Intraspecific variation in host plant traits mediates taxonomic and functional composition of local insect herbivore communities

Abstract

1. Host plant phenotypic traits affect the structure of the associated consumer community and mediate species interactions. Intraspecific variation in host traits is well documented, although a functional understanding of variable traits that drive herbivore community response is lacking. We address this gap by modelling the trait‐environment relationship using insect traits and host plant traits in a multilevel model.2. We compare herbivore assemblages from the canopy of the phenotypically variable tree Metrosideros polymorpha on Hawai‘i Island. Multiple distinct varieties of M. polymorpha frequently co‐occur, with variation in morphological traits. Using this system, we identify host and insect traits that underlie patterns of herbivore abundance and quantify the strength of host‐insect trait interactions.3. This work examines plant‐insect interactions at a community scale, across 36 herbivore species in three orders. We find that co‐occurring trees of varying phenotype support distinct communities. Leaf traits, including specific leaf area, trichome presence, and leaf nutrients, explain 46% of variation in insect communities. We find that feeding guild and nymphal life history are correlated with host plant traits, and we show that model predictions are improved by including the host and insect trait interaction.4. This study demonstrates how insect herbivores traits influence community response to morphologically variable hosts. Environmental heterogeneity indirectly affected herbivore community structure via intraspecific variation in host plants, providing an important source of variation for maintaining diversity in the broader community.