Relaxation of putative plant defenses in a tropical agroecosystem
Abstract Evidence of the effects of agriculture on natural systems is widespread, but potential evolutionary responses in nontarget species are largely uncharacterized. To explore whether exposure to agrochemicals may influence selective pressures and phenotypic expression in nonagricultural plant p...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Wiley
2021-06-01
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| Series: | Ecology and Evolution |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.7497 |
| _version_ | 1819084607537020928 |
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| author | Lauren N. Carley Susan G. Letcher |
| author_facet | Lauren N. Carley Susan G. Letcher |
| author_sort | Lauren N. Carley |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Evidence of the effects of agriculture on natural systems is widespread, but potential evolutionary responses in nontarget species are largely uncharacterized. To explore whether exposure to agrochemicals may influence selective pressures and phenotypic expression in nonagricultural plant populations, we characterized the expression of putative antiherbivore defense phenotypes in three nonagricultural species found upstream and downstream of irrigated rice fields in Guanacaste Province, Costa Rica. We found that plants downstream of chemically intensive agriculture showed shifts toward reduced expression of putative antiherbivore defenses relative to upstream counterparts. In two of three tested species, leaf extracts from downstream plants were more palatable to a generalist consumer, suggesting a possible reduction of chemical defenses. In one species with multiple modes of putative defenses, we observed parallel reductions of three metrics of putative biotic and physical defenses. These reductions were concurrent with reduced herbivore damage on downstream plants. Together, these results suggest that agriculture has the potential to alter intraspecific phenotypic expression, ecological interactions, and natural selection in nontarget plant populations. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-21T20:51:09Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-7fc0b3d561e4445b80a586c66856b288 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2045-7758 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-21T20:51:09Z |
| publishDate | 2021-06-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Ecology and Evolution |
| spelling | doaj.art-7fc0b3d561e4445b80a586c66856b2882022-12-21T18:50:43ZengWileyEcology and Evolution2045-77582021-06-0111115815582710.1002/ece3.7497Relaxation of putative plant defenses in a tropical agroecosystemLauren N. Carley0Susan G. Letcher1Organization for Tropical Studies San Pedro de Montes de Oca San Pedro Costa RicaOrganization for Tropical Studies San Pedro de Montes de Oca San Pedro Costa RicaAbstract Evidence of the effects of agriculture on natural systems is widespread, but potential evolutionary responses in nontarget species are largely uncharacterized. To explore whether exposure to agrochemicals may influence selective pressures and phenotypic expression in nonagricultural plant populations, we characterized the expression of putative antiherbivore defense phenotypes in three nonagricultural species found upstream and downstream of irrigated rice fields in Guanacaste Province, Costa Rica. We found that plants downstream of chemically intensive agriculture showed shifts toward reduced expression of putative antiherbivore defenses relative to upstream counterparts. In two of three tested species, leaf extracts from downstream plants were more palatable to a generalist consumer, suggesting a possible reduction of chemical defenses. In one species with multiple modes of putative defenses, we observed parallel reductions of three metrics of putative biotic and physical defenses. These reductions were concurrent with reduced herbivore damage on downstream plants. Together, these results suggest that agriculture has the potential to alter intraspecific phenotypic expression, ecological interactions, and natural selection in nontarget plant populations.https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.7497antiherbivore defensesdomatiaextrafloral nectariesinsecticidesintraspecific variationnatural selection |
| spellingShingle | Lauren N. Carley Susan G. Letcher Relaxation of putative plant defenses in a tropical agroecosystem Ecology and Evolution antiherbivore defenses domatia extrafloral nectaries insecticides intraspecific variation natural selection |
| title | Relaxation of putative plant defenses in a tropical agroecosystem |
| title_full | Relaxation of putative plant defenses in a tropical agroecosystem |
| title_fullStr | Relaxation of putative plant defenses in a tropical agroecosystem |
| title_full_unstemmed | Relaxation of putative plant defenses in a tropical agroecosystem |
| title_short | Relaxation of putative plant defenses in a tropical agroecosystem |
| title_sort | relaxation of putative plant defenses in a tropical agroecosystem |
| topic | antiherbivore defenses domatia extrafloral nectaries insecticides intraspecific variation natural selection |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.7497 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT laurenncarley relaxationofputativeplantdefensesinatropicalagroecosystem AT susangletcher relaxationofputativeplantdefensesinatropicalagroecosystem |