Landscape variation in defense traits along gradients of multiple resources and mammalian herbivory

Mohanbabu, Neha; Veldhuis, Michiel P.; Jung, Dana; Ritchie, Mark E.

doi:10.1101/2022.10.28.514290

Cited by 2 publications

(2 citation statements)

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“…Rainfall-based productivity was determined by measuring peak seasonal biomass in multiple years inside herbivore fences at seven different sites across the Serengeti, and regressing biomass against rainfall in the previous nine months as estimated from CHIRPS (Funk et al 2015). Finally, HI for each plot and each year was calculated as 1-(Vegetation index-based biomass/ Rainfall based productivity) averaged across five different sampling years (2001, 2002, 2006, 2009, 2016) (Mohanbabu et al 2022). The patterns in satellite-based HI along rainfall, N and P gradients are similar to patterns found in grazing intensity in a long-term grazing exclosure experiment (Mohanbabu and Ritchie 2022).…”

Section: Study Site and Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Integrating defense and leaf economic spectrum traits in a tropical savanna plant

Mohanbabu

Veldhuis

Jung

et al. 2022

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1. Allocation to plant defense traits likely depends on resource supply, herbivory, and other plant functional traits such as the leaf economic spectrum (LES) traits. Yet, attempts to integrate defense and resource acquisitive traits remains elusive. 2. We assessed intraspecific correlations between different defense and LES traits in a widely distributed tropical savanna herb, Solanum incanum, a unique model species for studying allocations to physical, chemical, and structural defenses to mammalian herbivory. 3. In a multivariate trait space, the structural defenses - lignin and cellulose - were positively related to the resource conservative traits - low SLA and low leaf N. Phenolic content, a chemical defense, was positively associated with resource acquisitive traits - high SLA and high leaf N - while also being associated with an independent third component axis. Both principal components 1 and 3 were not associated with resource supply and herbivory intensity. In contrast, spine density - a physical defense - was orthogonal to the LES axis and positively associated with soil P and herbivory intensity. 4. Synthesis: These results suggest a hypothesized pyramid of trade-offs in allocation to defense along the LES and herbivory intensity axes. Therefore, future attempts to integrate defense traits with the broader plant functional trait framework needs a multifaceted approach that accounts for unique influences of resource acquisitive traits and herbivory intensity.

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Section: Study Site and Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Integrating defense and leaf economic spectrum traits in a tropical savanna plant

Mohanbabu

Veldhuis

Jung

et al. 2022

Preprint

Self Cite

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“…Data are available from the Dryad Digital Repository: https:// doi.org/10.5061/dryad.905qfttr1 (Mohanbabu et al 2023).…”

Section: Author Contributionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Landscape variation in defense traits along gradients of multiple resources in a tropical savanna plant

Mohanbabu

Veldhuis

Jung

et al. 2023

Oikos

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Many plant species are widely distributed and consequently are exposed to multiple abiotic factors and diverse herbivores, each of which may distinctly affect the magnitude of different defense traits. Alternative theories for optimal allocation to plant defense traits predict both positive and negative associations between magnitude of defense and resource availability. These predictions may apply even within species. This suggests potential for a single species' patterns of association of defense traits and resources to vary with both the type of defense and identity of resource, but relatively few studies have explored intraspecific variation in multiple defense traits along several resource gradients simultaneously. In order to address this gap, especially in an ecosytem dominated by large mammalian herbivores, we assessed relationships between multiple resources (rainfall, soil N, and soil P) and plant defense traits (prickle density, phenolics, and lignin content) using a widely distributed tropical savanna herb, Solanum incanum, growing in naturally occuring resource gradients within the Serengeti National Park. We found substantial intraspecific variation in all three defense traits across sites (n = 43). Variation in prickle density was positively associated with rainfall and soil P, but not soil N. In contrast to prickle density, phenolics and lignin were uncorrelated with all three resource gradients. This independent association of soil P with a carbon‐based defense, prickle density, suggests potential for resources that are not components of defenses to influence allocation to defense traits. Such influence may reflect association between resource and herbivore abundance and/or preference. These varied patterns in resource‐defense associations further emphasize the tremendous variation in anti‐herbivore traits which may be influenced by different plant resources and highlight the need to consider multiple resource gradients in understanding evolution of plant traits.

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Landscape variation in defense traits along gradients of multiple resources and mammalian herbivory

Cited by 2 publications

References 72 publications

Integrating defense and leaf economic spectrum traits in a tropical savanna plant

Integrating defense and leaf economic spectrum traits in a tropical savanna plant

Landscape variation in defense traits along gradients of multiple resources in a tropical savanna plant

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