How Drought and Herbivory Affect Plant Defense Variation
Author Information
Author(s): Carley Lauren N., Mitchell‐Olds Tom, Morris William F.
Primary Institution: Duke University
Hypothesis
How does natural selection driven by drought and herbivory shape total fitness of Boechera stricta genotypes differing in defensive chemistry?
Conclusion
Increasing aridity may threaten the maintenance of genetic variation for defense chemistry in Boechera stricta populations.
Supporting Evidence
- Contrasting defense genotypes had equivalent total fitness in many environments.
- Drought and herbivory interacted to shape vital rates.
- Both genotypes experienced strong net selection by drought.
Takeaway
Plants have different ways to defend themselves against bugs, and how well they do depends on the weather and how many bugs are around.
Methodology
A 4-year field experiment manipulating drought and herbivory to assess their effects on plant fitness.
Potential Biases
Potential biases in the experimental design due to environmental variability.
Limitations
The study may not account for all environmental variables affecting plant fitness.
Participant Demographics
Boechera stricta, a perennial wildflower native to the western United States.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.05
Confidence Interval
95% CI
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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