Developmental constraints and resource environment shape early emergence and investment in spines in saplings.

ABSTRACT:

Background and aims

Herbivory by large mammals imposes a critical recruitment bottleneck on plants in many systems. Spines defend plants against large herbivores, and how early they emerge in saplings may be one of the strongest predictors of sapling survival in herbivore-rich environments. Yet little effort has been directed at understanding the variability in spine emergence across saplings.

Methods

We present a multispecies study examining whether and how sapling size, spine type and species' environmental niche (light and precipitation environment) influence early emergence and biomass investment in spines. A phylogenetically diverse pool of 45 species possessing different spine types (spines, prickles and thorns; that are derived from distinct plant organs: leaf, epider

SUBMITTER: Armani M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6943690 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature