Leaf development in Xylopia aromatica (Lam) Mart. (Annonaceae): implications for palatability to Stenoma scitiorella Walker 1864 (Lepidoptera: Elachistidae)

Abstract

photosynthetic capacity, affecting the growth, reproduction and survival of plants (Kaitaniemi et al., 1999).Experiments with simulated defoliation show that young leaves make a larger contribution to the plant's photosynthetic performance than do the mature ones (Coley and Barone, 1996). Previous studies reveal that in most tropical species, expanding young leaves are more heavily attacked by folivores than the mature leaves (Coley and Kursar, 1996). Coley and Barone (1996) determined that daily damage rates to young leaves were from 5 to 25 times higher than to mature leaves. Leaf development in AbstractVariations in specific foliar mass and water content, nitrogen, soluble carbohydrates and tannins were studied during the growth and maturation processes of the Xylopia aromatica leaves, to determine the effects of such alterations on the herbivory of Stenoma scitiorella caterpillars. This work was carried out in the physiognomy of the typical cerrado of the Parque Estadual de Vassununga, Gleba Pé-de Gigante, Santa Rita do Passa Quatro, São Paulo State, Brazil. While nutritional quality (water and nitrogen) decreases during expansion and maturation of Xylopia aromatica leaves, the chemical (tannins) and physical (sclerophylly) defenses are raised. In agreement with the observations on herbivory, the results support the hypothesis that the reduction in palatability and increase in chemical defenses of Xylopia aromatica leaves account for the caterpillars' preference for young expanding leaves.Keywords: Stenoma scitiorella, Xylopia aromatica, herbivory, leaf development, cerrado. Crescimento foliar em Xylopia aromatica (Lam) Mart. (Annonaceae):Implicações sobre a palatabilidade para lagartas de Stenoma scitiorella Walker 1864 (Lepidoptera: Elachistidae) ResumoCom o objetivo de avaliar os efeitos do crescimento e do amadurecimento de folhas de Xylopia aromatica sob o ataque de lagartas de Stenoma scitiorella, foram estudados a variação da área, massa foliar específica, bem como os teores de água, nitrogênio, hidratos de carbono e taninos durante estes processos. O trabalho foi desenvolvido numa fisionomia de cerrado stricto sensu na Gleba Pé-de-Gigante do Parque Estadual de Vassununga, localizado no município de Santa Rita do Passa Quatro, Estado de São Paulo, Brasil. A expansão e o amadurecimento das folhas de Xylopia aromatica resultaram na redução da qualidade nutricional e no aumento de defesas químicas e físicas. Concordando com as observações realizadas sobre a herbivoria, os resultados permitem supor que a redução na palatabilidade das folhas pode explicar a preferência das lagartas por folhas jovens ainda no início do processo de expansão.

Life history ofPorthecla ravus(Druce) (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae), with discussion on the use of Annonaceae by Eumaeini butterflies

“…Oviposition events have never been observed, but a copulating pair was observed at 1:05 P.M. on 22 March 2010 in a cerrado area in Mogi-Guaçu (22°18'S, 47°10'W). Larvae are solitary and feed on fl ower buds and/or leaf primordia of X. aromatica, an arboreal species with a distribution ranging from Central to South America, and very common in cerrado areas of Brazil (see Varanda et al 2008). Larvae were observed feeding with the head inside a hole chewed into the plant tissue; when the aperture is large enough, the larvae enter the fl ower buds and leaf primordia to feed on host plant tissues (fi gs.…”

How long does it take to decompose all litter in Brazilian savanna forest?

“…The palatability index for native vegetation can be considered an indicator of the litter decomposition rate. For example, the growth process of Xylopia aromatica, the species with the third highest IVI (Table 5), promotes the reduction of nutritional quality and the increase of chemical and physical defenses; therefore, when the leaves mature, they lose the characteristics that make them palatable (Varanda et al, 2008). Silva (2009) categorized fragments as having poor palatability when they had an index < -0.2, and as having high palatability with an index > 0.2.…”

Herbivoria e biomassa foliar em Peltogyne confertiflora (Mart. ex Hayne) Benth. Fabales Bromhead Fabaceae Lindl. em ambientes de Floresta e Cerrado

“…As taxas de herbivoria variam entre grupos taxonômicos (Carmona et al 2011), maturidade das plantas (Coley 1983;Varanda et al 2008) e ambientes (Neves et a., 2010). Dessas interações, a variação na taxa de herbivoria entre ambientes é a mais complexa, tendo em vista a importância do ambiente como determinante da plasticidade fenotípica (Schlichting 1986).…”