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Blocking then stinging as a case of two-step evolution of defensive cage architectures in herbivore-driven ecosystems
| First Author: |
Anest, Artemis |
| Abstract: |
Dense branching and spines are common features of plant species in ecosystems with high mammalian herbivory pressure. While dense branching and spines can inhibit herbivory independently, when combined, they form a powerful defensive cage architecture. However, how cage architecture evolved under mammalian pressure has remained unexplored. Here we show how dense branching and spines emerged during the age of mammalian radiation in the Combretaceae family and diversified in herbivore-driven ecosystems in the tropics. Phylogenetic comparative methods revealed that modern plant architectural strategies defending against large mammals evolved via a stepwise process. First, dense branching emerged under intermediate herbivory pressure, followed by the acquisition of spines that supported higher speciation rates under high herbivory pressure. Our study highlights the adaptive value of dense branching as part of a herbivore defence strategy and identifies large mammal herbivory as a major selective force shaping the whole plant architecture of woody plants. This study explores the evolution of two traits, branching density and spine presence, in the globally distributed plant family Combretaceae. These traits were found to have appeared in a two-step process in response to mammalian herbivory pressure, revealing the importance of large mammals in the evolution of plant architecture diversity. |
| Contact the author: |
Anest, A; Tomlinson, KW |
| Page Number: |
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| Issue: |
4 |
| Subject: |
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| Impact Factor: |
18 |
| Authors units: |
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| PubYear: |
2024 |
| Volume: |
10 |
| Publication Name: |
NATURE PLANTS |
| The full text link: |
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