Insects and global climate change

Focus: Climate change and invertebrates

Investigating the impacts of global climate and atmospheric change on terrestrial invertebrates is one of our key research areas. We use a diverse array of platforms including EucFACE and DRI-Grass in addition to conventional glasshouses and cabinets.

Much of our recent climate change research now involves plant silicon.

See Research Focus: Plant silicon research

Research highlights from the past few years

Full publication list also available

Johnson, S. N., C. V. M. Barton, F. N. Biru, T. Islam, W. J. Mace, R. C. Rowe, and X. Cibils–Stewart. (2023). Elevated atmospheric CO2 suppresses silicon accumulation and exacerbates endophyte reductions in plant phosphorus. Functional Ecology, Online early, DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.14342.

Johnson, S. N., Cibils-Stewart, X. Waterman, J.M. Biru, F.N. Rowe, R.C. and Hartley, S.E. (2022) Elevated atmospheric CO2 changes plant defence allocation but resistance to herbivores persists. Proceedings of the Royal Society B-Biological Sciences 289:20212536.

Jian, M., Medlyn, B.E., .... Johnson, S.N. … & Ellsworth, D.S. (2020) The fate of carbon in a mature forest under carbon dioxide enrichment. Nature, 580, 227–231.

Vandegeer, R.K., Tissue, D.T., Hartley, S.E., Glauser, G. & Johnson, S.N. (2020) Physiological acclimation of a grass species occurs during sustained but not repeated drought events. Environmental and Experimental Botany, 171, 103954.

Hall, C.R., Mikhael, M., Hartley, S.E., & Johnson, S.N. (2020) Elevated atmospheric CO2 suppresses jasmonate and silicon-based defences without affecting herbivores. Functional Ecology, 34, 993-1002.

Hiltpold, I., Moore, B.D. & Johnson, S.N. (2020) Elevated atmospheric carbon dioxide increases root architectural complexity and reduces the efficacy of entomopathogenic nematodes. Plant and Soil, 447, 29-38

Johnson, S.N., Ryalls, J.M.W., Barton, C.V.M., Tjoelker, M.G., Wright, I.J. & Moore, B.D. (2019) Climate warming and plant biomechanical defences: silicon addition contributes to herbivore suppression in a pasture grass. Functional Ecology, 33, 587-596.

Barnett, K.L., Johnson, S.N. & Power, S.A. (2018) Drought negates growth stimulation due to root herbivory in pasture grasses. Oecologia, 188, 777-789.

Ryalls, J.M.W., Moore, B.D., Johnson, S.N., Conner, M. & Hiltpold, I. (2018) Root responses to domestication, precipitation and silicification: weeping meadow grass simplifies and alters toughness. Plant and Soil, 427, 291-304.

Johnson, S.N. & Züst, T. (2018) Climate change and insect pests: resistance isn't futile? Trends in Plant Science, 23, 367-369.

Kremer, J.M.M., Nooten, S.S., Cook, J., Ryalls, J.M.W., Barton, C.V.M. & Johnson, S.N. (2018) Elevated atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations promote ant tending of aphids. Journal of Animal Ecology, 87, 1475-1483.

Johnson, S.N., Ryalls, J.M.W., Gherlenda, A., Frew, A., & Hartley, S. (2018) Benefits from below: silicon supplementation maintains legume productivity under predicted climate change scenarios. Frontiers in Plant Science, 9, 202.

Johnson, S.N. & Hartley, S.E. (2018) Elevated carbon dioxide and warming impact silicon and phenolic-based defences differently in native and exotic grasses. Global Change Biology, 24, 3886-3896.

Ryalls, J.M.W., Hartley, S.E. & Johnson, S.N. (2017) Impacts of silicon-based grass defences across trophic levels under both current and future atmospheric CO2 scenarios. Biology Letters, 13, 20160912.

Wade, R.N., Karley, A.J., Johnson, S.N. & Hartley, S.E. (2017) Impact of predicted precipitation scenarios on multitrophic interactions. Functional Ecology, 13, 1647-1658.