Biology Commons^™

Solidago Gigantea Plants From Nonnative Ranges Compensate More In Response To Damage Than Plants From The Native Range, Huixuan Liao, Priscila Gurgel, Robert Pal, Ragan Callaway

Biological Sciences

Resistance and tolerance are two ways that plants cope with herbivory. Tolerance, the ability of a plant to regrow or reproduce after being consumed, has been studied less than resistance, but this trait varies widely among species and has considerable potential to affect the ecology of plant species. One particular aspect of tolerance, compensatory responses, can evolve rapidly in plant species; providing insight into interactions between consumers and plants. However, compensation by invasive species has rarely been explored. We compared compensatory responses to the effects of simulated herbivory expressed by plants from seven Solidago gigantea populations from the native North …