A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal
Effects of herbivory on leaf life span in woody plants: a meta-analysis
Authors: Elena L. Zvereva, Mikhail V. Kozlov
Publisher: WILEY-BLACKWELL
Publication year: 2014
Journal: Journal of Ecology
Journal name in source: JOURNAL OF ECOLOGY
Journal acronym: J ECOL
Volume: 102
Issue: 4
First page : 873
Last page: 881
Number of pages: 9
ISSN: 0022-0477
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2745.12252(external)
5. Synthesis. We demonstrated that, in spite of pronounced variation between study systems, herbivory in general reduces the life span of the damaged leaves of woody plants. Our results suggest that variability in plant responses to herbivory may be linked with the leaf economic spectrum. Premature abscission of damaged leaves can be seen as a tolerance strategy that reduces the negative consequences of local damage on the whole plant. This phenomenon should be accounted for in estimation of losses of net primary production caused by herbivory.