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Testing the optimal defense hypothesis in nature: Variation for glucosinolate profiles within plants
Rose A Keith1,2, Thomas Mitchell-Olds1,2
1University Program in Genetics and Genomics, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America.
Plos One
|July 22, 2017
Summary
Plants allocate chemical defenses, like glucosinolates, to high-value tissues. In Boechera stricta, reproductive tissues (fruits) were more valuable and had higher glucosinolate concentrations than leaves, supporting the Optimal Defense Hypothesis.
Area of Science:
- Plant biology
- Chemical ecology
- Evolutionary biology
Background:
- Plants possess diverse chemical defenses against herbivores, with variation existing both between and within species.
- The Optimal Defense Hypothesis (ODH) posits that plants concentrate defenses in tissues critical for fitness.
- While ODH is supported for vegetative tissues, comparisons between vegetative and reproductive tissues are less conclusive.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate glucosinolate allocation in Boechera stricta, a relative of Arabidopsis, to determine if it aligns with the ODH.
- To quantify the fitness value of different tissues (rosette leaves, cauline leaves, flowers, fruits) and their associated glucosinolate concentrations.
- To explore within-plant variation in glucosinolate profiles between vegetative and reproductive tissues.
Main Methods:
- Quantified glucosinolate profiles and tissue fitness values in Boechera stricta.
- Employed clipping experiments on intact plants and natural herbivory in a multi-site transplant experiment.
- Measured fitness effects of tissue loss (leaves, fruits) and glucosinolate concentrations in leaves and fruits.
Main Results:
- Damage to fruits significantly impacted overall plant fitness more than damage to leaves.
- Fruits exhibited substantially higher glucosinolate concentrations compared to leaves.
- These findings support the Optimal Defense Hypothesis by demonstrating higher defense investment in more valuable reproductive tissues.
Conclusions:
- Plant defense allocation is consistent with the Optimal Defense Hypothesis, prioritizing reproductive tissues.
- This study provides novel insights into the comparison of tissue value and chemical defenses between vegetative and reproductive organs under natural conditions.
- Understanding plant defense strategies is crucial for predicting plant-herbivore interactions and evolutionary dynamics.
