature Trail by Famartin, CC BY-SA 3.0
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