Latitudinal Gradients in Induced and Constitutive Resistance against Herbivores

Anstett, Daniel N.; Chen, Wen; Johnson, Marc T. J.

doi:10.1007/s10886-016-0735-6

Cited by 21 publications

(48 citation statements)

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“…We found that total phenolics and oenothein A were consistently associated with lower herbivore pressure, and that these measures of plant chemical defense were found in higher concentrations in genotypes from lower latitudes (Anstett et al. , ). The oxidized form of oenothein A was also greater at lower latitudes in O. biennis (Anstett et al.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 91%

“…Secondary metabolites have been shown to be greater at lower latitudes in one species, Oenothera biennis , where specialist herbivory is lowest (Anstett et al. , ). Additionally, we focus on constitutive concentrations of two major classes of polyphenols that originate from different biosynthetic pathways, the flavonoids and ellagitannins.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Induced defenses, although important in this system (Anstett et al. ), would have been difficult to study in a meaningful way because of specificity in induced responses to different herbivores and chemical elicitors (McGuire and Johnson , Anstett et al. ).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…), would have been difficult to study in a meaningful way because of specificity in induced responses to different herbivores and chemical elicitors (McGuire and Johnson , Anstett et al. ). We grew plants in a common greenhouse environment rather than in the field to standardize the conditions of growth.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Greater caterpillar mass was indicative of increased susceptibility of plants to the herbivore (Anstett et al. ). We used a generalist herbivore so that the bioassay could be standardized across all species.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Testing for latitudinal gradients in defense at the macroevolutionary scale

et al. 2018

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Plant defenses against herbivores are predicted to evolve to be greater in warmer climates, such as lower latitudes where herbivore pressure is also thought to be higher. Instead, recent findings are often inconsistent with this expectation, suggesting alternative hypotheses are needed. We tested for latitudinal gradients in plant defense evolution at the macroevolutionary scale by characterizing plant chemical defenses across 80 species of the evening primroses, spanning both North and South America. We quantified phenolics in leaves, flowers, and fruits, using advanced analytical chemistry techniques. Dominant individual ellagitannin compounds, total concentrations of ellagitannins, flavonoids, total phenolics, and compound diversity were quantified. Variation in these compounds was predicted with latitude, temperature, precipitation, and continent using phylogenetic generalized least squares (PGLS) multiple regression models. Latitude did not strongly explain variation in chemical defenses. Instead, fruit total ellagitannins, oenothein A, and total phenolics were greater in species inhabiting regions with colder climates. Using analytical chemistry and 80 species in two continents, we show that contrary to classic predictions, concentrations of secondary metabolites are not greater at lower latitudes or in warmer regions. We propose higher herbivore pressure in colder climates and gradients in resource availability as potential drivers of the observed patterns in Oenothera.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 91%

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Testing for latitudinal gradients in defense at the macroevolutionary scale

et al. 2018

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Range‐wide variations in common milkweed traits and their effect on monarch larvae

DeLaMater

Couture

Puzey

et al. 2021

American J of Botany

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Premise Leaf economic spectrum (LES) theory has historically been employed to inform vegetation models of ecosystem processes, but largely neglects intraspecific variation and biotic interactions. We attempt to integrate across environment–plant trait–herbivore interactions within a species at a range‐wide scale. Methods We measured traits in 53 populations spanning the range of common milkweed (Asclepias syriaca) and used a common garden to determine the role of environment in driving patterns of intraspecific variation. We used a feeding trial to determine the role of plant traits in monarch (Danaus plexippus) larval development. Results Trait–trait relationships largely followed interspecific patterns in LES theory and persisted in a common garden when individual traits change. Common milkweed showed intraspecific variation and biogeographic clines in traits. Clines did not persist in a common garden. Larvae ate more and grew larger when fed plants with more nitrogen. A longitudinal environmental gradient in precipitation corresponded to a resource gradient in plant nitrogen, which produces a gradient in larval performance. Conclusions Biogeographic patterns in common milkweed traits can sometimes be predicted from LES, are largely driven by environmental conditions, and have consequences for monarch larval performance. Changes to nutrient dynamics of landscapes with common milkweed could potentially influence monarch population dynamics. We show how biogeographic trends in intraspecific variation can influence key ecological interactions, especially in common species with large distributions.

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Optimal defense theory explains deviations from latitudinal herbivory defense hypothesis

Kooyers

Blackman

Holeski

2017

Ecology

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The latitudinal herbivory defense hypothesis (LHDH) postulates that the prevalence of species interactions, including herbivory, is greater at lower latitudes, leading to selection for increased levels of plant defense. While latitudinal defense clines may be caused by spatial variation in herbivore pressure, optimal defense theory predicts that clines could also be caused by ecogeographic variation in the cost of defense. For instance, allocation of resources to defense may not increase plant fitness when growing seasons are short and plants must reproduce quickly. Here we use a common garden experiment to survey genetic variation for constitutive and induced phenylpropanoid glycoside (PPG) concentrations across 35 Mimulus guttatus populations over a ~13° latitudinal transect. Our sampling regime is unique among studies of the LHDH in that it allows us to disentangle the effects of growing season length from those of latitude, temperature, and elevation. For five of the seven PPGs surveyed, we find associations between latitude and plant defense that are robust to population structure. However, contrary to the LHDH, only two PPGs were found at higher levels in low latitude populations, and total PPG concentrations were higher at higher latitudes. PPG levels are strongly correlated with growing season length, with higher levels of PPGs in plants from areas with longer growing seasons. Further, flowering time is positively correlated with the concentration of nearly all PPGs, suggesting that there may be a strong trade-off between development time and defense production. Our results reveal that ecogeographic patterns in plant defense may reflect variation in the cost of producing defense compounds in addition to variation in herbivore pressure. Thus, the biogeographic pattern predicted by the LHDH may not be accurate because the underlying factors driving variation in defense, in this case, growing season length, are not always associated with latitude in the same manner. Given these results, we conclude that LHDH cannot be interpreted without considering life history, and we recommend that future work on the LHDH move beyond solely testing the core LHDH prediction and place greater emphasis on isolating agents of selection that generate spatial variation in defense and herbivore pressure.

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Latitudinal Gradients in Induced and Constitutive Resistance against Herbivores

Cited by 21 publications

References 50 publications

Testing for latitudinal gradients in defense at the macroevolutionary scale

Testing for latitudinal gradients in defense at the macroevolutionary scale

Range‐wide variations in common milkweed traits and their effect on monarch larvae

Optimal defense theory explains deviations from latitudinal herbivory defense hypothesis

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