Vegetation traits and herbivory distribution in an Australian subtropical forest.
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2011
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We tested the hypothesis that leaves in the canopy should have higher sclerophylly indices
compared with understorey leaves, which should, along with other physical foliage traits,
allow greater gall-forming insect survivorship in the canopy and result in higher leafchewing
damage in the understorey. The study was conducted in the subtropical rainforest
of Lamington National Park, Queensland, Australia. Along an altitudinal gradient, four
independent canopy pin-transects and one equivalent, horizontal understorey pintransect
(20 metres long) were conducted at each of four altitudes, 300, 700, 900 and
1100 m above sea level (a.s.l.). Each discrete layer (stratum) of foliage within the 1 m
diameter pin-transects was considered a sample. From each sample, various leaf and
meristem measurements were taken, and the number of damaged leaves was counted.
Healthy leaves were also collected for analysis of specific leaf mass, an indirect measure
of sclerophylly. All vegetation resources were more abundant in the canopy than in
the understorey, and also increased from lower to higher altitudes. In the canopy, leaf
density increased steadily from 300 to 1100 m sites, but in the understorey 300 and
900 m had denser foliage than 700 and 1100 m. Young leaves were more available in
the canopy than the understorey. However, the sites at 900 and 1100 m had as many
young leaves in the understorey as 300 m sites had in the canopy. The ratio of young/
mature leaves increased with altitude, with no difference between understorey and canopy.
Leaf area did not vary between canopy and understorey. Active meristems were found
in greater numbers in the canopy. A significant increase in sclerophylly with increasing
canopy stratum height was found. Comparing altitudes, 300 and 1100 m sites had more
active meristems than those at 700 and 900 m. Out of 72 plant species, 29 presented
galls of which the greatest densities were concentrated on seven host species. Herbivory
was more intense at lower altitudes, suggesting that micro-climate and host specificity
may drive the insect distribution patterns canopy-understorey vegetation gradient,
gall density, leaf herbivory, gall super hosts, Lamington National Park, sclerophyllous
habitats.
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RIBEIRO, S. P. et al. Vegetation traits and herbivory distribution in an Australian subtropical forest. Memoirs of the Queensland Museum, v. 50, p. 481-493, 2011. Disponível em: <http://www.network.qm.qld.gov.au/About+Us/Publications/Memoirs+of+the+Queensland+Museum/MQM+Vol+55#.WWTiHITyuUk>. Acesso em: 20 de jul. 2017.