Above- and belowground herbivory jointly impact defense and seed dispersal traits in Taraxacum officinale.

ABSTRACT: Plants are able to cope with herbivores by inducing defensive traits or growth responses that allow them to reduce or avoid the impact of herbivores. Since above- and belowground herbivores differ substantially in life-history traits, for example feeding types, and their spatial distribution, it is likely that they induce different responses in plants. Moreover, strong interactive effects on defense and plant growth are expected when above- and belowground herbivores are jointly present. The strengths and directions of these responses have been scarcely addressed in the literature. Using Taraxacum officinale, the root-feeding nematode Meloidogyne hapla and the locust Schistocerca gregaria as a model species, we examined to what degree above- and belowground herbivory affect (1) plant growt

SUBMITTER: de la Pena E 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4222217 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature