Specificity of herbivore‐induced responses in an invasive species, Alternanthera philoxeroides (alligator weed)

Abstract

Herbivory‐induced responses in plants can both negatively affect subsequently colonizing herbivores and mitigate the effect of herbivory on the host. However, it is still less known whether plants exhibit specific responses to specialist and generalist herbivores in non‐secondary metabolite traits and how specificity to specialists and generalists differs between invasive and native plant populations. We exposed an invasive plant, Alternanthera philoxeroides, to Agasicles hygrophila (Coleoptera, Chrysomelidae; specialist), Spodoptera litura (Lepidoptera, Noctuidae; generalist), manual clipping, or application of exogenous jasmonic acid and examined both the specificity of elicitation in traits of fitness (e.g., aboveground biomass), morphology (e.g., root:shoot ratio), and chemistry (e.g., C/N ratio and lignin), and specificity of effect on the subsequent performance of A. hygrophila and S. litura. Then, we assessed variation of the specificity between invasive and native populations (USA and Argentina, respectively). The results showed S. litura induced higher branching intensity and specific leaf area but lower C/N ratio than A. hygrophila, whereas A. hygrophila induced higher trichome density than S. litura. The negative effect of induction on subsequent larval growth was greater for S. litura than for A. hygrophila. Invasive populations had a weaker response to S. litura than to A. hygrophila in triterpenoid saponins and C/N ratio, while native populations responded similarly to these two herbivores. The specific effect on the two herbivores feeding on induced plants did not vary between invasive and native populations. Overall, we demonstrate specificity of elicitation to specialist and generalist herbivores in non‐secondary metabolite traits, and that the generalist is more susceptible to induction than the specialist. Furthermore, chemical responses specific to specialist and generalist herbivores only exist in the invasive populations, consistent with an evolutionary change in specificity in the invasive populations.

Competitive Interactions of Flowering Rush (Butomus umbellatus L.) Cytotypes in Submersed and Emergent Experimental Aquatic Plant Communities

“…Butomus umbellatus establishment and spread in North American aquatic habitats has generated negative ecological and economic impacts, leading to increased interest in predicting invasiveness, potential distribution (Banerjee et al, in prep), and development of effective management tools for the species [59,70,71]. However, research on B. umbellatus management has largely failed to take into account genetic variation and the implications of differences in ploidy in the invaded range (but see [72][73][74][75][76][77][78][79][80]. However, it is rare that genetic identity of an invader is paired with plasticity to environmental variables and interspecific competition in order to assess invasive potential.…”

“…Griseb. (Amaranthaceae) (competition, herbivory, water level) [72][73][74][75][76][77][78][79][80]. However, it is rare that genetic identity of an invader is paired with plasticity to environmental variables and interspecific competition in order to assess invasive potential.…”

Biogenic fabrication of iron nanoadsorbents from mixed waste biomass for aqueous phase removal of alizarin red S and tartrazine: Kinetics, isotherm, and thermodynamic investigation

“…Three initial dye concentrations (25,50, and 100 mg L -1 ) were selected to monitor the effect of initial adsorbate concentration and contact time on the adsorptive elimination of dyes, and the results are represented in Figure 4b,c for alizarin red S and tartrazine, respectively. The study showed that the percent removal of the dye decreased with increasing initial adsorbate concentration for both the dyes.…”

“…This weed is rich in alkaloids, polyphenols, and amino acids content (e.g., glutamic acid, aspartic acid, arginine, etc.) which can act as biostabilizers . The flower, H. rosasinensis is also known for its high phenolic and tannin contents .…”

“…which can act as biostabilizers. 25 The flower, H. rosasinensis is also known for its high phenolic and tannin contents. 26 The idea was to explore the collective potential of all plant-based materials for the synthesis of magnetic nanoparticles.…”