Optimal control and cold war dynamics between plant and herbivore.

Area of Science:

• Ecology
• Evolutionary Biology
• Theoretical Biology

Background:

• Herbivores consume plant leaves essential for photosynthesis.
• Plant-herbivore interactions can be antagonistic, influenced by timing and leaf value.
• Temporal environmental changes affect leaf value (carbon gain).

Purpose of the Study:

• To model the evolution of plant defense and herbivore feeding strategies.
• To determine if and when interactions can shift from antagonistic to neutral.
• To investigate coevolutionary dynamics between plants and herbivores.

Main Methods:

• Optimal-control theory applied to model herbivore evolution.
• Coevolutionary modeling of plant defense and herbivore hatching rates.
• Analysis of evolutionarily stable strategies under varying ecological conditions.

Main Results:

• Optimal strategies involve avoiding direct conflict between plants and herbivores.
• Herbivores adjust hatching rates to evade plant defenses.
• Plants avoid using lethal defenses when herbivores modify behavior.

Conclusions:

• Plant-herbivore interactions can stabilize through evolved avoidance strategies.
• This model offers a solution to the paradox of sublethal defenses.
• Stable interactions are achievable without reliance on natural enemy control.