Palacios & Mondragón 2012 (Conference Paper) Herbivory

Herbivory in Tillandsia carlos-hankii (Bromeliaceae) and the impact on reproductive success

Author(s):—Y. Palacios M. & D. Mondragón C.

Publication:— (2012).

Abstract:—Herbivory is the partial consumption of plant tissue by the actions of herbivores. The interaction among epiphytes plants with herbivores has often been studied in birds and insects, but not with mammals. Animal consume leaves, flowers, fruits and seeds, which negatively impacts in the structure, reproduction and survival of plants populations. There are few published studies regarding herbivory on epiphytes and none concerning the bromeliad specie Tillandsia carlos-hankii. It is endemic at Sierra Norte of Oaxaca and is registered as threatened. This specie play important role in ecosystem by providing habitat and food for arthropods, and it is widely used as ornamental plant. Herbivory damage, has been detected in its populations, but it have not been quantified. This research aims to assess the impact of herbivory on reproductive success of Tillandsia carlos-hankii. At population level, we selected four zones for sampling (divided in: high and low herbivory), in each zone it was a plot of 15 x 50 for quantify damaged and undamaged inflorescences. At individual level we selected 15 plants with damage inflorescences in each zone of high herbivory, were we taken morphometric measurements and quantified the total number of spikes and these few meals. Herbivory damage at population level was 100% and 83% on the study zones; at the individual level was 96.78 + 14.20 % and 93.11 + 7.13%, respectively. Herbivory on Tillandsia carlos-hankii is destroying the flowers, which implies a decrease in floral attractiveness to pollinators and a considerable reduction in reproductive success, resulting low production fruits and seeds, and also this would be altering plant’s mating systems, because autogamy will might increase.