Leaf Traits and the Species Richness and Abundance of Lepidopteran Larvae on Deciduous Trees in Southern Ontario

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Abstract
Correlations were sought between insect species richness and abundance, and the chemical traits of foliage of 33 spp. of broad-leaved deciduous trees in southern Ontario. Number of lepidopteran species collected by the Canadian Forest Insect Survey was not significantly correlated with any of the foliar traits after the effects of sampling intensity on species richness were statistically removed. Relative abundance of lepidopteran larvae was significantly related only negatively to the percentage of leaf dry mass as available carbohydrate. The distribution of 4 abundant, generalist moth species among host trees was considered in detail. Number of collections per host was associated with much of the distributional pattern for the fall webworm Hyphantria cunea and spotless webworm H. textor; foliar traits were unimportant. Collecting effort was unrelated to relative abundance of the fall cankerworm Alsophila pometaria and linden looper Erannis tiliaria. For these latter 2 spp., relative abundance and a nutritional index, which includes N, water, lignin and polyphenol content of the leaves, were positively related. General characteristics of communities of phytophagous insects on broad-leaved deciduous trees are probably not related to the levels of major nutrient components of the foliage.