Herbivory Differentially Affects Plant Fitness in Three Populations of the Perennial Herb Lythrum salicaria along a Latitudinal Gradient

PloS One
L Lehndal, Jon Ågren

Abstract

Herbivory can negatively and selectively affect plant fitness by reducing growth, survival and reproductive output, thereby influencing plant population dynamics and evolution. Latitudinal variation in intensity of herbivory is common, but the extent to which it translates into corresponding variation in effects on plant performance is still poorly known. We tested the hypothesis that variation in the fitness-consequences of herbivory mirror differences in intensity of herbivory among three natural populations of the perennial herb Lythrum salicaria along a latitudinal gradient from southern to northernmost Sweden. We documented intensity of herbivory and examined its effect on survival, growth and reproductive output over two years by experimentally removing herbivores with insecticide. The intensity of herbivory and the effects of herbivory on plant fitness were strongest in the southern population, intermediate in the central population and weakest in the northern population. The mean proportion of the leaf area removed ranged from 11% in the southern to 3% in the northern population. Herbivore removal increased plant height 1.5-fold in the southern and 1.2-fold in the central population, the proportion plants flowering 4-fo...Continue Reading

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Citations

Dec 7, 2016·Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Biological Sciences·Robert I ColauttiJill T Anderson
Jul 12, 2019·The Journal of Animal Ecology·Henry K NjovuIngolf Steffan-Dewenter
Feb 13, 2018·Arthropod-plant Interactions·J K WilsonJ G Hildebrand
May 10, 2018·Frontiers in Plant Science·Raul A SperottoFelipe K Ricachenevsky
Dec 11, 2017·Trends in Plant Science·Matthias Erb
Aug 23, 2016·Trends in Ecology & Evolution·Daniel N AnstettPeter M Kotanen
Jun 27, 2021·Ecology Letters·Joshua S LynnJennifer A Rudgers

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