Plant traits affecting herbivory on tree recruits in highly diverse subtropical forests
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In: Ecology Letters, Vol. 15, No. 7, 07.2012, p. 732-739.
Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review
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TY - JOUR
T1 - Plant traits affecting herbivory on tree recruits in highly diverse subtropical forests
AU - Schuldt, Andreas
AU - Bruelheide, Helge
AU - Durka, Walter
AU - Eichenberg, David
AU - Fischer, Markus
AU - Kröber, Wenzel
AU - Härdtle, Werner
AU - Ma, Keping
AU - Michalski, Stefan G
AU - Palm, Wolf-Ulrich
AU - Schmid, Bernhard
AU - Welk, Erik
AU - Zhou, Hongzhang
AU - Assmann, Thorsten
N1 - © 2012 Blackwell Publishing Ltd/CNRS.
PY - 2012/7
Y1 - 2012/7
N2 - Differences in herbivory among woody species can greatly affect the functioning of forest ecosystems, particularly in species-rich (sub)tropical regions. However, the relative importance of the different plant traits which determine herbivore damage remains unclear. Defence traits can have strong effects on herbivory, but rarely studied geographical range characteristics could complement these effects through evolutionary associations with herbivores. Herein, we use a large number of morphological, chemical, phylogenetic and biogeographical characteristics to analyse interspecific differences in herbivory on tree saplings in subtropical China. Unexpectedly, we found no significant effects of chemical defence traits. Rather, herbivory was related to the plants' leaf morphology, local abundance and climatic niche characteristics, which together explained 70% of the interspecific variation in herbivory in phylogenetic regression. Our study indicates that besides defence traits and apparency to herbivores, previously neglected measures of large-scale geographical host distribution are important factors influencing local herbivory patterns among plant species.
AB - Differences in herbivory among woody species can greatly affect the functioning of forest ecosystems, particularly in species-rich (sub)tropical regions. However, the relative importance of the different plant traits which determine herbivore damage remains unclear. Defence traits can have strong effects on herbivory, but rarely studied geographical range characteristics could complement these effects through evolutionary associations with herbivores. Herein, we use a large number of morphological, chemical, phylogenetic and biogeographical characteristics to analyse interspecific differences in herbivory on tree saplings in subtropical China. Unexpectedly, we found no significant effects of chemical defence traits. Rather, herbivory was related to the plants' leaf morphology, local abundance and climatic niche characteristics, which together explained 70% of the interspecific variation in herbivory in phylogenetic regression. Our study indicates that besides defence traits and apparency to herbivores, previously neglected measures of large-scale geographical host distribution are important factors influencing local herbivory patterns among plant species.
KW - Biology
KW - BEF-China
KW - ecosystem functioning
KW - Gutianshan National Nature Reserve
KW - latitudinal range
KW - phenolics
KW - phytochemical diversity
KW - Plant defence
KW - Plant-insect interactions
KW - Species richness
KW - Tannins
KW - Ecosystems Research
KW - BEF-China
KW - ecosystem functioning
KW - Gutianshan National Nature Reserve
KW - latitudinal range
KW - phenolics
KW - phytochemical diversity
UR - https://www.scopus.com/record/display.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84862132278&origin=inward&txGid=0
U2 - 10.1111/j.1461-0248.2012.01792.x
DO - 10.1111/j.1461-0248.2012.01792.x
M3 - Journal articles
C2 - 22548792
VL - 15
SP - 732
EP - 739
JO - Ecology Letters
JF - Ecology Letters
SN - 1461-023X
IS - 7
ER -