Effects of experimental inbreeding on herbivore resistance and plant fitness: the role of history of inbreeding, herbivory and abiotic factors

Leimu, Roose; Kloss, Lena; Fischer, Markus (2008). Effects of experimental inbreeding on herbivore resistance and plant fitness: the role of history of inbreeding, herbivory and abiotic factors. Ecology Letters, 11(10), pp. 1101-1110. Oxford: Wiley-Blackwell Publishing 10.1111/j.1461-0248.2008.01222.x

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Inbreeding is common in plant populations and can affect plant fitness and resistance against herbivores. These effects are likely to depend on population history. In a greenhouse experiment with plants from 17 populations of Lychnis flos-cuculi, we studied the effects of experimental inbreeding on resistance and plant fitness. Depending on the levels of past herbivory and abiotic factors at the site of plant origin, we found either inbreeding or outbreeding depression in herbivore resistance. Furthermore, when not damaged experimentally by snail herbivores, plants from populations with higher heterozygosity suffered from inbreeding depression and those from populations with lower heterozygosity suffered from outbreeding depression. These effects of inbreeding and outbreeding were not apparent under experimental snail herbivory. We conclude that inbreeding effects on resistance and plant fitness depend on population history. Moreover, herbivory can mask inbreeding effects on plant fitness. Thus, understanding inbreeding effects on plant fitness requires studying multiple populations and considering population history and biotic interactions.

Item Type:

Journal Article (Original Article)

Division/Institute:

08 Faculty of Science > Department of Biology > Institute of Plant Sciences (IPS) > Plant Ecology
08 Faculty of Science > Department of Biology > Institute of Plant Sciences (IPS)

UniBE Contributor:

Fischer, Markus

ISSN:

1461-023X

Publisher:

Wiley-Blackwell Publishing

Language:

English

Submitter:

Peter Alfred von Ballmoos-Haas

Date Deposited:

04 Oct 2013 15:08

Last Modified:

05 Dec 2022 14:21

Publisher DOI:

10.1111/j.1461-0248.2008.01222.x

Web of Science ID:

000259147800014

URI:

https://boris.unibe.ch/id/eprint/30126 (FactScience: 172040)

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