Artificial herbivory on Prunus avium: impacts on physiological leaf traits

Abstract

Herbivorous insects from diverse feeding guild cause defoliation with different intensity and dissimilar tissue effects. We studied the effects on water relations and morpho-structural and hydraulic traits of Prunus avium leaves caused by two different patterns of artificial herbivory (the window feeding and cut treatments) that mimic the effect of insects such as Caliroa cerasi and lepidopteran larvae. The cut treatment resulted in higher leaf dry mass per area and leaf hydraulic conductance in the remaining tissue in relation to the window feeding treatment and the control. The window feeding treatment increased the tissue elasticity and decrease the stomatal conductance. Although each herbivory pattern affected to different leaf traits, all changes were on traits relevant to drought resistance. These results contribute to improve our understanding on plant–herbivore interactions.