Diverse Ecological Roles of Plant Tannins: Plant Defense and Beyond

Constabel, C. Peter; Yoshida, Kazuko; Walker, Vincent

doi:10.1002/9781118329634.ch5

Cited by 81 publications

(82 citation statements)

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“…They are particularly varied in vascular plants where they form structural components (lignin), function in plant defense against herbivory and microbial pathogens (e.g., tannins, flavonoids), protect against UV radiation (e.g., phenylpropanoids) and confer color (e.g., anthocyanins; Lattanzio et al, 2012;Constabel et al, 2014). Their composition and distribution in plants vary in different parts of the plant, at different ages, and in response to environmental conditions (Lattanzio et al, 2012;Romani et al, 2014).…”

Section: Phenolic Compounds In Tropical Peatlandsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Water soluble phenolics-especially tannins leach from senescent leaves as soon as they fall creating the acidic, black, waters of PSF. Such compounds can bind soil proteins and exoenzymes and also inhibit fungal respiration and nitrification (Constabel et al, 2014). Consequently the water of PSF inhibits microbial growth and so decomposition in tropical PSF is extremely retarded (further inhibited by the tough, toxic, phenolrich PSF leaves, and low oxygen conditions) resulting in exponential leaf litter decay rates of 0.0005 to 0.0040 days −1 (Yule and Gomez, 2009;Ong et al, 2015).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

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Degradation of Tropical Malaysian Peatlands Decreases Levels of Phenolics in Soil and in Leaves of Macaranga pruinosa

Yule

Lim

2016

Front. Earth Sci.

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Indo-Malaysian tropical peat swamp forests (PSF) sequester enormous stores of carbon in the form of phenolic compounds, particularly lignin as well as tannins. These phenolic compounds are crucial for ecosystem functioning in PSF through their inter-related roles in peat formation and plant defenses. Disturbance of PSF causes destruction of the peat substrate, but the specific impact of disturbance on phenolic compounds in peat and its associated vegetation has not previously been examined. A scale was developed to score peatland degradation based on the three major human impacts that affect tropical PSF-logging, drainage, and fire. The objectives of this study were to compare the amount of phenolic compounds in Macaranga pruinosa, a common PSF tree, and in the peat substrate along a gradient of peatland degradation from pristine peat swamp forest to cleared, drained, and burnt peatlands. We examined phenolic compounds in M. pruinosa and in peat and found that levels of total phenolic compounds and total tannins decrease in the leaves of M.pruinosa and also in the surface peat layers with an increase in peatland degradation. We conclude that waterlogged conditions preserve the concentration of phenolic compounds in peat, and that even PSF that has been previously logged but which has recovered a full canopy cover will have high levels of total phenolic content (TPC) in peat. High levels of TPC in peat and in the flora are vital for the inhibition of decomposition of organic matter and this is crucial for the accretion of peat and the sequestration of carbon. Thus regional PSF flourish despite the phenolic rich, toxic, waterlogged, nutrient poor, conditions, and reversal of such conditions is a sign of degradation.Keywords: tropical peat swamp forests, phenolic compounds, lignin, tannin, peatland drainage, Macaranga pruinosa INTRODUCTIONIndo-Malaysian tropical peat swamp forests (PSF) flourish on phenolic rich, waterlogged, acidic, nutrient poor layers of peat up to 25 m deep (Yule, 2010;Page et al., 2011). They contain one of the largest global pools of terrestrial organic carbon (11-14% of global soil carbon: Page et al., 2011), mostly (up to 76%) in the form of lignin-the major constituent of wood (Andriesse, 1988). Lignin is a polyphenolic compound which builds up under waterlogged peat swamp Abbreviations: PSF, Peat swamp forest; TPC, Total phenolic content; TTC, Total tannin content.Yule et al. Phenolic Compounds in Tropical Peatlandsconditions because it is extremely resistant to degradation except by aerobic fungi, termites, and some bacteria. Peat soil is also high in other phenolic compounds such as tannins which give the peat water its characteristic black color. Phenolic compounds are crucial for ecosystem functioning in PSF through their interrelated roles in peat formation and plant defenses.Phenolic compounds are extremely diverse (several thousand have been identified) and they occur universally in plants (Lattanzio et al., 2012). They are particularly varied in vascular plants where they form s...

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Section: Phenolic Compounds In Tropical Peatlandsmentioning

confidence: 99%

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Degradation of Tropical Malaysian Peatlands Decreases Levels of Phenolics in Soil and in Leaves of Macaranga pruinosa

Yule

Lim

2016

Front. Earth Sci.

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“…Other phenolics common in TPSF are the plant secondary compounds that protect the vegetation from herbivory, pathogen attack and UV damage and that confer colour to flowers, fruits etc. [4–9]. Abundance of phenolic compounds (total phenolic content—TPC—and tannins) varies seasonally and spatially with peat depth, within different plant species, within different plant structures, and between plants growing on peat versus mineral soils [6, 9, 10].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…When plants die or senescent leaves fall, phenolic compounds rapidly leach out into the soil and water [11, 12] where they have been shown to have a major influence on organic matter decomposition and nutrient cycling [4, 13]. In TPSF the high levels of phenols in the plant litter—adaptations to reduce herbivory in the nutrient poor environment—are responsible for the acidic (pH 2.9–4.5), toxic conditions of the water and the peat substrate [11].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In TPSF the high levels of phenols in the plant litter—adaptations to reduce herbivory in the nutrient poor environment—are responsible for the acidic (pH 2.9–4.5), toxic conditions of the water and the peat substrate [11]. Although tannins in plant detritus can be used as a carbon source by soil microbes [14, 15] they can also have toxic effects as they can bind soil proteins and exoenzymes and also inhibit fungal respiration and nitrification and thus they can inhibit decomposition [4] and hence constrain nutrient cycling which is further inhibited by the anaerobic, acidic, nutrient poor environment. Consequently, since water only flows out of pristine TPSF (unlike nutrient rich freshwater swamp forests), the only source of new nutrients is from atmospheric deposition and so the nutrients cycle between the living biomass and the peat soil [8, 12].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Recycling of phenolic compounds in Borneo’s tropical peat swamp forests

Yule¹,

Lim²,

Lim³

2018

Carbon Balance Manage

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BackgroundTropical peat swamp forests (TPSF) are globally significant carbon stores, sequestering carbon mainly as phenolic polymers and phenolic compounds (particularly as lignin and its derivatives) in peat layers, in plants, and in the acidic blackwaters. Previous studies show that TPSF plants have particularly high levels of phenolic compounds which inhibit the decomposition of organic matter and thus promote peat accumulation. The studies of phenolic compounds are thus crucial to further understand how TPSF function with respect to carbon sequestration. Here we present a study of cycling of phenolic compounds in five forests in Borneo differing in flooding and acidity, leaching of phenolic compounds from senescent Macaranga pruinosa leaves, and absorption of phenolics by M. pruinosa seedlings.ResultsThe results of the study show that total phenolic content (TPC) in soil and leaves of three species of Macaranga were highest in TPSF followed by freshwater swamp forest and flooded limestone forest, then dry land sites. Highest TPC values were associated with acidity (in TPSF) and waterlogging (in flooded forests). Moreover, phenolic compounds are rapidly leached from fallen senescent leaves, and could be reabsorbed by tree roots and converted into more complex phenolics within the leaves.ConclusionsExtreme conditions—waterlogging and acidity—may facilitate uptake and synthesis of protective phenolic compounds which are essential for impeded decomposition of organic matter in TPSF. Conversely, the ongoing drainage and degradation of TPSF, particularly for conversion to oil palm plantations, reverses the conditions necessary for peat accretion and carbon sequestration.

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Causes and Consequences of Condensed Tannin Variation inPopulus

Rubert‐Nason

Lindroth

2021

Recent Advances in Polyphenol Research

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Diverse Ecological Roles of Plant Tannins: Plant Defense and Beyond

Cited by 81 publications

References 173 publications

Degradation of Tropical Malaysian Peatlands Decreases Levels of Phenolics in Soil and in Leaves of Macaranga pruinosa

Degradation of Tropical Malaysian Peatlands Decreases Levels of Phenolics in Soil and in Leaves of Macaranga pruinosa

Recycling of phenolic compounds in Borneo’s tropical peat swamp forests

Causes and Consequences of Condensed Tannin Variation inPopulus

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