Latitudinal gradients in leaf herbivory damage in four temperate tree species

Adams, Jonathan

A study of leaf damage as linked to different latitudes, looking at four different temperate tree species. Hypothesis testing: "Essentially this work is intended to provide a much-needed test to the following hypothesis: that due to trends in mean annual temperature and in the length and intensity of the winter cold season, there will be a significant latitudinal trend in herbivore leaf damage within each tree species from north to south, with more southerly localities experiencing more leaf damage. The research proposed here breaks new ground by studying several tree species at numerous sites over a wide latitudinal gradient, using closely standardized methods." This is really still a project proposal, and though some preliminary work has been done, it does not appear that any work has been done in the Park as of yet. The study season for this project is summer of 2007 and 2008; therefore, if Acadia National Park lies within the latitudinal transect chosen for this study, work will commence in the park at that time. Introduction, methods, potential analyses, suspected results, and anticipated outcomes are discussed.