Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: http://hdl.handle.net/10662/24074
Title: Seed loss before seed predation: experimental evidence of the negative effects of leaf feeding insects on acorn production
Authors: Canelo Hernández, Tara
Gaytán de la Nava, Álvaro
González Bornay, Guillermo
Bonal Andrés, Raúl
Keywords: Estrés por sequía;Defoliación por insectos;Roble;Aborto de semillas;Mortalidad de los brotes;Drought stress;Insect defoliation;Oak;Seed abortion;Shoot mortality
Issue Date: 2018
Publisher: Wiley
Abstract: Insect herbivory decreases plant fitness by constraining plant growth, survival and reproductive output. Most studies on the effects of herbivory in trees rely on correlational inter-individual comparisons and could, thus, be affected by confounding factors linked to both herbivory and plant performance. Using the Mediterranean Holm oak (Quercus ilex) as a study model, we followed an experimental approach in which leaf-feeding insects (mainly Lepidoptera caterpillars) were excluded from some shoots in all study trees. Shoots subjected to herbivore exclusion exhibited lower defoliation rates and produced more acorns than control shoots. Defoliation constrained shoot growth throughout the study period, but had no effect on the number of female flowers produced per shoot. Acorn production was, however, lower in control shoots due to their higher abortion rates, and also to their greater mortality risk during summer drought, as shoots with fewer leaves were less likely to survive. Plant reaction to herbivory inhibits certain physiological pathways involved in plant growth, which, together with the effects of physical damage, reduces the amount and efficiency of the photosynthetic tissue. This increases their vulnerability to environmental stresses, such as water deficit, which limit resource assimilation. Defoliation is likely a key factor affecting oak regeneration, as it may be a significant source of seed loss prior to pre-dispersal acorn predation. Further experimental studies could help to elucidate its effects in contrasting environments. In Mediterranean regions, the harsher droughts predicted by climate change models could worsen the effects of insect herbivory on oak reproductive output.
URI: http://hdl.handle.net/10662/24074
DOI: 10.1111/1749-4877.12292
Appears in Collections:DIAYF - Artículos

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