Boom and bust: rapid feedback responses between insect outbreak dynamics and canopy leaf area impacted by rainfall and CO2

Frequency and severity of insect outbreaks in forest ecosystems are predicted to increase with climate change. How this will impact canopy leaf area in future climates is rarely tested. Here, we document function of insect outbreaks that fortuitously and rapidly occurred in an ecosystem under free‐air CO₂ enrichment. Over the first 2 years of CO₂ fumigation of a naturally established mature Eucalyptus woodland, we continuously assessed population responses of three sap‐feeding insect species of the psyllid genera Cardiaspina, Glycaspis and Spondyliaspis for up to ten consecutive generations. Concurrently, we quantified changes in the canopy leaf area index (LAI). Large and rapid shifts in psyllid community composition were recorded between species with either flush (Glycaspis) or senescence‐inducing (Cardiaspina, Spondyliaspis) feeding strategies. Within the second year, two psyllid species experienced significant and rapid population build‐up resulting in two consecutive outbreaks: first, rainfall stimulated Eucalyptus leaf production increasing LAI, which supported population growth of flush‐feeding Glycaspis without impacting LAI. Glycaspis numbers then crashed and were followed by the outbreak of senescence‐feeding Cardiaspina fiscella that led to significant defoliation and reduction in LAI. For all three psyllid species, the abundance of lerps, protective coverings excreted by the sessile nymphs, decreased at e[CO₂]. Higher lerp weight at e[CO₂] for Glycaspis but not the other psyllid species provided evidence for compensatory feeding by the flush feeder but not the two senescence feeders. Our study demonstrates that rainfall drives leaf phenology, facilitating the rapid boom‐and‐bust succession of psyllid species, eventually leading to significant defoliation due to the second but not the first outbreaking psyllid species. In contrast, e[CO₂] may impact psyllid abundance and feeding behaviour, with psyllid species‐specific outcomes for defoliation severity, nutrient transfer and trophic cascades. Psyllid populations feeding on Eucalyptus experience rapid boom‐and‐bust cycles depending on availability of suitable foliage driven by rainfall patterns and leaf phenology.