The roots of defense: plant resistance and tolerance to belowground herbivory.

ABSTRACT:

Background

There is conclusive evidence that there are fitness costs of plant defense and that herbivores can drive selection for defense. However, most work has focused on above-ground interactions, even though belowground herbivory may have greater impacts on individual plants than above-ground herbivory. Given the role of belowground plant structures in resource acquisition and storage, research on belowground herbivores has much to contribute to theories on the evolution of plant defense. Pocket gophers (Geomyidae) provide an excellent opportunity to study root herbivory. These subterranean rodents spend their entire lives belowground and specialize on consuming belowground plant parts.

Methodology and principal findings

We compared the root defenses of native forbs from

SUBMITTER: Watts SM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3071833 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature