ArticleGlobal change biology2025
Herbivore Population Differences Rival Geographic and Biophysical Variation in Structuring Ecosystem Function.
Article in Global change biology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
1 citing paper in PubMed.
- Herbivore Population Differences Rival Geographic and Biophysical Variation in Structuring Ecosystem Function.Global change biology · 2025Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
5 authors.
Funding
Abstract
Geographic variation in ecosystem function is often attributed to differences in climate and soil properties, with biophysical constraints assumed to dictate spatial patterns in nutrient cycling, carbon storage, and plant productivity. However, biotic interactions, particularly herbivory, also vary geographically and can generate feedbacks that influence ecosystem processes. Using a replicated three-year field experiment, we tested how population-level functional differences in a widespread arthropod herbivore mediate geographic variation in ecosystem function. Structural equation modeling revealed that herbivores exerted strong direct effects on plant biomass, soil carbon, and nitrogen mineralization, often surpassing the influence of historical conditions and geographic variation in climate. Moreover, functionally distinct herbivore populations had divergent effects on nutrient cycling and plant diversity, demonstrating that population-level differences introduce novel pathways of influence on ecosystem function. These findings challenge ecosystem models that prioritize abiotic constraints and highlight the need to incorporate consumer-driven feedbacks into ecological frameworks.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.