Flower-eating insects thrive at higher altitudes in Brazil

Mountain flowers face increased insect damage as elevation rises, potentially impacting plant reproduction.

Gélvez-Zúñiga and colleagues studied how flower-eating insects affect plants along an elevation gradient in Brazil’s campo rupestre ecosystem. They found that flowers at higher altitudes suffer more damage from insects, which could reduce plant reproduction and influence ecosystem dynamics in mountainous regions.

The team surveyed flowering plants across 30 plots ranging from 823 to 1411 meters above sea level. They recorded the number of flowers, flowering duration, and insect damage on over 12,000 plants. Floral damage was assessed by examining petals and other floral structures for signs of insect feeding, such as pistil or stamens.

Of the more than 12,000 flowering individuals examined, nearly a quarter of them exhibiting some sign of flower damage. Interestingly, as elevation increased, a higher proportion of flowers on individual plants were attacked by insects. Plants with longer flowering periods experienced more damage, especially at higher altitudes, suggesting that prolonged flower display may attract more insect pests.

Previous studies have shown that insect abundance typically decreases with elevation. Still, this research led by Gélvez-Zúñiga shows that flower-eating insects from this ecosystem buck this trend, potentially due to limited food resources at higher altitudes. This finding highlights the complex interactions between plants and insects in mountain ecosystems.

Gélvez-Zúñiga, I., Beirão, M., Novais, S., Santiago, J.C. and Fernandes, G.W., 2024. Floral resource availability declines and florivory increases along an elevation gradient in a highly biodiverse community. Annals of Botany, mcae155, https://doi.org/10.1093/aob/mcae155 

Cross-posted to Bluesky, Mastodon & Threads.