Insecticide application did not reveal any impact of herbivory on plant roots in boreal forests

The levels of belowground herbivory in natural ecosystems remain practically undetermined, and nothing is known regarding the geographic and/or climatic variations herbivory. We endeavoured to narrow this knowledge gap by exploring latitudinal changes intensity background root boreal forest conducting a herbivore exclusion experiment 10 forested sites from 60°N 69°N northwestern Russia. found no statistically significant differences fine biomass between diazinon-treated control plots, nor did show any change. From root-feeding macrofauna we estimated that our averages 0.57 %. This low level could not be quantified reliably experiments; therefore, suggest macroecological patterns are invoked simultaneous measurements biomasses roots root-feeders. More data on efficiency conversion food ingested invertebrates needed increase accuracy suggested method estimation • treated soil with insecticide quantify forests. Fine differ insecticide-treated plots. Biomass insects suggests ranges 0.1 0.3 used.