We are pleased that Morgan's article entitled, "Herbivory enhances legume-rhizobia symbioses function, increasing aboveground allocation of biologically fixed nitrogen, but only in soils with additional nitrate," in Plant Soil. The research was done as part of her Master's thesis, investigating how soil nitrate supply and aboveground herbivory by potato leafhopper interact to influence nitrogen fixation. Using field and greenhouse experiments, she detected strong changes in legume above- and belowground allocation of fixed nitrogen in response to both herbivory and nitrate supply. Results demonstrate herbivory drives distinct plant allocation strategies across soil nitrate levels. Herbivory-induced changes in rhizobia-legume symbioses are likely widespread across both agricultural and natural ecosystems. Morgan is currently working towards a Ph.D. at Texas A&M. The article is posted here.
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