Changes in clonal poplar leaf chemistry caused by stem galls alter herbivory and leaf litter decomposition

Gall-inducing insects are highly specialized herbivores that modify the phenotype of their host plants. Beyond the direct manipulation of plant morphology and physiology in the immediate environment of the gall, there is also evidence of plant-mediated effects of gall-inducing insects on other speci...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:PloS one 2013-11, Vol.8 (11), p.e79994-e79994
Main Authors: Künkler, Nora, Brandl, Roland, Brändle, Martin
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animals
Beetles
Biology
Caterpillars
Chemistry
Chewing
Decomposition
Ecology
Ecosystem
Ecosystems
Environment
Environmental changes
Evolution
Feeding Behavior - physiology
Gall
Galling
Galls
Guilds
Herbivores
Herbivory
Herbivory - physiology
Host plants
Impact analysis
Infestation
Insecta - metabolism
Insecta - physiology
Insects
Larvae
Leaf litter
Leaves
Mesophyll
Morphology
Nitrogen
Nitrogen - metabolism
Nitrogen content
Pemphigus
Pemphigus spyrothecae
Phenols
Physiological aspects
Physiology
Plant Leaves - metabolism
Plant Leaves - physiology
Plant morphology
Plant Stems - metabolism
Plant Stems - physiology
Poplar
Populus - metabolism
Populus - physiology
Populus nigra
Studies
Trees
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Summary:Gall-inducing insects are highly specialized herbivores that modify the phenotype of their host plants. Beyond the direct manipulation of plant morphology and physiology in the immediate environment of the gall, there is also evidence of plant-mediated effects of gall-inducing insects on other species of the assemblages and ecosystem processes associated with the host plant. We analysed the impact of gall infestation by the aphid Pemphigus spirothecae on chemical leaf traits of clonal Lombardy poplars (Populus nigra var. italica) and the subsequent effects on intensity of herbivory and decomposition of leaves across five sites. We measured the herbivory of two feeding guilds: leaf-chewing insects that feed on the blade (e.g. caterpillars and sawfly larvae) and skeletonising insects that feed on the mesophyll of the leaves (e.g. larvae of beetles). Galled leaves had higher phenol (35%) and lower nitrogen and cholorophyll contents (35% respectively 37%) than non-galled leaves, and these differences were stronger in August than in June. Total herbivory intensity was 27% higher on galled than on non-galled leaves; damage by leaf chewers was on average 61% higher on gall infested leaves, whereas damage by skeletonising insects was on average 39% higher on non-galled leaves. After nine months the decomposition rate of galled leaf litter was 15% lower than that of non-galled leaf litter presumably because of the lower nitrogen content of the galled leaf litter. This indicated after-life effects of gall infestation on the decomposers. We found no evidence for galling x environment interactions.
ISSN:1932-6203
1932-6203
DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0079994