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Interspecific and temporal variation in herbivore responses to hybrid willows
Robert S Fritz1, Bernadette M Roche2, Steven J Brunsfeld3
1Department of Biology, Vassar College, 12601, Poughkeepsie, NY, USA. fritz@vassar.edu.
Oecologia
|March 18, 2017
Summary
Hybridization effects on willow plant resistance to herbivores vary. Willow hybrids showed susceptibility, resistance, or intermediate herbivory levels, with responses differing by herbivore species and year.
Area of Science:
- Ecology
- Evolutionary Biology
- Plant Science
Background:
- Interspecific hybridization can alter plant traits, including resistance to herbivores.
- Understanding how hybridization impacts plant defense is crucial for predicting ecological outcomes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effects of hybridization on willow (Salix) resistance to herbivory.
- To test hypotheses regarding additive, dominance, and hybrid susceptibility/resistance to herbivores.
Main Methods:
- Field study of two Salix species and their F2-type hybrids.
- Morphological traits and random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) analysis for plant identification.
- Quantification of densities for 12 herbivore species on parental and hybrid plants.
Main Results:
- Support was found for additive, dominance, and hybrid susceptibility hypotheses over four years.
- In one year, hybrid resistance was observed for one herbivore species.
- Herbivore responses varied significantly among years and by herbivore species.
Conclusions:
- Plant hybridization elicits diverse herbivore responses.
- Year-to-year variation in hybrid plant resistance is a significant factor.
- Guild membership of herbivores does not reliably predict their response to hybrid plants.
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