EEB440H1 Chapter Notes - Chapter N/A: Woody Plant, Abscission, Herbivore
27 Apr 2016
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Chapter 3: plant-insect interactions in terrestrial ecosystems summary. Seed and seedling herbivory are predatory interactions because herbivores immediately kill individuals in the plant population. When just feeding on leaves, more so a parasite-host relationship. External feeding includes leaves, buds, and flowers. Due to size, insects typically spend their whole life on one plant. Tend to have short lives, therefore more rapid evolution. Insect herbivores show many adaptations for acquiring resources from plants. Chewing insects have evolved in different orders. Some insects extract nutrients by siphoning fluids from the hosts through specialized tubular mouthparts. Aphids feed on sap, and need to process a large amount to get enough resources. Gall-making insects manipulate their host plant"s tissue to provide them with a rich source of nutrients and shelter. Herbivorous groups have 2x as many number of species as non-herbivorous groups. Since insects tend to stay on one plant, they evolve to match it. No interaction really, so not much gene transfer.
