Trunk spines of trees: a physical defence against bark removal and climbing by mammals?

ABSTRACT:

Background and aims

The defensive role of spines has previously been related to leaves, young shoots and reproductive organs. However, some woody species harbour spines on their trunks where none of those organs are present. Several explanations are plausible: they could be (1) climbing aids, (2) remnants from defence of leaves or reproductive organs during an earlier development phase, or (3) an as-yet undescribed defence. Here we investigate whether they could play a role against either bark feeding or preventing climbing animals accessing food resources in the tree canopy.

Methods

We described 31 woody species with spines on their trunk, growing in a botanical garden, to test whether morphological strategies could be identified and suggest what could be their most likely

SUBMITTER: Lefebvre T 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9007100 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature