Density-Dependent Effects of Simultaneous Root and Floral Herbivory on Plant Fitness and Defense.

ABSTRACT: Plants are attacked by multiple herbivores, and depend on a precise regulation of responses to cope with a wide range of antagonists. Simultaneous herbivory can occur in different plant compartments, which may pose a serious threat to plant growth and reproduction. In particular, plants often face co-occurring root and floral herbivory, but few studies have focused on such interactions. Here, we investigated in the field the combined density-dependent effects of root-chewing cebrionid beetle larvae and flower-chewing pierid caterpillars on the fitness and defense of a semiarid Brassicaceae herb. We found that the fitness impact of both herbivore groups was independent and density-dependent. Increasing root herbivore density non-significantly reduced plant fitness, while the relationship be

SUBMITTER: Aguirrebengoa M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9867048 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature