Plant defense against leaf herbivory based on metal accumulation : examples from a tropical high altitude ecosystem.
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Date
2016
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Abstract
Species that evolved in high-altitude grasslands, where soils are dystrophic and metal
rich, developed adaptations for these extreme conditions, such as metal accumulation
and sclerophyllous leaves, and these adaptations may secondarily affect insect herbivory
activity. The present study investigates the hypothesis that costs related to accumulation
of certain metals may be evolutionarily compensated for by decreasing leaf herbivory in
some plant species from rupestrian fields. Studies were conducted in different locations
at the Ferriferous Quadrangle, a metal-rich region in south-east Brazil, with four species
adapted to high-altitude grasslands: Eremanthus erythropappus, Eremanthus incanus,
Lychnophora ericoides and Byrsonima variabilis. Sample design varied according to population
sizes and spatial distribution of individuals. We found that concentrations of
manganese (Mn) and iron (Fe) significantly reduced the herbivory in the leaves of E. erythroppapus
and E. incanus, whereas aluminum (Al) reduced herbivory in L. ericoides,
and Mn affected negatively the herbivory in B. variabilis. These results support the
hypothesis that metal-accumulating plants, as a response to the harsh environment in
which they evolved, are protected against foliar damage caused by insect herbivores in
rupestrian fields.
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Keywords
Elemental defense, Ferriferous Quadrangle, Rupestrian fields, Insect–plant interactions
Citation
RIBEIRO, S. P. et al. Plant defense against leaf herbivory based on metal accumulation: examples from a tropical high altitude ecosystem. Plant Species Biology, v. 32, p.147–155, 2016. Disponível em: <https://esj-journals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/1442-1984.12136>. Acesso em: 25 ago. 2017.