Gall Presence and Herbivory in Goldenrod: Examining Variation in Leaf Damage and Herbivore Communities

Authors

• Sahit Liyanage '28, DePauw University
• Rose Keith, DePauw UniversityFollow

Files

Document Type

Poster

Publication Date

Fall 10-1-2026

Abstract

We examined whether gall presence was associated with herbivory in 28 goldenrod plants at Ullem during summer 2026. We compared 14 galled and 14 ungalled plants for percent leaf damage, herbivore richness, and overall herbivore community composition. Galled plants showed slightly higher leaf damage and herbivore richness, but none of these differences were statistically significant. These results suggest that gall presence alone did not strongly explain variation in herbivory among the plants sampled.

Department

Biology Department, Depauw University

Project Mentor

Prof. Rose Kieth

Funding and Acknowledgements

Summer Research Fellows Program

Recommended Citation

Liyanage, Sahit '28 and Keith, Rose, "Gall Presence and Herbivory in Goldenrod: Examining Variation in Leaf Damage and Herbivore Communities" (2026). Annual Student Research Poster Session. 271.
https://scholarship.depauw.edu/srfposters/271