Constitutive polymorphic cyanogenesis in the Australian rainforest tree, Ryparosa kurrangii (Achariaceae)

Webber, Bruce L.; Miller, Rebecca; Woodrow, Ian E.

doi:10.1016/j.phytochem.2007.04.038

Cited by 7 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 69 publications

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“…Ryparosa kurrangii is currently classified as rare (Queensland Government 1992), but can be locally common and the dominant tree species. This cauliflorous sub‐canopy tree produces large drupes in concentrated fruiting events every 2–3 years (for further reproductive biology details see Webber and Woodrow 2004; Webber et al. 2008).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Disturbance affects spatial patterning and stand structure of a tropical rainforest tree

2010

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The distribution and spatial patterns of plant populations in natural ecosystems have recently received much attention; yet the impacts of human-induced disturbances on these patterns and underlying processes remain poorly understood. We used the sub-canopy tree, Ryparosa kurrangii (Achariaceae), to explore the possible effects of such disturbances on stand structure and spatial patterning in an Australian tropical rainforest. We studied three populations that differed in their extent of habitat modification: anthropogenic disturbance (proximate settlement and roads) and internal damage by an invasive alien species, the feral pig (Sus scrofa). Populations were mapped, characterized, and three size cohorts (seedlings, saplings, trees) were analysed using a suite of spatial point pattern analyses (univariate: Diggle's G and F and Ripley's K; bivariate: Diggle's G and Ripley's K). Ryparosa kurrangii has a typical stand structure for a sub-canopy tree species, but occurs at high densities locally (>400 stems ha -1 ). At all sites, the tree cohort were randomly distributed and saplings were spatially aggregated at distances of up to 2-3 m. Between sites there were distinct differences in the size structure and spatial pattern of seedlings, the cohort most affected by recent habitat modification.That is, the least disturbed site had no aggregation among seedlings, the site with the greatest anthropogenic disturbance had many small, clustered seedlings that were spatially associated with trees, and the site with pig damage had clustered seedlings that had no spatial relationship with trees. We propose that habitat modification by anthropogenic and pig disturbance disrupts seed dispersal and establishment regimes, which leads to altered seedling spatial patterns. These disturbances could have long-term implications for the population structure and health of R. Kurrangii.

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Disturbance affects spatial patterning and stand structure of a tropical rainforest tree

2010

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“…Cyanogen concentration was quantified by measuring the amount of hydrogen cyanide (HCN) released from ground tissue (10–15 mg) after hydrolysis as described in Webber et al . (2007b), based on the colorimetric methods of Brinker & Seigler (1989) as modified by Gleadow & Woodrow (2002b).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…kurrangii leaf tissue sample was used as a control between sampling periods. In R. kurrangii foliar tissue, endogenous β -glycosidase enzyme(s) are sufficient to catabolize all cyanogens present, and the only cyanogen detected was the cyclopentenoid cyanogenic glycoside gynocardin (Webber et al . 2007b).…”

Section: E T E R M I N a T I O N O F C Y A N O G E N E S I Smentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Ryparosa kurrangii B.L.Webber, a tropical rain forest understorey tree, was deemed an ideal candidate for further investigation because it is highly defended with a suite of convenient qualities that facilitate the testing of general plant ontogenetic defence theory. First, R. kurrangii has been documented to release hydrogen cyanide when tissue is damaged (cyanogenesis) at levels amongst the highest ever reported in plants (Webber et al . 2007b; Webber & Woodrow 2004).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Chemical and physical plant defence across multiple ontogenetic stages in a tropical rain forest understorey tree

Webber¹,

Woodrow²

2009

Journal of Ecology

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Summary 1.Variation over plant ontogeny can play an important role in shaping trade-offs between investing resources in growth, reproduction and defence. Most previous ontogenetic studies on plant defence have compared two life stages, making it impossible to follow complete ontogenetic trajectories for plant defence traits. 2. We used the highly defended rain forest understorey tree Ryparosa kurrangii to examine chemical (cyanogen concentrations; CN M ) and physical (leaf mass per area; LMA) ontogenetic defence trajectories across multiple stages of development for the first time, using field and glasshouse plants. 3. In glasshouse seedlings, total plant cyanide and CN M decreased between cotyledon-bearing and recently autonomous seedlings. In field populations, foliar CN M decreased in a nonlinear fashion and showed a trade-off with LMA through the ontogenetic progression from small seedlings to large mature trees. 4. Cyanogenesis was ubiquitous in all individuals tested, with considerable quantitative plasticity in constitutive expression. Environmental influences on defence traits, as measured by foliar nitrogen and potential light availability in the field, had no detectable effect on CN M . Non-cyanide nitrogen (N -N CN ) M was negatively correlated with CN M , and N CN was negatively correlated with plant height; therefore, at constant plant height there was no relationship between (N -N CN ) M and CN M . LMA was positively correlated with increasing light availability. 5. Our results suggest that light and nitrogen availability have no detectable effect on CN M in R . kurrangii and that most of the observed population-level CN M plasticity may be due to underlying genetic and ontogenetic influences. These findings are related to a theoretical model recently proposed for resistance trajectories during plant ontogeny, taking into account the life-history traits of rain forest understorey trees. 6. Synthesis . The nonlinear ontogenetic trajectory of plant defence expression observed in this study suggests that ontogenetic defence changes may be strongly influenced by plant life-history traits, the defence(s) examined and the environmental niche the plant occupies.

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“…comm.). The Austro‐Malesian Ryparosa is another candidate for further examination because of considerable diversity in the intimacy of ant–plant associations between plant species and cyanide concentrations that are among the highest reported for any plant (Webber et al ., 2007a,b).…”

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Cyanogenic myrmecophytes, redundant defence mechanisms and complementary defence syndromes: revisiting the neotropical ant‐acacias

Webber¹,

McKey

2009

New Phytologist

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Constitutive polymorphic cyanogenesis in the Australian rainforest tree, Ryparosa kurrangii (Achariaceae)

Cited by 7 publications

References 69 publications

Disturbance affects spatial patterning and stand structure of a tropical rainforest tree

Disturbance affects spatial patterning and stand structure of a tropical rainforest tree

Chemical and physical plant defence across multiple ontogenetic stages in a tropical rain forest understorey tree

Cyanogenic myrmecophytes, redundant defence mechanisms and complementary defence syndromes: revisiting the neotropical ant‐acacias

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