Plant Trait Responses to Drought and Herbivory

To investigate the interacting effects of herbivory and drought on the above-ground chemistry and physical characteristics of narrowleaf milkweed (Asclepias fascicularis), we planted 15 genotypes with six replicates from a precipitation gradient in northern Nevada in a common garden at the University of Nevada, Reno. Plants were randomly assigned to either drought or control treatments, with a subset also subjected to 10 to 15% herbivory damage by monarch butterfly larvae (Danaus plexippus). Currently, I am deploying protective measures such as netting and pop-tents for our 'munching machines' in the field. Future chemical analysis of the plants will examine the intraspecific chemical variation among the milkweeds, focusing on the local adaptation of different populations to specific environmental conditions.