Effects of belowground vertical distribution of a herbivore on plant biomass and survival in Lolium perenne. Issue 2 (14th February 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Tsunoda, Tomonori; Kachi, Naoki; Suzuki, Jun‐Ichirou
• Is Part Of: Ecological research. Volume 29:Issue 2(2014)
• Page Start: 351
• Page End: 355
• Publication Date: 2014-02-14
• Subjects: Grub -- Plant–herbivore interactions -- Plant mortality -- Plant–soil (belowground) interactions -- Root herbivory; Ecology -- Periodicals; Ecology -- Japan -- Periodicals; Écologie; Japon; Ecology; Japan; Ressource Internet (Descripteur de forme); Périodique électronique (Descripteur de forme); Periodicals; 577.05
• DOI: 10.1007/s11284-014-1133-6
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0912-3814

Abstract

Abstract: Root herbivory affects plant performance, but the effects are not well understood. We tested the effects of the vertical distribution of a root‐feeding beetle larva ( Anomala cuprea ) by restricting its access to the top, middle, or bottom zone in pots of perennial ryegrass ( Lolium perenne ) or by allowing unrestricted access. We predicted that plant mortality, biomass, and biomass allocation should change with the zone of root herbivory, because both the magnitude of root loss and the consequences of such loss are specific to the point of damage. Seven of nine plants died in each treatment in which the larvae had access to the top zone. In contrast, no plants died when larvae occupied the middle or bottom zones. Plants were killed when the larvae grazed the root base and severed the shoots from the roots. Moreover, total plant biomass and biomass allocation to roots were significantly lower when the larvae were confined to the top and middle feeding zones. The greatest number of roots were removed when the larvae occupied the top feeding zone. Thus, the vertical distribution of a belowground herbivore is crucially important to plant fate. In nature, most belowground herbivores are concentrated near the soil surface, and thus the effects of belowground herbivory are often more severe than the effects of aboveground herbivory.