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Defence syndromes in lodgepole – whitebark pine ecosystems relate to degree of historical exposure to mountain pine beetles
Author(s) -
Raffa Kenneth F.,
Mason Charles J.,
Bonello Pierluigi,
Cook Stephen,
Erbilgin Nadir,
KeefoverRing Ken,
Klutsch Jennifer G.,
Villari Caterina,
Townsend Philip A.
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
plant, cell and environment
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.646
H-Index - 200
eISSN - 1365-3040
pISSN - 0140-7791
DOI - 10.1111/pce.12985
Subject(s) - mountain pine beetle , ecosystem , ecology , pinus contorta , geography , degree (music) , environmental science , biology , acoustics , physics
Warming climate is increasing the frequency at which a native tree‐killing insect can survive in ecologically fragile high‐elevation stands dominated by whitebark pine. We analysed a broad range of primary compounds, secondary compounds and minerals, under constitutive and experimentally induced conditions, to compare the defence syndromes of this keystone species with lodgepole pine, the major historical host. Lodgepole pines had higher concentrations of compounds known to be toxic to the mountain pine beetle and its predominant symbiotic fungus, and a chemical composition less conducive to beetles' likelihood of eliciting mass attack, but more conducive to host recognition. During induction, lodgepole pine showed higher concurrence of insecticidal, fungicidal and anti‐aggregant compounds, consistent with a more comprehensively evolved plant defence syndrome.