Author
THELEN, GILES - UNIV OF MONTANA-BUTTE | |
VIVANCO, JORGE - COLORADO STATE UNIVERSITY | |
NEWINGHAM, BETH - USGS, MOAB, UT | |
GOOD, WILLIAM - UNIV OF MONTANA-BUTTE | |
BAIS, HARSH - COLORADO STATE UNIVERSITY | |
LANDRES, PETER - ALDO LEOPOLD INSTITUTE | |
Caesar, Anthony | |
CALLAWAY, RAGAN - UNIV OF MONTANA-BUTTE |
Submitted to: Ecological Applications
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal Publication Acceptance Date: 9/15/2004 Publication Date: 10/1/2004 Citation: Thelen, G.C., Vivanco, J.M., Newingham, B., Good, W., Bais, H.P., Landres, P., Caesar, A.J., Callaway, R.M. 2004. Insect herbivory stimulates allelopathic exudation by an invasive plant and the suppression of natives. Ecological Applications. 14:209-217 Interpretive Summary: Exotic invasive plants are often subjected to attack from imported insects as a method of biological control. A fundamental, but rarely explicitly tested assumption of biological control is that damaged plants are less fit and compete poorly. In contrast, we find that one of the most destructive invasive plants in North America, Centaurea maculosa, exudes far higher amounts of ()-catechin, an allelopathic chemical known to have deleterious effects on native plants, when attacked by larvae of two different root boring biocontrol insects. We also demonstrate that C. maculosa plants experimentally attacked by these biocontrols exhibit more intense negative effects on natives. Technical Abstract: Exotic invasive plants are often subjected to attack from imported insects as a method of biological control. A fundamental, but rarely explicitly tested assumption of biological control is that damaged plants are less fit and compete poorly. In contrast, we find that one of the most destructive invasive plants in North America, Centaurea maculosa, exudes far higher amounts of ()-catechin, an allelopathic chemical known to have deleterious effects on native plants, when attacked by larvae of two different root boring biocontrol insects. We also demonstrate that C. maculosa plants experimentally attacked by these biocontrols exhibit more intense negative effects on natives. |