Complex multitrophic species interactions and fitness costs: Intricate consequences of jasmonate and salicylate induced plant defences.
Kersch-Becker MF, Pinheiro GP, Schweller TS, Pareja M, Pocius VM
Plant Signaling
PubMedThe same chemical signals that make a plant fight off caterpillars can quietly cut its seed production by driving away the bees and butterflies it needs for pollination — a hidden trade-off that shapes every garden and wild plant community around you.
Plants have two main alarm systems they switch on when attacked by insects. This study found that turning on either alarm system helped protect seeds from being eaten before they could fall, but both systems also made flowers less attractive to pollinators, so fewer seeds were produced overall. On top of that, each alarm system had surprising side effects — one repelled leaf-chewers but attracted sap-suckers, while the other did the opposite — showing that plant defenses are a messy balancing act, not a simple on/off switch.
Key Findings
Plants with jasmonic acid defenses activated showed higher levels of protective alkaloids in their flowers and reduced leaf damage, but experienced greater colonization by sap-feeding insects.
Both jasmonic acid and salicylic acid defense treatments significantly reduced ovary fertilization, suggesting that defense induction compromises pollination success and short-term seed output.
Arthropod community composition shifted seasonally over the 16-month study, meaning the effectiveness and side effects of plant defenses varied with time of year.
chevron_right Technical Summary
When plants activate their chemical defenses against insects, they can become better protected from some pests but more vulnerable to others — and the defense itself can reduce their ability to reproduce by deterring pollinators and lowering fruit set.
Abstract Preview
Induced plant defences regulated by jasmonic acid (JA) and salicylic acid (SA) initiate a cascade of effects, from defence expression to changes in arthropod community structure and species interac...
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