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Plant spines deter herbivory by restricting caterpillar movement
Rupesh R Kariyat1, Sean B Hardison2, Consuelo M De Moraes1
1Department of Environmental Systems Science, ETH Zürich, 8092 Zürich, Switzerland.
Biology Letters
|May 12, 2017
Summary
Plant spines deter insect herbivores like caterpillars by slowing their movement and increasing feeding time. This defense mechanism may lead to longer caterpillar development and increased predation risk.
Area of Science:
- Plant biology
- Entomology
- Ecology
Background:
- Plant spines are primarily considered a defense against mammalian herbivores.
- Previous research indicated that caterpillar feeding can induce spine development in horsenettle plants.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the role of plant spines in defense against insect herbivores.
- To determine how spine density affects caterpillar feeding behavior and efficiency.
Main Methods:
- Conducted feeding assays using three Solanum species with varying spine densities.
- Manipulated spine numbers on plants to isolate the effect of spines.
- Observed caterpillar (Manduca sexta) leaf location and defoliation times.
Main Results:
- Caterpillars located target leaves faster on plants with spines removed.
- Defoliation time increased on species with higher spine densities (Solanum carolinense, S. atropurpureum) compared to low-spine species (S. aethiopicum).
Conclusions:
- Plant spines significantly impede insect herbivore movement and feeding.
- Spines enhance plant defense against insects by increasing the time required to access food resources.
- This defense mechanism may indirectly increase caterpillar vulnerability to predators or prolong development.
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