Recently, importance of plant genotype in structuring arthropod communities has been widely recognized. Several studies demonstrated that genetically based variation in plant phenotypes has important consequences for the preference and performance of individual herbivore species.

Herbivorous community on exotic tall goldenrods growing in Japan differed from that on plants in their original habitat North America, even when these plants grew in a same habitat. We hypothesized that one of the factors contributing to the difference in herbivorous communities on tall goldenrods between both habitats was the genotypic composition of the plants. To examine the hypothesis, we investigated herbivorous communities on 10 genotypes of tall goldenrods which were planted at a common garden in each habitat. Plant genotypes affected herbivorous communities on the plants in both habitats. Abundances of the aphid and lacebug on plants differed in response to difference in genetically based plant phenotypes. These insects greatly contributed to the difference in herbivorous community structure on tall goldenrods in both habitats. Difference in susceptibility of plants to these insects may affect difference in herbivorous communities on tall goldenrods between their introduced and original habitats.