Within-tree variability of mountain birch leaves causes variation in performance for Epirrita autumnata larvae

Suomela, Jukka‐Pekka

doi:10.1007/bf00054849

Cited by 12 publications

(11 citation statements)

References 39 publications

(51 reference statements)

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Therefore, nutrient-induced increases in leaf size (and probably nutritional content) together with decreases in secondary chemistry could enhance the growth of herbivores in those sectors. Suomela and colleagues have shown that the growth of Epirrita autumnata (Geometridae) larvae varies by as much as 30% within a single birch tree (Suomela and Nilson, 1994;Suomela, Kaitaniemi, and Nilson, 1995;Suomela, 1996). Perhaps some of this variation is due to belowground variation in nutrient availability.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 94%

Vascular architecture and patchy nutrient availability generate within‐plant heterogeneity in plant traits important to herbivores

Orians

Ardón

Mohammad

2002

American J of Botany

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Within-plant heterogeneity in growth, morphology, and chemistry is ubiquitous, and is commonly attributed to differences in tissue age, light availability, or previous damage by herbivores. Although these factors are important, we argue that plant vascular architecture is an underappreciated determinant of heterogeneity. Vascular architecture can restrict the transport of resources (nutrients, photosynthate, hormones, etc.) to within specific sectors of the plant: this is referred to as sectoriality. Although studies have documented sectoriality in the transport of isotopes and dyes from roots to shoots, the ecological consequences of this sectoriality remain poorly understood. We tested the hypothesis that spatial variation in belowground nutrient availability combined with sectorial transport results in localized "fertilization" of aboveground plant parts and generates heterogeneity in traits important to herbivores. Our split-root experiments with tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill) clearly demonstrate that fertilization to isolated lateral roots generates heterogeneity in leaf morphology, phenolic chemistry, and side-shoot growth. Specifically, leaflets with direct connections to these lateral roots were larger and had lower levels of rutin and chlorogenic acid than did leaflets in other sectors lacking direct vascular connections. Moreover, side-shoot production was greater in the connected sectors. We discuss the implications of this heterogeneity for plant-herbivore interactions.

show abstract

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 94%

Vascular architecture and patchy nutrient availability generate within‐plant heterogeneity in plant traits important to herbivores

Orians

Ardón

Mohammad

2002

American J of Botany

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Heterogeneity in resource quality can affect herbivores by changing their foraging behavior, growth, survival, fecundity or dispersal and may ultimately affect population dynamics (Denno and McClure 1983and references therein, Caine et al 1985, Barbosa 1988, Price 1991, Schultz 1992, Waring and Cobb 1992, Barker et al 1995, Belovsky and Joern 1995, Denno and Peterson 1995, Hunter and Price 1995, Suomela 1996, Karban and Baldwin 1997. Several studies have demonstrated the importance of within-plant heterogeneity to leaf-chewing herbivores (Schultz 1983, Edwards et al 1985, Suomela and Ayres 1994, Suomela and Nilson 1994, Barker et al 1995, Suomela et al 1995.…”

Section: Herbi6oresmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Several studies have demonstrated the importance of within-plant heterogeneity to leaf-chewing herbivores (Schultz 1983, Edwards et al 1985, Suomela and Ayres 1994, Suomela and Nilson 1994, Barker et al 1995, Suomela et al 1995. For example, Suomela and Ayres (1994) compared within-tree and among-tree variation in birch leaf characteristics and observed that 40-44% of the variation in water content, specific weight and toughness was found within a birch tree, and that the growth of Epirrita autumnata (Geometridae) larvae varied by as much as 30% within a single tree (Suomela and Nilson 1994, Suomela et al 1995, Suomela 1996. Within-plant variation is often attributed to differences in leaf developmental stage or leaf initiation rate (e.g.…”

Section: Herbi6oresmentioning

confidence: 99%

Plants as resource mosaics: a functional model for predicting patterns of within‐plant resource heterogeneity to consumers based on vascular architecture and local environmental variability

Orians¹,

Jones²

2001

Oikos

111

112

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Orians, C. M. and Jones, C. G. 2001. Plants as resource mosaics: a functional model for predicting patterns of within-plant resource heterogeneity to consumers based on vascular architecture and local environmental variability. -Oikos 94: 493 -504.Plant characteristics that determine food quantity and quality to consumers exhibit extensive within-plant heterogeneity, and this heterogeneity is an important influence on the interactions between plants and consumers (herbivores, pathogens, mutualists, soil-dwelling microorganisms). Here we present a functional model -based on plant vascular architecture and local environmental variability -that can be used to predict the patterns of within-plant resource heterogeneity. We argue that heterogeneity is generated largely by sectoriality, the restricted movement of resources along vascular traces within a plant. In essence, the combination of sectoriality and spatial variation in previous damage, nutrient, water, and light availability generates predictable patterns of within-plant heterogeneity in tissue quality. We point out that vascular architecture differs across taxa, growth habit and plant developmental stage, and suggest that certain attributes of the environment maximize the extent of heterogeneity. C. M. Orians,

show abstract

“…Birch is recognised as being temporally and spatially heterogeneous in terms of resource quality for herbivores (Suomela, 1996; Suomela et al ., 1997). For instance, the quality of birch leaves eaten by chewing insects declines rapidly within a single season (Hanhimäki et al ., 1995).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Influence of host plant heterogeneity on the distribution of a birch aphid

Johnson

Elston

Hartley

2003

Ecological Entomology

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

1. The spatial and temporal abundance of the aphid Euceraphis betulae was investigated in relation to heterogeneity in host plant (Betula pendula) vigour and pathogenic stress. The performance of aphids feeding on vigorous and stressed foliage was also examined.2. The plant stress and plant vigour hypotheses have been suggested as opposing ways in which foliage quality influences herbivore abundance. In many plants, however, vigorous growing foliage co-exists with stressed or damaged foliage.3. There was a negative correlation between branch growth (vigour) and branch stress (leaf chlorosis), with the most vigorous branches displaying little or no stress, and the most stressed branches achieving poor growth. There was a similar negative correlation between vigour and stress at the level of individual trees, which themselves represented a continuum in quality.4. At the beginning of the season, E. betulae were intermittently more abundant on vigorous branches than on branches destined to become stressed, but aphids became significantly more abundant on stressed branches later in the season, when symptoms of stress became apparent. Similar patterns of aphid abundance were seen on vigorous and stressed trees in the following year. 5. Euceraphis betulae performance was generally enhanced when feeding on naturally stressed B. pendula leaves, but there was some evidence for elevated potential reproduction when feeding on vigorous leaves too.6. Overall, plant stress probably influences E. betulae distribution more than plant vigour, but the temporal and spatial variability in plant quality suggests that plant vigour could play a role in aphid distribution early in the season.

show abstract

Within-tree variability of mountain birch leaves causes variation in performance for Epirrita autumnata larvae

Cited by 12 publications

References 39 publications

Vascular architecture and patchy nutrient availability generate within‐plant heterogeneity in plant traits important to herbivores

Vascular architecture and patchy nutrient availability generate within‐plant heterogeneity in plant traits important to herbivores

Plants as resource mosaics: a functional model for predicting patterns of within‐plant resource heterogeneity to consumers based on vascular architecture and local environmental variability

Influence of host plant heterogeneity on the distribution of a birch aphid

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About