Do common plant species
experience more herbivory
than rare plant species?

Objective

To determine the relationship between herbivore damage in rare plant species in comparison to common species.

Common plants will have a

damage

as they are easier for
herbivores to find

Rare plants will have a

as they are sparse and
therefore more difficult for
herbivores to find

What is Herbivory and
Variability?

field surveys (using HerVar protocol)
measuring reproductive structures, damage levels, observed herbivores, and herbivory types on each species
- using these to calculate the mean along with other metrics of variability (such as variance and skew) to compare if the common and rare plant species metrics differ.

understanding variability can greatly aid in understanding plant-herbivore interactions
advancing ecological and evolutionary models
implications in agricultural practices