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Phenotypic plasticity and insect herbivory of trees in contrasting light environments in a Mexican rainforest

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 November 2024

Daniel A. Cadena-Zamudio Open the ORCID record for Daniel A. Cadena-Zamudio [Opens in a new window] ,
Roger Guevara  and
Betsabé Ruiz-Guerra
Daniel A. Cadena-Zamudio*
Affiliation:
Red de Biología Evolutiva, Instituto de Ecología A.C, Xalapa, Veracruz, México
Roger Guevara
Affiliation:
Red de Biología Evolutiva, Instituto de Ecología A.C, Xalapa, Veracruz, México
Betsabé Ruiz-Guerra
Affiliation:
Red de Interacciones Multitróficas, Instituto de Ecología A.C, Xalapa, Veracruz, México
*
Corresponding author: Daniel A. Cadena-Zamudio; Email: [email protected]
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Abstract

Contrasting light environments in rainforests generates changes in the characteristics of the leaves and in the herbivore community. In the present study, we carried out a reciprocal transplant experiment under natural conditions to determine the plasticity of leaf characteristics of plant species that grow in contrasting light environments in a Neotropical forest. We further explored the relationship between these traits and insect herbivory. We found that six woody species differ markedly in the phenotypic plasticity of leaf features. The specific leaf area, chlorophyll content, carbon content, nitrogen content, and leaf thickness of the most light-demanding species were highest in gaps, but their carbon/nitrogen ratios were higher under closed canopies. The herbivores were more abundant in gaps (5.9%–14.8%) than under closed canopy habitats (3.4%–6.1%) and seemingly associated to the plasticity of the leaf traits. We observed 47% more herbivores in gaps than under closed canopies. Our results suggest that the phenotypic plasticity of leaf traits depends on the identity of the plant species and its wood density, while herbivory seems to be affected by plant defence, low nutritional quality, or herbivore tolerance.

Keywords

Functional plant traitsinsect herbivoryLos TuxtlasNeotropical rainforestplant–herbivore interaction
Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of Tropical Ecology , Volume 40 , 2024 , e25
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Copyright
© The Author(s), 2024. Published by Cambridge University Press

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