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In poor taste: leaf palatability traits are not correlated with aboveground enemy release
Zoe A Xirocostas1,2, Eve Slavich3, Susan E Everingham4,5,6
1Evolution & Ecology Research Centre, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia. zoe.xirocostas@uts.edu.au.
Oecologia
|December 20, 2025
Summary
Enemy release, where invasive species face fewer threats, is key to their success. However, common plant defensive traits do not predict the level of enemy release experienced by introduced species.
Area of Science:
- Ecology
- Evolutionary Biology
- Plant Science
Background:
- Enemy release, facing fewer herbivores, predators, or pathogens in introduced ranges, explains invasive species success.
- The extent of enemy release varies among species, but factors driving this variation are poorly understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate if ten defensive leaf traits predict the level of enemy release experienced by introduced plant species.
- To understand the mechanisms underlying successful plant invasions.
Main Methods:
- Studied 16 plant species across native (European) and introduced (Australian) ranges.
- Assessed ten leaf traits related to palatability and defense against herbivores.
Main Results:
- No significant relationship was found between enemy release and any of the ten tested defensive leaf traits.
- Tested traits included ash content, C:N ratio, hair density, and various chemical defenses.
Conclusions:
- Defensive leaf traits do not appear to predict enemy release in this study system.
- Further research is needed to identify traits or environmental factors that influence enemy release and predict invasion success.
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