Herbivore damage and leaf loss in the New Zealand pepper tree ('Kawakawa'; Macropiper excelsum; Piperaceae)
Content Partner: Lincoln University. The pattern of herbivore damage on the New Zealand pepper tree (kawakawa; Macropiper excelsum) caused by its main insect herbivore (Cleora scriptaria) was investigated in the field and laboratory. In the field, only a small proportion of kawakawa leaves had no he...
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Zusammenfassung: | Content Partner: Lincoln University. The pattern of herbivore damage on the New Zealand pepper tree (kawakawa; Macropiper
excelsum) caused by its main insect herbivore (Cleora scriptaria) was investigated in the field and laboratory.
In the field, only a small proportion of kawakawa leaves had no herbivore damage and C. scriptaria typically
produced a number of small holes in each leaf. Leaves were shed at a rapid rate but leaf shedding was not
increased by higher levels of herbivore damage. Some older leaves had less damage than would be expected
for their age, possibly suggesting some variation in leaf susceptibility to herbivory. The effect of previous leaf
damage on subsequent herbivory was examined in the field and laboratory. On no occasion did artificial leaf
damage, or herbivory by larvae of the same or another species, affect the edibility of leaves to C. scriptaria.
The results suggest that leaf shedding by kawakawa was not primarily a response to herbivore damage and
induced defences against herbivores could not be demonstrated in this system.The
New Zealand Lottery Board and the British Council
(grant HEL 0984) provided funding. |
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