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Intraclonal variation in defence substances and palatability: a study on Carex and lemmings

Bråthen, KA ; Agrell, Jep LU ; Berteaux, D and Jonsdottir, IS (2004) In Oikos 105(3). p.461-470
Abstract
Clonal sedges consist of integrated ramets at different development stages. Many of these sedges are important food for herbivores, yet differences in herbivore preferences and defence allocation between ramet development stages have not previously been evaluated. In this study we investigated intraclonal ramet variation in level of plant defence and nutrient compounds and intraclonal ramet preferences by lemmings (Lemmus trimucronatus) in field samples of a rhizomatous sedge (Carex stans). Plant defence was measured as the level of proteinase inhibitor activity (PIA) and the ratio of PIA to soluble plant proteins (SPP), whereas plant nutrients were measured as the level of soluble plant sugars (SPS) and SPP. Flowering ramets generally had... (More)
Clonal sedges consist of integrated ramets at different development stages. Many of these sedges are important food for herbivores, yet differences in herbivore preferences and defence allocation between ramet development stages have not previously been evaluated. In this study we investigated intraclonal ramet variation in level of plant defence and nutrient compounds and intraclonal ramet preferences by lemmings (Lemmus trimucronatus) in field samples of a rhizomatous sedge (Carex stans). Plant defence was measured as the level of proteinase inhibitor activity (PIA) and the ratio of PIA to soluble plant proteins (SPP), whereas plant nutrients were measured as the level of soluble plant sugars (SPS) and SPP. Flowering ramets generally had a higher content of defence compared to vegetative ramets, which is consistent with the optimal defence theory predicting that defence compounds are allocated to the ramet stage of the highest fitness value. Compared to vegetative ramets, the flowering ramets had a lower content of SPP and a higher content of SPS. The lemmings showed preference differences between the ramet development stages, and to a large extent the ramet content of defence compounds and nutrient compounds covaried with these preferences in the predicted way. This study shows that defence allocation between ramet development stages of the clonal sedge Carex conforms to predictions of the optimal defence theory. (Less)
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author
; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
Oikos
volume
105
issue
3
pages
461 - 470
publisher
Wiley-Blackwell
external identifiers
  • wos:000221438100002
  • scopus:3042595849
ISSN
1600-0706
DOI
10.1111/j.0030-1299.2004.12926.x
language
English
LU publication?
yes
additional info
The information about affiliations in this record was updated in December 2015. The record was previously connected to the following departments: Animal Ecology (Closed 2011) (011012001)
id
bc009f70-38d9-492d-a215-ff7394b7efd5 (old id 137014)
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 11:55:38
date last changed
2022-03-28 17:44:42
@article{bc009f70-38d9-492d-a215-ff7394b7efd5,
  abstract     = {{Clonal sedges consist of integrated ramets at different development stages. Many of these sedges are important food for herbivores, yet differences in herbivore preferences and defence allocation between ramet development stages have not previously been evaluated. In this study we investigated intraclonal ramet variation in level of plant defence and nutrient compounds and intraclonal ramet preferences by lemmings (Lemmus trimucronatus) in field samples of a rhizomatous sedge (Carex stans). Plant defence was measured as the level of proteinase inhibitor activity (PIA) and the ratio of PIA to soluble plant proteins (SPP), whereas plant nutrients were measured as the level of soluble plant sugars (SPS) and SPP. Flowering ramets generally had a higher content of defence compared to vegetative ramets, which is consistent with the optimal defence theory predicting that defence compounds are allocated to the ramet stage of the highest fitness value. Compared to vegetative ramets, the flowering ramets had a lower content of SPP and a higher content of SPS. The lemmings showed preference differences between the ramet development stages, and to a large extent the ramet content of defence compounds and nutrient compounds covaried with these preferences in the predicted way. This study shows that defence allocation between ramet development stages of the clonal sedge Carex conforms to predictions of the optimal defence theory.}},
  author       = {{Bråthen, KA and Agrell, Jep and Berteaux, D and Jonsdottir, IS}},
  issn         = {{1600-0706}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{3}},
  pages        = {{461--470}},
  publisher    = {{Wiley-Blackwell}},
  series       = {{Oikos}},
  title        = {{Intraclonal variation in defence substances and palatability: a study on Carex and lemmings}},
  url          = {{https://lup.lub.lu.se/search/files/2705600/624626.pdf}},
  doi          = {{10.1111/j.0030-1299.2004.12926.x}},
  volume       = {{105}},
  year         = {{2004}},
}