Roe deer prefer mixed-sex willow stands over monosexual stands but do not discriminate between male and female plants

Moritz, Kim Karlsson; Parachnowitsch, Amy L.; Julkunen‐Tiitto, Riitta; Björkman, Christer; Ayres, Matthew P.; Stenberg, Johan A.

doi:10.1016/j.envexpbot.2017.10.015

Cited by 11 publications

(9 citation statements)

References 37 publications

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“…This observation is similar to Tognetti (2012) conclusion that females are more common in highresource and males in low-resource microsites, but finally survivability is not the same as being more common. Sex can indirectly affect plant growth, e.g., through the different preferences of herbivorous insects (Kabir et al 2014) or roe deer (Moritz et al 2018) for female and male specimens of willows. Therefore, drawing attention to willow sex seems to be essential, especially for owners of willow plantations.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The interactions between habitat, sex, biomass and leaf traits of different willow (Salix) genotypes

et al. 2021

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Knowledge of the impacts of sex on plant mortality and biomass production has scientific and practical importance. In the case of willows, we know relatively little about such effects. The main objective of this study was to evaluate whether the sex of individuals of different willow species determines their biomass and mortality. An additional goal was to determine whether the secondary sex characteristics, such as leaf traits, depend on sex. The experiment was conducted from 2011 to 2014 with 8100 plants comprising 150 willow genotypes, including 8 species, 16 interspecies hybrids, cultivars, and specimens differentiated by sex. Statistical analysis of the leaf traits revealed their relationship to sex. On average, male specimens have longer and wider leaves. They also have longer petioles. Males of the studied Salix genotypes were characterized by higher biomass and showed a greater survival rate than females but only under better site conditions; when the site conditions were poorer, males had higher mortality than females.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The interactions between habitat, sex, biomass and leaf traits of different willow (Salix) genotypes

et al. 2021

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“…Biased-sex ratios may impact, and be impacted, by interactions with other organisms aboveground. Moritz et al (2017) investigated the relatively well-established sex-biased herbivory preference in dioecious willows using a large-scale approach. The authors created experimental stands mimicking commercial plantation designs that contained either females, males or even-sex mixes, and monitored herbivory damage by roe deer after one growth season.…”

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confidence: 99%

Sexual dimorphism in response to stress

Retuerto¹,

Vilas²,

Varga

2018

Environmental and Experimental Botany

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Sexual dimorphism in secondary traits (differences between the sexes in characteristics others than the sexual organs) is widespread in plants (Geber et al., 1999 ; Barrett and Hough, 2013). Sex differences in ecological, morphological and physiological traits have been commonly attributed to the different costs of reproduction associated with the male and the female function (Reznick, 1985 ; Obeso, 2002) and are usually linked to trade-offs between allocation to reproduction and to other plant functions (e.g., to growth and/or defense). Such trade-offs are likely to be modified under more stressful conditions (Bazzaz and Grace, 1997). In fact, plants are continuously exposed to stressful biotic and abiotic environmental factors during all their life cycle, which usually occur simultaneously (Suzuki et al., 2014). Biotic factors include competitors, symbionts, parasites, pathogens, and herbivores. Abiotic factors include extreme temperatures, water, light and nutrient availability, heavy metals, CO2, or UV radiation. As sessile organisms, plants have developed a wide range of responses to cope with stress, ranging from escape to tolerance and avoidance (Lerner, 1999)

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“…For example, female plants often invest more in chemical and structural defences, which can reduce parasite loads relative to males [5]. A variety of other plant traits, including leaf area, stem size and stature, also differ markedly between male and female plants [8,19,20], which could also promote male-biased parasitism [21].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Parasite–offspring competition for female resources can explain male-biased parasitism in plants

Yule

Burns

2019

Biol. Lett.

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Male-biased susceptibility to parasites is common in dioecious plants. However, why males have higher parasite loads than females is unclear. Unlike males, females must subsidize post-fertilization costs of reproduction (e.g. seed and fruit development). As a result, females may have smaller pools of resources potentially available to parasites, thus leading to lower parasite loads. We tested this prediction in New Zealand's largest native moth (Aenetus virescens: Lepidoptera), whose larvae parasitize Aristotelia serrata (Elaeocarpaceae), an endemic species of dioecious tree. We measured parasite loads in male and female trees, as well as annual seed set in females. We then derived a technique to equate the energetic cost of seed set in females to an equivalent number of parasitic larvae. Our results showed evidence for male-biased parasitism: male trees harboured more larval parasites than female trees. However, when parasite loads in males were compared with parasite loads in females, plus the energetic cost of seed production calculated as an equivalent number of parasitic larvae, differences in parasitism between the sexes disappeared. We conclude that male-biased parasitism in plants could arise from parasite-offspring (i.e. herbivore -seed) competition for female resources.

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Roe deer prefer mixed-sex willow stands over monosexual stands but do not discriminate between male and female plants

Cited by 11 publications

References 37 publications

The interactions between habitat, sex, biomass and leaf traits of different willow (Salix) genotypes

The interactions between habitat, sex, biomass and leaf traits of different willow (Salix) genotypes

Sexual dimorphism in response to stress

Parasite–offspring competition for female resources can explain male-biased parasitism in plants

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