The ecology and evolution of plant tolerance to herbivory
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Authors: S. Y. Strauss, and A. A. Agrawal
Date: 1999
Journal: Trends in Ecology and Evolution
Volume: 14
Number: 5
Pages: 179-186
Summary of Methods: The tolerance of plants to herbivory reflects the degree to which a plant can regrow and reproduce after damage from herbivores. Recent work indicates that there is a heritable basis for tolerance and that it can evolve in natural plant populations. Although tolerance is probably not a strict alternative to plant resistance, there could be inter- and intraspecific tradeoffs between these defensive strategies. The evolution of tolerance can promote an apparently mutualistic relationship between herbivores and their host plants. Tolerance does not impose selection on herbivores. In contrast, a coevolutionary arms race of plant resistance and counterdefense by herbivores could cause greater long-term instability in the relationship between plant and herbivore taxa, and greater variation in population sizes as favorable defensive mutants in both taxa sweep through the populations.
Article Summary / Main Points: None
Vegetation Types:
MLRA Ecoregions:
Agrovoc Control Words: Riparian zones Rangelands Wildlife
Article Review Type: Refereed
Article Type: Scientific Synthesis
Keywords: plant tolerance, herbivory, defense, resistance, tolerance, compensation
Annotation: Region, vegetation type, and season of use are not defined. Grazing intensity is defined as damaged and undamaged.
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