A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal
NUTRITIONAL QUALITY AS A DEFENSE AGAINST HERBIVORES
Authors: HAUKIOJA E, RUOHOMAKI K, SUOMELA J, VUORISALO T
Publisher: ELSEVIER SCIENCE BV
Publication year: 1991
Journal: Forest Ecology and Management
Journal name in source: FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
Journal acronym: FOREST ECOL MANAG
Volume: 39
Issue: 1-4
First page : 237
Last page: 245
Number of pages: 9
ISSN: 0378-1127
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/0378-1127(91)90179-Y
Abstract
The generally low nutritional quality of plants may result from its being a defense against herbivores, an adaptation to abiotic factors, or an incidental by-product. To demonstrate the defensive nature, we should be able to show that there is variation, fitness differences and a hereditary basis. We demonstrate that, in the mountain birch (Betula pubescens ssp. tortuosa), the low nutritional quality is a potential active defense against herbivorous insects, especially if it correlates with repellency caused by allelochemicals. However, it is almost impossible to show this conclusively.
The generally low nutritional quality of plants may result from its being a defense against herbivores, an adaptation to abiotic factors, or an incidental by-product. To demonstrate the defensive nature, we should be able to show that there is variation, fitness differences and a hereditary basis. We demonstrate that, in the mountain birch (Betula pubescens ssp. tortuosa), the low nutritional quality is a potential active defense against herbivorous insects, especially if it correlates with repellency caused by allelochemicals. However, it is almost impossible to show this conclusively.
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