Defense syndromes against herbivory in a cerrado plant community

Abstract

Plants have traits against herbivory that may occur together and increase defense efficiency. We tested whether there are defense syndromes in a cerrado community and, if so, whether there is a phylogenetic signal in them. We measured nine defense traits from a woodland cerrado community in southeastern Brazil. We tested the correlation between all pairs of traits and grouped the species into defense syndromes according to their traits. Most pairwise correlations of traits were complementary. Plants with lower specific leaf area also presented tougher leaves, with low nitrogen, more trichomes, and tannins. We found five syndromes: two with low defenses and high nutritional quality, two with high defenses and low nutritional quality, and one with traits compensating each other. There were two predominant strategies against herbivory in cerrado: ''tolerance'' and ''low nutritional quality'' syndromes. Phylogeny did not determine the suite of traits species presented. We argue that herbivory exerts significant selection pressure on these plant defense traits.

Ecological strategies of Al-accumulating and non-accumulating functional groups from the cerrado sensu stricto

“…Thus, secondary metabolites have frequently been associated with leaf protection against herbivores and pathogens. The escape strategy (flushing at the drywet seasons interface) has been extensively debated (Silva and Batalha 2011) with no clear understanding for cerrado plants. Except for some insect orders (Marquis et al 2002, Pinheiro et al 2002, herbivory pressure in the cerrado is apparently similar throughout the year (Marquis et al 2002).…”

“…Except for some insect orders (Marquis et al 2002, Pinheiro et al 2002, herbivory pressure in the cerrado is apparently similar throughout the year (Marquis et al 2002). Insect leaf damage also seems to be independent of leaf age (Gonçalves-Alvim et al 2011) and the season of escape may also depend on herbivore species (Marquis et al 2001), although Silva and Batalha (2011) argue that herbivory is underestimated in the cerrado.…”

“…), Rubiacea (Palicourea rigida) and Vochysiacea (Qualea sp., Vochysia sp., Salvertia convallariodora) (Haridasan 1982, 1987, 2008, Jansen et al 2002a, b, 2003, 2004. However, when studying herbivory defense traits among 61 species from 29 families in a cerrado plant community, Silva and Batalha (2011) found that phylogeny does not determine the suit of antiherbivory traits among the species. As mentioned above, Al accumulation is highly conserved in only 15-22% cerrado woody species (Haridasan 1982, Haridasan andAraújo 1988).…”

Antiherbivory defense mechanisms along an environmental gradient in restinga

“…Leaf nitrogen and carbon content were used as parameters of nutritional quality of plant tissues (Silva & Batalha 2011). To estimate leaf nitrogen and carbon content, five leaves from five individuals per specie from each restinga community (25 leaves total per specie per restinga community) were dehydrated at 30 ºC, ground in a Ball-type mill (Oberstein, Fritsch Germany) and sieved to a particle size of 0.25 mm.…”

“…The analysis was performed by the combustion method (Nelson & Sommers 1996). C:N ratio was obtained by carbon content divided by nitrogen content (Silva & Batalha 2011).…”