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Published on: June 19, 2011
Terrestrial plant tolerance to herbivory
1J.P. Rosenthal is at the Dept of Environmental Science, Policy and Management, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA.
Plants can recover from herbivore damage through tolerance, a trait with diverse origins and mechanisms. Understanding plant tolerance is key to predicting plant defense evolution and community structure.
Area of Science:
- Plant science
- Ecology
- Evolutionary biology
Background:
- Herbivory is a widespread factor influencing plant populations.
- Plant tolerance allows fitness maintenance despite herbivore damage.
- Tolerance mechanisms are diverse and their origins vary.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the multifaceted nature of plant tolerance to herbivory.
- To investigate the origins and ecological implications of tolerance mechanisms.
- To understand the relationship between tolerance, defense, and community dynamics.
Main Methods:
- Review of recent physiological and ecological research on plant tolerance.
- Analysis of plant traits associated with tolerance.
- Examination of the interplay between tolerance and defense strategies.
Main Results:
- Plant tolerance mechanisms are numerous and varied.
- Some tolerance traits are direct adaptations to herbivory, others are by-products.
- Tolerance can operate independently of, or in conjunction with, plant defense mechanisms.
Conclusions:
- Plant tolerance significantly influences the evolution of plant defense strategies.
- Tolerance plays a crucial role in shaping plant community composition.
- Further research is needed to fully elucidate the evolutionary and ecological roles of plant tolerance.
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