BIOL 351 Lecture Notes - Lecture 15: Anticosti Island, Herbivore, Phenology
13 Mar 2017
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Document Summary
Herbivores prey on autotrophs (plants and algae) In includes: defoliation: destruction of plants tissue (leaf, bark, stem, roots, etc) and, consumption of seeds and fruits or of tissues to destroy the plants. Herbivory is a form of predation, though herbivores typically d o not kill the individuals they feed on. Autotroph herbivore interactions are a key component of all communities. Decrease plant biomass: reducing the amount of photosyntate and the ability to produce more. Reduction of the vigor of the plant. Effect is strong at juvenile stage, when the plant is most vulnerable. Younger leaves are often more palatable and more nutritious. All these place it at a competitive disadvantage to surrounding vegetation, and lowers its reproductive effort for or fitness. What are beneficial effects of herbivory on plants? fewer seeds, herbivory also affects plant fecundity. Indeed, reproductive structures such as flowers, buds or seeds might be removed directly. Because their meristem is close to the ground.
