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Tougher and thornier: general patterns in the induction of physical defence traits
Author(s) -
Barton Kasey E.
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
functional ecology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.272
H-Index - 154
eISSN - 1365-2435
pISSN - 0269-8463
DOI - 10.1111/1365-2435.12495
Subject(s) - biology , herbivore , trait , trichome , jasmonate , plant defense against herbivory , quantitative trait locus , chemical defense , defence mechanisms , ecology , evolutionary biology , genetics , arabidopsis , gene , computer science , mutant , programming language
Summary Most plants rely at least in part on physical defence traits to deter herbivores, and yet, very little is known about the inducibility of these traits. A meta‐analysis was conducted on data extracted from 57 publications from 1982 to 2014, including 53 species in 20 plant families in which the induction of physical defence traits was examined. Log response ratio effect sizes were calculated for 112 separate responses and analysed to characterize general patterns and test whether induction differed between physical and chemical defence traits (in the same study), among defence traits, and in response to the damage type (artificial, herbivore, jasmonates). Physical defence traits are generally inducible, showing a mean increase of 52% in damaged compared to control plants. The magnitude of increase did not differ between physical and chemical defence traits measured within the same experiments, and nutrients showed no overall response. Physical defence traits varied significantly in their responses, with non‐glandular trichomes showing the greatest magnitude of increase, and no induction detected for leaf toughness. Responses induced by real herbivores or by jasmonate application were significantly greater than responses elicited by mechanical damage alone. This suggests that specificity in physical trait induction in response to different kinds of damage may occur. Induction of physical defence traits is common and widespread, but the ecological and evolutionary consequences of this response remain unknown. Future studies examining genetic variation in the inducibility of physical defence traits and their fitness consequences for plants would be particularly informative.