TY - JOUR
T1 - Effects of individual traits vs. trait syndromes on assemblages of various herbivore guilds associated with central European Salix
AU - Leong, Jing V.
AU - Mezzomo, Priscila
AU - Kozel, Petr
AU - Volfová, Tereza
AU - de Lima Ferreira, Paola
AU - Seifert, Carlo L.
AU - Butterill, Phillip T.
AU - Freiberga, Inga
AU - Michálek, Jan
AU - Matos-Maraví, Pável
AU - Weinhold, Alexander
AU - Engström, Marica T.
AU - Salminen, Juha Pekka
AU - Segar, Simon T.
AU - Sedio, Brian E.
AU - Volf, Martin
PY - 2024/8
Y1 - 2024/8
N2 - Plants employ diverse anti-herbivore defences that can covary to form syndromes consisting of multiple traits. Such syndromes are hypothesized to impact herbivores more than individual defences. We studied 16 species of lowland willows occurring in central Europe and explored if their chemical and physical traits form detectable syndromes. We tested for phylogenetic trends in the syndromes and explored whether three herbivore guilds (i.e., generalist leaf-chewers, specialist leaf-chewers, and gallers) are affected more by the detected syndromes or individual traits. The recovered syndromes showed low phylogenetic signal and were mainly defined by investment in concentration, richness, or uniqueness of structurally related phenolic metabolites. Resource acquisition traits or inducible volatile organic compounds exhibited a limited correlation with the syndromes. Individual traits composing the syndromes showed various correlations to the assemblages of herbivores from the three studied guilds. In turn, we found some support for the hypothesis that defence syndromes are composed of traits that provide defence against various herbivores. However, individual traits rather than trait syndromes explained more variation for all studied herbivore assemblages. The detected negative correlations between various phenolics suggest that investment trade-offs may occur primarily among plant metabolites with shared metabolic pathways that may compete for their precursors. Moreover, several traits characterizing the recovered syndromes play additional roles in willows other than defence from herbivory. Taken together, our findings suggest that the detected syndromes did not solely evolve as an anti-herbivore defence.
AB - Plants employ diverse anti-herbivore defences that can covary to form syndromes consisting of multiple traits. Such syndromes are hypothesized to impact herbivores more than individual defences. We studied 16 species of lowland willows occurring in central Europe and explored if their chemical and physical traits form detectable syndromes. We tested for phylogenetic trends in the syndromes and explored whether three herbivore guilds (i.e., generalist leaf-chewers, specialist leaf-chewers, and gallers) are affected more by the detected syndromes or individual traits. The recovered syndromes showed low phylogenetic signal and were mainly defined by investment in concentration, richness, or uniqueness of structurally related phenolic metabolites. Resource acquisition traits or inducible volatile organic compounds exhibited a limited correlation with the syndromes. Individual traits composing the syndromes showed various correlations to the assemblages of herbivores from the three studied guilds. In turn, we found some support for the hypothesis that defence syndromes are composed of traits that provide defence against various herbivores. However, individual traits rather than trait syndromes explained more variation for all studied herbivore assemblages. The detected negative correlations between various phenolics suggest that investment trade-offs may occur primarily among plant metabolites with shared metabolic pathways that may compete for their precursors. Moreover, several traits characterizing the recovered syndromes play additional roles in willows other than defence from herbivory. Taken together, our findings suggest that the detected syndromes did not solely evolve as an anti-herbivore defence.
KW - Gallers
KW - Leaf-chewers
KW - Plant–herbivore interactions
KW - Salicinoids
KW - Specialized metabolites
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85195214497&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1007/s00442-024-05569-0
DO - 10.1007/s00442-024-05569-0
M3 - Journal article
C2 - 38829402
AN - SCOPUS:85195214497
SN - 0029-8549
VL - 205
SP - 725
EP - 737
JO - Oecologia
JF - Oecologia
IS - 3-4
ER -