EEB seed grant sprouts publishing in Science

A new paper in Science which outlines the variability of impact plant-eating animals have on the plants' coping mechanisms, is a pride point for EEB's seed grant program, which funded the Herbivory Variability Network in 2020. 

"Plant size, latitude, and phylogeny explain within-population variability in herbivory" by lead author Will Wetzel, formerly of the department of integrative biology and now at Montana State University, and post-doctoral scholar Moria Robinson, also is the subject of a Science research feature (below). Several current and former EEB members also are authors.

The network is comprised of about 200 collaborators and 790 sites from more than 30 countries. Wetzel said most multidisciplinary research joins scientists from different fields from one university. The Herbivory Variability Network brought together plant-herbivore researchers from a tremendous diversity of cultures and ecosystems and ways of doing science.

"I think that that was the greatest strength of the project," Wetzel said. "The plant-herbivore research community around the world is just amazing. People are so enthusiastic, dedicated, collegial, and fun to work with."

The seed grant funded an early-career scientist to help coordinate the growing network of collaborators, manage collaborator data submissions, and curate the database, Wetzel said.