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Does tropical forest fragmentation affect plant anti-herbivore defensive and nutritional traits?

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  04 February 2016

Betsabé Ruiz-Guerra ,
Roger Guevara ,
Noé Velázquez-Rosas  and
Rodolfo Dirzo
Betsabé Ruiz-Guerra*
Affiliation:
Instituto de Ecología, Departamento de Ecología Evolutiva, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico04510 D.F. Instituto de Ecología AC, Red de Ecología Evolutiva, Carretera antigua a Coatepec 351, El Haya, Xalapa 91070, Mexico
Roger Guevara
Affiliation:
Instituto de Ecología AC, Red de Ecología Evolutiva, Carretera antigua a Coatepec 351, El Haya, Xalapa 91070, Mexico
Noé Velázquez-Rosas
Affiliation:
Centro de Investigaciones Tropicales, Universidad Veracruzana, Ex Hacienda Lucas Martín priv. Araucarias, C.P. 91110, Xalapa, México
Rodolfo Dirzo
Affiliation:
Instituto de Ecología, Departamento de Ecología Evolutiva, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico04510 D.F.
*
1Corresponding author. Email: [email protected]
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Abstract:

Leaf traits of tropical tree species are known to operate as intrinsic determinants of insect herbivory. However, we know little about how habitat fragmentation affects these traits and what, if any, are the consequences of this process on herbivory. We tested the effects of forest fragmentation on the leaf traits of sapling of four light-demanding species: Acalypha diversifolia, Hampea nutricia, Myriocarpa longipes, Siparuna thecaphora, and two shade-tolerant species: Pseudolmedia glabrata and Garcinia intermedia, in Los Tuxtlas, Mexico. We also conducted an acceptability assay with a generalist herbivore Spodoptera frugiperda. Plant traits did not change with forest fragmentation, but did with plant regeneration mode and species identity. Light-demanding species had significantly higher water content, nitrogen concentration and specific leaf area than shade-tolerant species. The latter had significantly higher leaf strength, carbon concentration and carbon:nitrogen ratio. Acceptability was affected by fragmentation but only in P. glabrata; plant tissue from forest fragments was consumed 2.6 times more than that from continuous forest. We conclude that forest fragmentation did not affect leaf traits in this site.

Keywords

defenceforest fragmentationleaf traitsLos Tuxtlasshade-tolerancetropical rain forest
Type
Short Communication
Information
Journal of Tropical Ecology , Volume 32 , Issue 2 , March 2016 , pp. 162 - 164
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2016 

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