Plant ontogeny determines strength and associated plant fitness consequences of plant-mediated interactions between herbivores and flower visitors.

ABSTRACT: Plants show ontogenetic variation in growth-defence strategies to maximize reproductive output within a community context. Most work on plant ontogenetic variation in growth-defence trade-offs has focussed on interactions with antagonistic insect herbivores. Plants respond to herbivore attack with phenotypic changes. Despite the knowledge that plant responses to herbivory affect plant mutualistic interactions with pollinators required for reproduction, indirect interactions between herbivores and pollinators have not been included in the evaluation of how ontogenetic growth-defence trajectories affect plant fitness.In a common garden experiment with the annual Brassica nigra, we investigated whether exposure to various herbivore species on different plant ontogenetic stages (vegetat

SUBMITTER: Rusman Q 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7217261 | biostudies-literature | 2020 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature