ibclogo XVI International Botanical Congess


Abstract Number: 2338
Poster No. = 1218


INTRASPECIFIC VARIATION OF RESOURCE ALLOCATION IN DIALIUM GUIANENSE AND EDAPHIC HETEROGENEITY: ECOLOGICAL AND EVOLUTIONARY CONSEQUENCES


Karina Boege & Rodolfo Dirzo. Instituto de Ecología, UNAM, Mexico


Resource availability theory predicts a negative correlation between defense and growth in plants. We tested this relationship at the intraspecific level with two adjacent populations of a leguminous tree Dialium guianense, growing in two sites with soils of contrasting quality (aluvial=rich, hills=poor) in a Mexican tropical rain forest. Plants from the rich soil grew better and had lower levels of defense as well as higher rates of herbivory than plants form the poor soils. Results of palatability assays where compatible with these findings. A reciprocal transplant experiment suggested that such intraspecific variation is likely due to phenotypic plasticity. We conclude that such phenotypic plasticity and the overall results of this study are better explained by the Carbon/Nutrient balance hypothesis.


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