A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal

Effects of herbivory on leaf life span in woody plants: a meta-analysis




AuthorsElena L. Zvereva, Mikhail V. Kozlov

PublisherWILEY-BLACKWELL

Publication year2014

JournalJournal of Ecology

Journal name in sourceJOURNAL OF ECOLOGY

Journal acronymJ ECOL

Volume102

Issue4

First page 873

Last page881

Number of pages9

ISSN0022-0477

DOIhttps://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2745.12252(external)


Abstract

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.




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