Effect of light environment on intra-specific variation in herbivory in the carnivorous plant Pinguicula moranensis (Lentibulariaceae) |
| |
Authors: | Jocelyn Suárez-Piña Jesús E Rueda-Almazán Luz María Ayestarán |
| |
Institution: | 1. Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de Morelos, Cuernavaca, Morelos, México;2. Departamento de Ecología Evolutiva, Centro de Investigación en Biodiversidad y Conservación, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de Morelos, Cuernavaca, Morelos, México |
| |
Abstract: | Identifying the factors that affect a plant’s probability of being found and damaged by herbivores has been a central topic in the study of herbivory. Although herbivory could have important negative consequences on carnivorous plants, their interaction with herbivores remains largely unexplored. We evaluated the effect of spatial variation in light environment (sunny, shade and full-shade sites) on the pattern of leaf herbivory and florivory of the carnivorous plant Pinguicula moranensis. Plants’ overall probability of leaf damage was high (74.24%). Mean herbivory was four times higher in the sunny and shade sites than the observed in the full-shade site. Nearly 8% of plants suffered damage to reproductive structures, although the probability of florivory was similar among sites. Discussion addressed the inter-site variation in mean herbivory considering the effect of light exposure and the impact that herbivory could have on fitness components of this carnivorous plant. |
| |
Keywords: | Leaf damage fitness consequences florivory insect–plant interactions sun-shade |
|
|