Is there a missing link? Effects of root herbivory on plant-pollinator interactions and reproductive output in a monocarpic species

Plant Biology
C GhyselenR Brys

Abstract

Herbivores can have a major influence on plant fitness. The direct impact of herbivory on plant reproductive output has long been studied, and recently also indirect effects of herbivory on plant traits and pollinator attraction have received increasing attention. However, the link between these direct and indirect effects has seldom been studied. In this study, we investigated effects of root herbivory on plant and floral traits, pollination success and reproductive outcome in the monocarpic perennial Cynoglossum officinale. We exposed 119 C. officinale plants to a range of root herbivore damage by its specialist herbivore Mogulones cruciger. We assessed the effect of herbivory on several plant traits, pollinator foraging behaviour and reproductive output, and to elucidate the link between these last two we also quantified pollen deposition and pollen tube growth and applied a pollination experiment to test whether seed set was pollen-limited. Larval root herbivory induced significant changes in plant traits and had a negative impact on pollinator visitation. Infested plants were reduced in size, had fewer flowers and received fewer pollinator visits at plant and flower level than non-infested plants. Also, seed set was negati...Continue Reading

References

May 14, 1999·Trends in Ecology & Evolution·S Y Strauss, A A Agrawal
Jun 19, 2001·American Journal of Botany·C Melser, P G Klinkhamer
May 17, 2006·Trends in Ecology & Evolution·Gerlinde B De Deyn, Wim H Van der Putten
Sep 25, 2009·Journal of Chemical Ecology·Annika ReinhardTill Beuerle
Oct 1, 2005·American Journal of Botany·Christopher T Ivey, David E Carr
Aug 1, 1987·The New Phytologist·Peter G L Klinkhamer, Tom J DE Jong

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