Extending Plant Defense Theory to Seeds

Dalling, James W.; Davis, Adam S.; Arnold, A. Elizabeth; Sarmiento, Carolina; Zalamea, Paul‐Camilo

doi:10.1146/annurev-ecolsys-012120-115156

Cited by 55 publications

(55 citation statements)

References 115 publications

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“…To limit damage by herbivores and pathogens, plants have evolved an array of physical and chemical seed defences (Dalling et al., 2020; Gripenberg et al., 2017). Species with quiescent seeds, however, invest relatively little in chemical and physical defences compared to more persistent dormant seeds (Zalamea et al., 2018), which makes them especially susceptible to fungal infection (Sarmiento et al., 2017).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Closely related tree species support distinct communities of seed‐associated fungi in a lowland tropical forest

et al. 2021

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Previous theoretical work has highlighted the potential for natural enemies to mediate the coexistence of species with similar life histories via density‐dependent effects on survivorship. For plant pathogens to play this role, they must differ in their ability to infect or induce disease in different host plant species. In tropical forests characterized by high diversity, these effects must extend to phylogenetically closely related species pairs. Mortality at the seed and seedling stage strongly influences the abundance and distribution of tropical tree species, but the host preferences and spatial distributions of fungi are rarely determined. We examined how host species identity, relatedness and seed viability influence the composition of fungal communities associated with seeds of four co‐occurring pioneer trees (Cecropia insignis, C. longipes, C. peltata and Jacaranda copaia). Seeds were buried in mesh bags in five common gardens in the understorey of a lowland tropical forest in Panama and retrieved at intervals from 1 to 30 months. A subset of the seeds in each bag was used to determine germination success. One half of each remaining seed was tested for viability; and the other half was used to culture and identify seed‐infecting fungi. Seeds were infected by fungi after burial. Although fungal communities differed in viable versus dead seeds, and across burial locations, community composition primarily varied as a function of plant species identity (30.7% of variation in community composition vs. 4.5% for viability and location together), even for congeneric Cecropia species. Phylogenetic reconstruction showed that relatedness of fungi mostly reflected differences between Jacaranda (Bignoniaceae) and Cecropia (Urticaceae). Although the proportion of germinable seeds decreased gradually over time for all species, intraspecific variation in survival was high at the same location (e.g. ranging from 0% to 100% for C. peltata) suggesting variable exposure or susceptibility to seed pathogens. Synthesis. Our study provides evidence under field conditions that congeneric tree species with similar life history traits differ markedly in seed‐associated fungal communities when exposed to the same soil‐borne fungi. This is a critical first step supporting pathogen‐mediated coexistence of closely related tree species.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Closely related tree species support distinct communities of seed‐associated fungi in a lowland tropical forest

et al. 2021

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“…These results suggest that ants are using species-specific cues that are independent of traits typically associated with commonly measured characteristics such as seed size or dispersal mode. We suggest that seed chemistry, which varies among species and is associated with plant defense (Dalling et al, 2020), is a likely source of this variation in dispersal rates in this system.…”

Section: Plant Species Identity Explains Seed Removalmentioning

confidence: 91%

Can variation in seed removal patterns of Neotropical pioneer tree species be explained by local ant community composition?

et al. 2021

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Section: Seed Size and Massmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Size is one physical trait of special interest to seed ecology (Baskin & Baskin, 1998 ; Dalling et al., 2020 ). Seed size directly relates to many seed quality parameters (Petit et al., 2014 ; Wang & Yang, 2020 ).…”

Section: Biological Traits Powering the Ecological Processes Of Weed Seed Predation By Carabid Beetlesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Also, larger seeds tend to have thicker and harder seed coats (Moles et al 2003a ; Moles et al 2003b ). Overall, the relationships between seed size, seed chemistry, and seed physical properties are quite complex and not well understood (Dalling et al., 2020 ; Wang & Chen, 2012 ). Nonetheless, the size of weed seeds was observed to be among the factors determining which seeds of weed species would be more preferable to carabid weed seed predators in laboratory trials (Lungren & Rosentrater, 2007 ; Saska, Honek, & Martinkova, 2019 ).…”

Section: Biological Traits Powering the Ecological Processes Of Weed Seed Predation By Carabid Beetlesmentioning

confidence: 99%

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The biology of seed discrimination and its role in shaping the foraging ecology of carabids: A review

Ali

Willenborg

2021

Ecology and Evolution

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Species of carabid (ground) beetles are among the most important postdispersal weed seed predators in temperate arable lands. Field studies have shown that carabid beetles can remove upwards of 65%-90% of specific weed seeds shed in arable fields each year. Such data do not explain how and why carabid predators go after weed seeds, however. It remains to be proven that weed seed predation by carabids is a genuine ecological interaction driven by certain ecological factors or functional traits that determine interaction strength and power predation dynamics, bringing about therefore a natural regulation of weed populations. Along these lines, this review ties together the lines of evidence around weed seed predation by carabid predators. Chemoperception rather than vision seems to be the primary sensory mechanism guiding seed detection and seed selection decisions in carabid weed seed predators. Selection of weed seeds by carabid seed predators appears directed rather than random. Yet, the nature of the chemical cues mediating detection of different seed species and identification of the suitable seed type among them remains unknown. Selection of certain types of weed seeds cannot be predicted based on seed chemistry per se in all cases, however. Rather, seed selection decisions are ruled by sophisticated behavioral mechanisms comprising the assessment of both chemical and physical characteristics of the seed. The ultimate selection of certain weed seed types is determined by how the chemical and physical properties of the seed match with the functional traits of the predator in terms of seed handling ability. Seed density, in addition to chemical and physical seed traits, is also an important factor that is likely to shape seed selection decisions in carabid weed seed predators. Carabid responses to seed density are rather complex as they are influenced not only by seed numbers but also by trait-based suitability ranks of the different seed types available in the environment.

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Extending Plant Defense Theory to Seeds

Cited by 55 publications

References 115 publications

Closely related tree species support distinct communities of seed‐associated fungi in a lowland tropical forest

Closely related tree species support distinct communities of seed‐associated fungi in a lowland tropical forest

Can variation in seed removal patterns of Neotropical pioneer tree species be explained by local ant community composition?

The biology of seed discrimination and its role in shaping the foraging ecology of carabids: A review

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