Branch-Localized Induction Promotes Efficacy of Volatile Defences and Herbivore Predation in Trees
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Branch-Localized Induction Promotes Efficacy of Volatile Defences and Herbivore Predation in Trees Martin Volf 1,2 & Alexander Weinhold 1,3 & Carlo L. Seifert 2,4 & Tereza Holicová 2,4 & Henriette Uthe 1,3 & Erika Alander 5 & Ronny Richter 1,6,7 & Juha-Pekka Salminen 5 & Christian Wirth 1,6,8 & Nicole M. van Dam 1,3 Received: 20 August 2020 / Revised: 20 October 2020 / Accepted: 31 October 2020 # Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature 2020
Abstract Induction of plant defences can show various levels of localization, which can optimize their efficiency. Locally induced responses may be particularly important in large plants, such as trees, that show high variability in traits and herbivory rates across their canopies. We studied the branch-localized induction of polyphenols, volatiles (VOCs), and changes in leaf protein content in Carpinus betulus L., Quercus robur L., and Tilia cordata L. in a common garden experiment. To induce the trees, we treated ten individuals per species on one branch with methyl jasmonate. Five other individuals per species served as controls. We measured the traits in the treated branches, in control branches on treated trees, and in control trees. Additionally, we ran predation assays and caterpillar food-choice trials to assess the effects of our treatment on other trophic levels. Induced VOCs included mainly mono- and sesquiterpenes. Their production was strongly localized to the treated branches in all three tree species studied. Treated trees showed more predation events than control trees. The polyphenol levels and total protein content showed a limited response to the treatment. Yet, winter moth caterpillars preferred leaves from control branches over leaves from treated branches within C. betulus individuals and leaves from control Q. robur individuals over leaves from treated Q. robur individuals. Our results suggest that there is a significant level of localization in induction of VOCs and probably also in unknown traits with direct effects on herbivores. Such localization allows trees to upregulate defences wherever and whenever they are needed. Keywords Herbivory . Hornbeam . Indirect defences . Linden . Oak . Methyl jasmonate . Polyphenols . Protein content . Terpenes . VOCs
Introduction Plants employ a bewildering diversity and variability of defence strategies. The efficiency of particular defences is highly dependent on the identity of herbivores and surrounding
* Martin Volf [email protected] 1
German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Puschstrasse 4, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
2
Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Institute of Entomology, Branisovska 31, 37005 Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
3
Institute of Biodiversity, University of Jena, Dornburger Str. 159, 07743 Jena, Germany
abiotic conditions (Defossez et al. 2018; Volf et al. 2018). Variability in defences and plasticity in their deployment thus help plants face a wide variety of challenges (Koricheva et al. 2004; Volf et al. 2019b). Indu
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