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Dyer, Lee A.; Dodson, Craig D.; Beihoffer, Jon; Letourneau, Deborah K.

doi:10.1023/a:1010345123670

Cited by 88 publications

(17 citation statements)

References 7 publications

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“…Such different lines of defences would support the defensive synergism hypothesis, which states that different defence traits expressed in combination may provide a higher level of resistance against herbivory than when expressed separately [22]. Examples to support this hypothesis have been found in Nicotiana attenuata [52], in rainforest shrubs of Piper cenocladum [9] and in different Umbelliferae species [53]. Multiple defence traits may be adaptive in a complex plant-herbivore-carnivore community, because of the redundancy of defence lines; when one resistance trait fails, another acts as a safety net [54].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 68%

“…In addition, plant infochemicals may function as an indirect defence trait responsible for attracting natural enemies of herbivores [2,3]. However, a direct defence may not only have a major effect on the herbivore's survival, but also on the survival of the natural enemies of the herbivore, leading to a possible conflict between the plant and the natural enemy that is attracted to the herbivore on that plant [4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12]. Evolutionary theory thus suggests that defence strategies, such as direct and indirect defences, may negatively correlate within a multitrophic community resulting in possible trade-offs [13][14][15].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Synergistic effects of direct and indirect defences on herbivore egg survival in a wild crucifer

et al. 2014

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Evolutionary theory of plant defences against herbivores predicts a trade-off between direct (anti-herbivore traits) and indirect defences (attraction of carnivores) when carnivore fitness is reduced. Such a trade-off is expected in plant species that kill herbivore eggs by exhibiting a hypersensitive response (HR)-like necrosis, which should then negatively affect carnivores. We used the black mustard (Brassica nigra) to investigate how this potentially lethal direct trait affects preferences and/or performances of specialist cabbage white butterflies (Pieris spp.), and their natural enemies, tiny egg parasitoid wasps (Trichogramma spp.). Both within and between black mustard populations, we observed variation in the expression of Pieris egg-induced HR. Butterfly eggs on plants with HR-like necrosis suffered lower hatching rates and higher parasitism than eggs that did not induce the trait. In addition, Trichogramma wasps were attracted to volatiles of egg-induced plants that also expressed HR, and this attraction depended on the Trichogramma strain used. Consequently, HR did not have a negative effect on egg parasitoid survival. We conclude that even within a system where plants deploy lethal direct defences, such defences may still act with indirect defences in a synergistic manner to reduce herbivore pressure.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 68%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Synergistic effects of direct and indirect defences on herbivore egg survival in a wild crucifer

et al. 2014

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“…Although numerous studies have tested for potential trade-offs among ant-mediated and direct plant defences, their results have been mixed. Some studies reported reduced chemical defences in myrmecophytic plants [4,5], whereas no trade-offs between ant-mediated and direct defence were found by others [6,7].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 92%

“…Production of these rewards can be costly to the plants [2], and Janzen [3] was the first to propose that plants which evolved symbiosis with ants might reduce their allocation to direct defences such as toxic chemicals because maintenance of both antmediated and direct defences is redundant and costly. In addition, some chemical defences may have negative effects on ants as well [4,5]. Although numerous studies have tested for potential trade-offs among ant-mediated and direct plant defences, their results have been mixed.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

You get what you pay for: reward-specific trade-offs among direct and ant-mediated defences in plants

Koricheva

Romero

2012

Biol. Lett.

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Plant defences against herbivores include direct defences such as secondary metabolites or physical structures (e.g. trichomes) as well as indirect defences mediated via mutualistic interactions with other organisms including ants. Production of both direct defences and rewards for mutualistic ants may be costly for a plant, and it has been suggested that trade-offs may exist between direct and ant-mediated defences. We have conducted a meta-analysis of 25 studies testing the above hypothesis and found a significant negative correlation between plant allocation to direct and antmediated defences. The strength of correlation was similar for across-and within-species comparisons, and for chemical and physical direct defences. However, trade-offs with direct defences were significant only in plants which offered to ants more costly rewards such as food bodies and/or domatia, but not in plants which attracted ants with relatively cheap extrafloral nectaries. Our results therefore support the hypothesis that plant investment in ant-mediated defences may reduce the requirement for direct chemical and physical defences, but only in plants which offer more costly rewards to their bodyguards.

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“…These herbivores may gain important benefits from using ant-occupied plants as hosts, including enemy-free space, reduced competition, and access to food sources produced by the plant as a reward for the ant mutualists. Furthermore, the leaf tissues of ant-defended plants often have lower levels of chemical defenses relative to unoccupied plants [19]–[21], and thus are likely to be more palatable to herbivores. Gaining access to ant-defended plants requires specialized traits that reduce ant attack rates or increase tolerance to attack, and past evidence has suggested a variety of possible traits may serve this function.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Specialist Herbivore Uses Chemical Camouflage to Overcome the Defenses of an Ant-Plant Mutualism

et al. 2014

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Many plants and ants engage in mutualisms where plants provide food and shelter to the ants in exchange for protection against herbivores and competitors. Although several species of herbivores thwart ant defenses and extract resources from the plants, the mechanisms that allow these herbivores to avoid attack are poorly understood. The specialist insect herbivore, Piezogaster reclusus (Hemiptera: Coreidae), feeds on Neotropical bull-horn acacias (Vachellia collinsii) despite the presence of Pseudomyrmex spinicola ants that nest in and aggressively defend the trees. We tested three hypotheses for how P. reclusus feeds on V. collinsii while avoiding ant attack: (1) chemical camouflage via cuticular surface compounds, (2) chemical deterrence via metathoracic defense glands, and (3) behavioral traits that reduce ant detection or attack. Our results showed that compounds from both P. reclusus cuticles and metathoracic glands reduce the number of ant attacks, but only cuticular compounds appear to be essential in allowing P. reclusus to feed on bull-horn acacia trees undisturbed. In addition, we found that ant attack rates to P. reclusus increased significantly when individuals were transferred between P. spinicola ant colonies. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that chemical mimicry of colony-specific ant or host plant odors plays a key role in allowing P. reclusus to circumvent ant defenses and gain access to important resources, including food and possibly enemy-free space. This interaction between ants, acacias, and their herbivores provides an excellent example of the ability of herbivores to adapt to ant defenses of plants and suggests that herbivores may play an important role in the evolution and maintenance of mutualisms.

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Cited by 88 publications

References 7 publications

Synergistic effects of direct and indirect defences on herbivore egg survival in a wild crucifer

Synergistic effects of direct and indirect defences on herbivore egg survival in a wild crucifer

You get what you pay for: reward-specific trade-offs among direct and ant-mediated defences in plants

A Specialist Herbivore Uses Chemical Camouflage to Overcome the Defenses of an Ant-Plant Mutualism

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