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Geisler M, Buerki S, Serpe MD. Herbivory Amplifies Adverse Effects of Drought on Seedling Recruitment in a Keystone Species of Western North American Rangelands. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2022; 11:2628. [PMID: 36235494 PMCID: PMC9573362 DOI: 10.3390/plants11192628] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2022] [Revised: 10/01/2022] [Accepted: 10/04/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Biotic interactions can affect a plant's ability to withstand drought. Such an effect may impact the restoration of the imperiled western North American sagebrush steppe, where seedlings are exposed to summer drought. This study investigated the impact of herbivory on seedlings' drought tolerance for a keystone species in this steppe, the shrub Artemisia tridentata. Herbivory effects were investigated in two field experiments where seedlings were without tree protectors or within plastic or metal-mesh tree protectors. Treatment effects were statistically evaluated on herbivory, survival, leaf water potential, and inflorescence development. Herbivory occurrence was 80% higher in seedlings without protectors. This damage occurred in early spring and was likely caused by ground squirrels. Most plants recovered, but herbivory was associated with higher mortality during the summer when seedlings experienced water potentials between -2.5 and -7 MPa. However, there were no differences in water potential between treatments, suggesting that the browsed plants were less tolerant of the low water potentials experienced. Twenty months after outplanting, the survival of plants without protectors was 40 to 60% lower than those with protectors. The percentage of live plants developing inflorescences was approximately threefold higher in plants with protectors. Overall, spring herbivory amplified susceptibility to drought and delayed reproductive development.
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Capó M, Cursach J, Picorelli V, Baraza E, Rita J. Eradication of feral goats, not population control, as a strategy to conserve plant communities on Mediterranean islets. J Nat Conserv 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jnc.2021.126108] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
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Capó M, Engelbrecht C, Cardona C, Castells E, Bartolomé J, Ramoneda M, Baraza E. Mildly toxic shrubs as indicators of goats herbivory give information for the management of natural landscapes on Mediterranean islands. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 786:147391. [PMID: 33964774 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.147391] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2021] [Revised: 04/22/2021] [Accepted: 04/24/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Herbivory of insular plant communities by introduced animals has been widely studied for decades. Though their diet mainly includes palatable and highly nutritive species, goats will also eat plants that are toxic to other animals. Thus, severe affection of toxic species may indicate high herbivore pressure or a low quality of vegetative food. To evaluate whether herbivory damage to low-palatability shrubs could give us information about feral goat pressure on vegetation, we assessed the predation impact of feral goats on the shrub Euphorbia dendroides (Euphorbiaceae) on Mallorca Island (Spain). We aimed to investigate whether goats consume juvenile E. dendroides and affect their population structure and determine if the plants increase the concentrations of toxic compounds as an adaptation to herbivory. Overall, two experimental plots and analysis of eleven natural populations indicated E. dendroides is affected by ungulates and that the population structure change with the presence of feral goats. Euphorbia dendroides could be used as an ecological indicator to determine the extent of ungulate damage to vegetation or indicate poor food availability, and thus inform the maintenance of optimal animal populations. Depending on the management objective for the territory, E. dendroides could be used as an ecological indicator to determine the extent of ungulate damage to vegetation or indicate poor food availability for animals, and thus inform the maintenance of optimal animal populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miquel Capó
- Research Group on Plant Biology under Mediterranean Conditions, Biology Department, University of Balearic Islands, Palma, Spain.
| | - Chiara Engelbrecht
- Fakultät für Biologie, Chemie und Geowissenschaften, Universität Bayreuth, Bayreuth, Germany
| | - Carles Cardona
- Centre Forestal de les Illes Balears, Institut Balear de la Natura, Gremi Corredors, 10 (Pol. Son Rossinyol), Palma, Spain
| | - Eva Castells
- Departament de Farmacologia, Terapèutica i Toxicologia, Univ. Autònoma de Barcelona, Cerdanyola del Vallès 08193, Catalonia, Spain; CREAF, Cerdanyola del Vallès 08193, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Jordi Bartolomé
- Departament de Ciència Animal i dels Aliments, Facultat de Veterinària. Autonomous University of Barcelona, Bellaterra, Spain
| | - Marta Ramoneda
- Research Group on Plant Biology under Mediterranean Conditions, Biology Department, University of Balearic Islands, Palma, Spain
| | - Elena Baraza
- Research Group on Plant Biology under Mediterranean Conditions, Biology Department, University of Balearic Islands, Palma, Spain
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Capó M, Roig-Oliver M, Cardona C, Cursach J, Bartolomé J, Rita J, Baraza E. Historic exposure to herbivores, not constitutive traits, explains plant tolerance to herbivory in the case of two Medicago species (Fabaceae). PLANT SCIENCE : AN INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL PLANT BIOLOGY 2021; 307:110890. [PMID: 33902851 DOI: 10.1016/j.plantsci.2021.110890] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2020] [Revised: 03/17/2021] [Accepted: 03/19/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Mechanisms that allow plants to survive and reproduce after herbivory are considered to play a key role in plant evolution. In this study, we evaluated how tolerance varies in species with different historic exposure to herbivores considering ontogeny. We exposed the range-restricted species Medicago citrina and its closely related and widespread species M. arborea to one and two herbivory simulations (80 % aerial biomass loss). Physiological and growth parameters related to tolerance capacity were assessed to evaluate constitutive values (without herbivory) and induced tolerance after damage. Constitutive traits were not always related to greater tolerance, and each species compensated for herbivory through different traits. Herbivory damage only led to mortality in M. citrina; adults exhibited root biomass loss and increased oxidative stress after damage, but also compensated aerial biomass. Despite seedlings showed a lower death percentage than adults after herbivory in M. citrina, they showed less capacity to recover control values than adults. Moderate tolerance to M. arborea herbivory and low tolerance to M. citrina is found. Thus, although the constitutive characteristics are maintained in the lineage, the tolerance of plants decreases in M. citrina. That represents how plants respond to the lack of pressure from herbivores in their habitat.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miquel Capó
- Research Group on Plant Biology under Mediterranean Conditions, Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Balearic Islands, Palma, 07122, Spain.
| | - Margalida Roig-Oliver
- Research Group on Plant Biology under Mediterranean Conditions, Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Balearic Islands, Palma, 07122, Spain
| | - Carles Cardona
- Centre Forestal de les Illes Balears, Institut Balear de la Natura, Gremi Corredors, 10, Pol. Son Rossinyol, Palma, 07009, Spain
| | - Joana Cursach
- Research Group on Plant Biology under Mediterranean Conditions, Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Balearic Islands, Palma, 07122, Spain
| | - Jordi Bartolomé
- Small Ruminant Research Group, Department of Animal and Food Science, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, 08193, Spain
| | - Juan Rita
- Research Group on Plant Biology under Mediterranean Conditions, Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Balearic Islands, Palma, 07122, Spain
| | - Elena Baraza
- Research Group on Plant Biology under Mediterranean Conditions, Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Balearic Islands, Palma, 07122, Spain
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Guo F, Li X, Jimoh SO, Ding Y, Zhang Y, Shi S, Hou X. Overgrazing-induced legacy effects may permit Leymus chinensis to cope with herbivory. PeerJ 2020; 8:e10116. [PMID: 33083144 PMCID: PMC7548072 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.10116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2020] [Accepted: 09/16/2020] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
There is growing evidence that herbivory-induced legacy effects permit plants to cope with herbivory. However, herbivory-induced defense strategies in plants against grazing mammals have received little attention. To further understand the grazing-induced legacy effects on plants, we conducted a greenhouse experiment with Leymus chinensis experiencing different grazing histories. We focused on grazing-induced legacy effects on above-ground spatial avoidance and below-ground biomass allocation. Our results showed that L. chinensis collected from the continuous overgrazing plot (OG) exhibited higher performance under simulated grazing in terms of growth, cloning and colonizing ability than those collected from the 35-year no-grazing plot (NG). The enhanced adaptability of OG was attributed to increased above-ground spatial avoidance, which was mediated by larger leaf angle and shorter height (reduced vertical height and increased leaf angle contributed to the above-ground spatial avoidance at a lower herbivory stubble height, while reduced tiller natural height contributed to above-ground spatial avoidance at a higher herbivory stubble height). Contrary to our prediction, OG pre-allocated less biomass to the rhizome, which does not benefit the herbivory tolerance and avoidance of L. chinensis; however, this also may reflect a tolerance strategy where reduced allocation to rhizomes is associated with increased production of ramets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fenghui Guo
- Pratacultural College, Gansu Agricultural University, Lan Zhou, Gan Su Province, China.,Institute of Grassland Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hohhot, Inner Mongolia, China
| | - Xiliang Li
- Institute of Grassland Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hohhot, Inner Mongolia, China
| | - Saheed Olaide Jimoh
- Institute of Grassland Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hohhot, Inner Mongolia, China.,Sustainable Environment Food and Agriculture Initiative (SEFAAI), Lagos, Nigeria
| | - Yong Ding
- Institute of Grassland Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hohhot, Inner Mongolia, China
| | - Yong Zhang
- Institute of Grassland Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hohhot, Inner Mongolia, China
| | - Shangli Shi
- Pratacultural College, Gansu Agricultural University, Lan Zhou, Gan Su Province, China
| | - Xiangyang Hou
- Pratacultural College, Gansu Agricultural University, Lan Zhou, Gan Su Province, China.,Institute of Grassland Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hohhot, Inner Mongolia, China
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Barton KE, Shiels AB. Additive and non‐additive responses of seedlings to simulated herbivory and drought. Biotropica 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/btp.12829] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Kasey E. Barton
- School of Life Sciences University of Hawai'i at Mānoa Honolulu Hawaii USA
| | - Aaron B. Shiels
- USDA National Wildlife Research Center Fort Collins Colorado USA
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Fan Z, Chen B, Liao H, Zhou G, Peng S. The effect of allometric partitioning on herbivory tolerance in four species in South China. Ecol Evol 2019; 9:11647-11656. [PMID: 31695875 PMCID: PMC6822029 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.5651] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2019] [Revised: 08/16/2019] [Accepted: 08/19/2019] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Herbivory tolerance can offset the negative effects of herbivory on plants and plays an important role in both immigration and population establishment. Biomass reallocation is an important potential mechanism of herbivory tolerance. To understand how biomass allocation affects plant herbivory tolerance, it is necessary to distinguish the biomass allocations resulting from environmental gradients or plant growth. There is generally a tight balance between the amounts of biomass invested in different organs, which must be analyzed by means of an allometric model. The allometric exponent is not affected by individual growth and can reflect the changes in biomass allocation patterns of different parts. Therefore, the allometric exponent was chosen to study the relationship between biomass allocation pattern and herbivory tolerance. We selected four species (Wedelia chinensis, Wedelia trilobata, Merremia hederacea, and Mikania micrantha), two of which are invasive species and two of which are accompanying native species, and established three herbivory levels (0%, 25% and 50%) to compare differences in allometry. The biomass allocation in stems was negatively correlated with herbivory tolerance, while that in leaves was positively correlated with herbivory tolerance. Furthermore, the stability of the allometric exponent was related to tolerance, indicating that plants with the ability to maintain their biomass allocation patterns are more tolerant than those without this ability, and the tendency to allocate biomass to leaves rather than to stems or roots helps increase this tolerance. The allometric exponent was used to remove the effects of individual development on allocation pattern, allowing the relationship between biomass allocation and herbivory tolerance to be more accurately explored. This research used an allometric model to fit the nonlinear process of biomass partitioning during the growth and development of plants and provides a new understanding of the relationship between biomass allocation and herbivory tolerance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhe‐Xuan Fan
- State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol and Guangdong Key Laboratory of Plant ResourcesSchool of Life SciencesSun Yat‐Sen UniversityGuangzhouChina
| | - Bao‐Ming Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol and Guangdong Key Laboratory of Plant ResourcesSchool of Life SciencesSun Yat‐Sen UniversityGuangzhouChina
| | - Hui‐Xuan Liao
- State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol and Guangdong Key Laboratory of Plant ResourcesSchool of Life SciencesSun Yat‐Sen UniversityGuangzhouChina
| | - Guo‐Hao Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol and Guangdong Key Laboratory of Plant ResourcesSchool of Life SciencesSun Yat‐Sen UniversityGuangzhouChina
| | - Shao‐Lin Peng
- State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol and Guangdong Key Laboratory of Plant ResourcesSchool of Life SciencesSun Yat‐Sen UniversityGuangzhouChina
- School of Life SciencesGuizhou Normal UniversityGuiyangGuizhou ProvinceChina
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Hanley ME, Shannon RWR, Lemoine DG, Sandey B, Newland PL, Poppy GM. Riding on the wind: volatile compounds dictate selection of grassland seedlings by snails. ANNALS OF BOTANY 2018; 122:1075-1083. [PMID: 30418479 PMCID: PMC6266099 DOI: 10.1093/aob/mcy190] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2018] [Accepted: 10/04/2018] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
Background and Aims Seedling herbivory is an important selective filter in many plant communities. The removal of preferred food plants by both vertebrate and, more commonly, invertebrate herbivores can destroy entire seedling cohorts, and consequently dictate plant community assembly. Nevertheless, our understanding of how and why some seedlings are more prone to herbivore attack than their neighbours remains limited. For seedlings, where even minor tissue damage is fatal, avoiding contact with herbivores is probably advantageous and, on this basis, volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are strong candidates to fulfil a primary defensive role. Methods We quantified seedling selection by snails (Cornu aspersum) for 14 common, European grassland species. Seedling acceptability was subsequently compared with species-specific expression of constitutive secondary defence metabolites (CSDMs), and VOCs to determine their relative influence on seedling selection. Results We found no relationship between seedling acceptability and CSDMs, but seedling selection was strongly associated with VOC profiles. Monoterpenes (specifically β-ocimene) were identified as likely attractants, while green leaf volatiles (GLVs) (3-hexen-1-ol acetate) were strongly associated with low seedling acceptability. Conclusions By elucidating a relationship between VOCs and seedling acceptability, we contradict a long-held, but poorly tested, assumption that seedling selection by herbivores in (semi-)natural plant communities centres on CSDMs. Instead, our results corroborate recent work showing how GLVs, including 3-hexen-1-ol acetate, deter crop seedling selection by molluscs. Although our failure to establish any early-ontogenetic relationship between VOCs and CSDMs also suggests that the former do not 'advertise' possession of the latter, we nevertheless reveal the role that VOCs play in defending seedlings against herbivory before lethal damage occurs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mick E Hanley
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Plymouth, Drake Circus, Plymouth, UK
| | - Roger W R Shannon
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Plymouth, Drake Circus, Plymouth, UK
- Centre for Biological Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK
| | - Damien G Lemoine
- Ecologie des Hydrosystèmes Naturels et Anthropisés, Ecologie, Evolution, Ecosystèmes Souterrains (E3S), Université Lyon, Villeurbanne Cedex, France
| | - Bethan Sandey
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Plymouth, Drake Circus, Plymouth, UK
| | - Philip L Newland
- Centre for Biological Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK
| | - Guy M Poppy
- Centre for Biological Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK
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Lurie MH, Barton KE, Daehler CC. Pre-damage biomass allocation and not invasiveness predicts tolerance to damage in seedlings of woody species in Hawaii. Ecology 2017; 98:3011-3021. [DOI: 10.1002/ecy.2031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2017] [Revised: 08/10/2017] [Accepted: 09/11/2017] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Matthew H. Lurie
- Department of Botany; University of Hawai'i at Mānoa; 3190 Maile Way Room 101 Honolulu, Hawai'i 96822 USA
| | - Kasey E. Barton
- Department of Botany; University of Hawai'i at Mānoa; 3190 Maile Way Room 101 Honolulu, Hawai'i 96822 USA
| | - Curtis C. Daehler
- Department of Botany; University of Hawai'i at Mānoa; 3190 Maile Way Room 101 Honolulu, Hawai'i 96822 USA
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