Description: In 2011, Katherine Muller began an experiment in experimental plot 1 to assess the effects of aphid herbivory on Echinacea angustifolia survival and fitness. One hundred study plants in the experimental plot were randomly assigned to one of two treatment groups: aphid addition and aphid exclusion. Twice per week, throughout each growing season, team members remove aphids from plants in the exclusion group and add aphids to plants in the addition group. In addition to assessing survival and reproductive fitness each year, we measure growth traits and leaf senescence.
Start year: 2011
Location: Experimental plot 1
Products:
- Muller, K. and S. Wagenius. 2016. Echinacea angustifolia and its specialist ant-tended aphid: a multi-year study of manipulated and naturally-occurring aphid infestation. Ecological Entomology 41: 51-60. PDF
- Check the flog for preliminary analyses and annual reports
Overlaps with: Phenology and fitness in P1
Read updates about this experiment on our flog (field blog) as written by members of Team Echinacea.
