Sex-Related Differences in Reproductive Allocation, Growth, Defense and Herbivory in Three Dioecious Neotropical Palms 英文参考文献.docVIP

Sex-RelatedDifferencesinReproductiveAllocation, Growth,DefenseandHerbivoryinThreeDioecious NeotropicalPalms Vero′nicaCepeda-Cornejo1*,RodolfoDirzo1,2 1Departamento de Ecolog?′a Evolutiva, Instituto de Ecolog?′a, Universidad Nacional Auto′noma de Me′xico, Me′xico, Distrito Federal, Me′xico, 2Department of Biology, StanfordUniversity,Stanford,California,UnitedStatesofAmerica Abstract Background: Frequently, in dioecious plants, female plants allocate more resources to reproduction than male plants. Thereforeitisexpectedthatasymmetricalallocationtoreproductionmayleadtoareproduction-growthtradeoff,whereby female plants grow less than male plants, but invest more in defenses and thus experience lower herbivory than male plants. Methodology/PrincipalFindings:Wetestedtheseexpectationsbycomparingresourceallocationtoreproduction,growth and defense and its consequences on herbivory in three sympatric dioecious Chamaedorea palms (C. alternans, C. pinnatifrons and C. ernesti-augusti) using a pair-wise design (replicated male/female neighboring plants) in a Mexican tropicalrainforest.Ourfindingssupportthepredictions.BiomassallocationtoreproductioninC.pinnatifronswas3-times higherinfemalethanmaleplants,consistentwithwhatisknowninC.alternansandC.ernesti-augusti.Growth(heightand leaf production rate and biomass production) was higher in male plants of all three species. Female plants of the three specieshadtraitsthatsuggestgreaterinvestmentindefense,astheyhad4–16%tougherleaves,and8–18%highertotal phenoliccompoundsconcentration.Accordingly,femaleplantssustained53–78%lowerstandingherbivoryand49–87% lowerherbivoryratesthanmaleplants. Conclusions/Significance:Ourresultssuggeststhatresourceallocationtoreproductioninthestudiedpalmsismorecostly tofemaleplantsandthisleadstopredictableintersexualdifferencesingrowth,defenseandherbivory.Weconcludethat resource allocation to reproduction in plants can have important consequences that influence their interaction with herbivores.Sinceherbivoryi