Why all those spines? Anachronistic defences in the Didiereoideae against now extinct lemurs
Plants evolve physical defences, such as spines, against browsing herbivores. However, in some cases, these defences may be anachronistic because the principal consumers of protected parts of the plant are extinct. In such cases, there may be few extant species consuming heavily defended resources....
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Academy of Science of South Africa
2013-01-01
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| Series: | South African Journal of Science |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.sajs.co.za/article/view/4139 |
| _version_ | 1828376250668810240 |
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| author | Brooke E. Crowley Laurie R. Godfrey |
| author_facet | Brooke E. Crowley Laurie R. Godfrey |
| author_sort | Brooke E. Crowley |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Plants evolve physical defences, such as spines, against browsing herbivores. However, in some cases, these defences may be anachronistic because the principal consumers of protected parts of the plant are extinct. In such cases, there may be few extant species consuming heavily defended resources. Here we examine the spiny defences of Madagascar’s endemic Didiereoideae, and ask whether they may be anachronistic. To accomplish this aim, we reviewed the literature to determine which species consume these plants today, and then used stable isotope biogeochemistry to determine who may have exploited Didiereoideae in the recent past. There are four major groups of browsers that are now extinct in Madagascar: giant lemurs, elephant birds (Aepyornis and Mullerornis: Aepyornithidae), pygmy hippopotamuses (Hippopotamus) and giant tortoises (Aldabrachelys: Testudinidae). Each group was evaluated for isotopic evidence of didiereoid plant consumption. Given the structure of members of this plant clade (especially Alluaudia), we predicted that lemurs would be their most important consumers. Three extant lemur species consume Didiereoideae. Several of the extinct lemurs, particularly Hadropithecus stenognathus, may have relied heavily on these spiny plants. None of the non-lemur megafaunal browsers (elephant birds, hippopotamuses and giant tortoises) were important consumers of Didiereoideae. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-14T07:58:07Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-f6377348c8ab47b1bbd4a0cb5eb53c74 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1996-7489 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-14T07:58:07Z |
| publishDate | 2013-01-01 |
| publisher | Academy of Science of South Africa |
| record_format | Article |
| series | South African Journal of Science |
| spelling | doaj.art-f6377348c8ab47b1bbd4a0cb5eb53c742022-12-22T02:04:59ZengAcademy of Science of South AfricaSouth African Journal of Science1996-74892013-01-011091/27710.1590/sajs.2013/13464139Why all those spines? Anachronistic defences in the Didiereoideae against now extinct lemursBrooke E. Crowley0Laurie R. Godfrey11 Department of Geology, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, USA 2 Department of Anthropology, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, USADepartment of Anthropology, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, USAPlants evolve physical defences, such as spines, against browsing herbivores. However, in some cases, these defences may be anachronistic because the principal consumers of protected parts of the plant are extinct. In such cases, there may be few extant species consuming heavily defended resources. Here we examine the spiny defences of Madagascar’s endemic Didiereoideae, and ask whether they may be anachronistic. To accomplish this aim, we reviewed the literature to determine which species consume these plants today, and then used stable isotope biogeochemistry to determine who may have exploited Didiereoideae in the recent past. There are four major groups of browsers that are now extinct in Madagascar: giant lemurs, elephant birds (Aepyornis and Mullerornis: Aepyornithidae), pygmy hippopotamuses (Hippopotamus) and giant tortoises (Aldabrachelys: Testudinidae). Each group was evaluated for isotopic evidence of didiereoid plant consumption. Given the structure of members of this plant clade (especially Alluaudia), we predicted that lemurs would be their most important consumers. Three extant lemur species consume Didiereoideae. Several of the extinct lemurs, particularly Hadropithecus stenognathus, may have relied heavily on these spiny plants. None of the non-lemur megafaunal browsers (elephant birds, hippopotamuses and giant tortoises) were important consumers of Didiereoideae.https://www.sajs.co.za/article/view/4139Madagascarlemurcrassulacean acid metabolismδ13Cδ15N |
| spellingShingle | Brooke E. Crowley Laurie R. Godfrey Why all those spines? Anachronistic defences in the Didiereoideae against now extinct lemurs South African Journal of Science Madagascar lemur crassulacean acid metabolism δ13C δ15N |
| title | Why all those spines? Anachronistic defences in the Didiereoideae against now extinct lemurs |
| title_full | Why all those spines? Anachronistic defences in the Didiereoideae against now extinct lemurs |
| title_fullStr | Why all those spines? Anachronistic defences in the Didiereoideae against now extinct lemurs |
| title_full_unstemmed | Why all those spines? Anachronistic defences in the Didiereoideae against now extinct lemurs |
| title_short | Why all those spines? Anachronistic defences in the Didiereoideae against now extinct lemurs |
| title_sort | why all those spines anachronistic defences in the didiereoideae against now extinct lemurs |
| topic | Madagascar lemur crassulacean acid metabolism δ13C δ15N |
| url | https://www.sajs.co.za/article/view/4139 |
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