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Red coloration in young tropical leaves associated with reduced fungal pathogen damage |
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| Authors: | Peter Tellez Enith Rojas Sunshine Van Bael |
| Affiliation: | 1. Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, U.S.A;2. Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Balboa, Ancon, Republic of Panama |
| Abstract: | The adaptive significance of red coloration in tropical forest leaves remains unclear. In vivo assays show that there is a significant negative correlation between anthocyanin pigments in young leaves and fungal pathogen damage. This supports a previous hypothesis that anthocyanins may protect young leaves from fungal damage during the vulnerable period of leaf expansion. |
| Keywords: | anthocyanins Calonectria sp canopy crane system Panama tropical wet forest |