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The effects of increasing CO 2 and temperature on oak leaf palatability and the implications for herbivorous insects
Author(s) -
Dury S. J.,
Good J. E. G.,
Perrins C. M.,
Buse A.,
Kaye T.
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
global change biology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 4.146
H-Index - 255
eISSN - 1365-2486
pISSN - 1354-1013
DOI - 10.1046/j.1365-2486.1998.00102.x
Subject(s) - herbivore , palatability , tannin , condensed tannin , quercus robur , biology , larva , ecosystem , fecundity , botany , deciduous , zoology , agronomy , ecology , proanthocyanidin , antioxidant , polyphenol , food science , population , biochemistry , demography , sociology
Rising levels of atmospheric CO 2 are expected to perturb forest ecosystems, although the extent to which specific ecological interactions will be modified is unclear. This research evaluates the effects of elevated CO 2 and temperature, alone and in combination, on the leaf nutritional quality of Pendunculate oak ( Quercus robur L. ), and the implications for herbiverous insect defoliators are discussed. A 3 °C temperature rise reduced leaf nutritional quality, by reducing foliar nitrogen concentration and increasing condensed tannin content. Doubling atmospheric CO 2 temporarily increased total phenolics, but also reduced leaf toughness. The nutritional quality of the second leaf flush (lammas growth) was considerably reduced at elevated CO 2 . It is concluded that larval development of spring‐feeding defoliators and hence adult fecundity may be adversely affected by increased temperatures.