Impact of herbivore preference on the benefit of plant trait variability

We explore the hypothesis that intraspecific trait variability can be per se beneficial for the plant when the curvature of the herbivore response to this trait is concave downwards. This hypothesis is based on a mathematical relation for nonlinear averaging (Jensen’s inequality), leading to reduced herbivory when the trait distribution becomes broader. Our study introduces and investigates a model for plants and their insect herbivores that includes an unequal distribution of nutrient content between leaves. In contrast to earlier publications, we take into account the ability of herbivores to choose leaves, and the associated costs of this preference behavior. By performing computer simulations and analytic calculations, we find that this herbivore preference can considerably alter the conclusion cited above. In particular, we demonstrate that herbivore populations that show preference for leaves on which they grow well can benefit from large nutrient-level variability independently of the curvature of the herbivore response function, despite the cost for preference.