Articles tagged with Herbivores
A recent study challenged the conventional view of coevolution between plants and herbivores, suggesting that plants' defensive traits, rather than their genetic relationships, are key factors in determining which species herbivores target. This new paradigm proposes that herbivores may 'chase' or switch hosts based on the plant's defe...
Researchers found that nectar attracts herbivores like sawflies, which eat petals and nectaries, away from critical flower parts. This 'decoy' strategy allows flowers to protect their reproductive tissues, enhancing pollination success.
According to a study published in Nature Ecology & Evolution, plants produce defensive chemicals like methyl jasmonate that deter herbivores. When these chemicals are present, caterpillars become more likely to turn to cannibalism, benefiting the plant by reducing herbivore populations.
Researchers from the University of Utah analyzed oxygen isotope data from herbivore teeth and tusks to understand climate dynamics in the Omo-Turkana basin. The findings suggest that fluctuations in rainfall timing and interactions between plants and animals, rather than long-term drought, drove changes in the region's ecosystem.
A new study reveals a global pattern of caterpillar predation driven by tiny arthropod predators like ants, contrary to expectations. The trends show that caterpillars near the Equator are eight times more likely to be eaten than those at the poles.
A new study models herbivore arthropods across six continents and finds that predation rates decrease with increasing latitude and elevation. The research suggests that caterpillars may have evolved shorter development times to counteract increased predation at lower latitudes.
A recent study published in Nature Ecology and Evolution reveals that rising moisture levels may have contributed to the extinction of giant herbivores approximately 10,000 years ago. Researchers analyzed carbon and nitrogen isotopes in ancient animal bones to infer climate conditions and dietary habits of the megafauna.
Research reveals that herbivores can evade plant defenses by using symbiotic bacteria, while plants have two lines of defense against predators. Understanding these interactions may help control pests and improve plant productivity through probiotics.
A USU ecologist has found evidence of Pando's recovery through the use of fencing to limit herbivore access, supporting a growing body of research suggesting this approach can help protect western aspen communities from decline. The study suggests that limiting herbivory can give Pando and other aspen clones a fighting chance at survival.
Researchers found that plants emit unique odour profiles in response to exotic herbivores, which are distinct from those emitted by native herbivores. This adaptation helps plants specifically attract natural enemies that feed on the herbivores eating them.
A new study uses herbaria specimens to show a decrease in white trillium leaf area due to deer overbrowsing, indicating lower reproductive potential. The research demonstrates the value of herbaria collections for long-term plant population studies.
Researchers found small algae-grazing sea urchins and parrotfish may take the place of larger grazers to prevent algae from overgrowing reefs. These tiny organisms, comprising up to 95% of grazing biomass, can preempt shifts from coral to algae on degraded reefs.
A study found that butterfly mothers preferentially select leaves from vulnerable Cycas species over less damaged ones, resulting in a greater number of eggs being deposited. However, this skill was lost in populations experiencing novel host species over time.
Research on non-native cycad herbivores reveals significant changes in leaf chemistry following herbivory, which can lead to faster litter decomposition and altered nutrient turnover rates. The study highlights the devastating consequences of invasive species on native ecosystems.
Genetically modified tobacco plants lacking jasmonates are more susceptible to insect and vertebrate attacks, with a significant impact on reproductive ability. Rabbits prefer to feed on these plants, peeling the stems and reducing flower production, highlighting the importance of nicotine in plant defense.
Researchers have discovered plant mimicry between Alseuosmia pusilla and Pseudowintera colorata, where the unprotected shrub mimics the chemically-defended tree. The study uses a novel approach to quantify leaf shape using morphometric methods, providing evidence of Batesian mimicry in vascular plants.
The European Research Council has granted Dr. Thomas Tütken a Consolidator Grant to investigate when the first land-based vertebrates began to use plants as a food source. By analyzing fossil teeth, he aims to reconstruct past food webs and extinction patterns of early land vertebrates.
The study found that the ant species Pseudomyrmex dendroicus provides its exclusive host Triplaris americana with significant protection against herbivory and disease. The ants patrol their hosts during both day and night, aggressively attacking any herbivores they encounter.
The extinction of large herbivores during the Late Pleistocene led to significant changes in vegetation composition and landscape openness. This study reveals that large herbivores play a crucial role in shaping their environments, which has major consequences for other species and ecosystem processes.
A team of evolutionary biologists used mathematical models to determine that ancient carnivores could bring down massive herbivores like mastodons and giant ground sloths. The largest cave hyena might have been able to take down a 5-year-old juvenile mastodon weighing over a ton.
A multidisciplinary team has reconstructed past environments in the Cantabrian Region over a period of nearly 35,000 years using marine microfauna, small vertebrates and stable isotopes. The study confirms a series of warm and cold events during the Upper Pleistocene, providing insights into human adaptation strategies.
A University of Delaware study reveals that non-native plants support fewer herbivores and less diverse communities compared to native plants. The research found a compounding effect where non-native trees with no close native relative supported even lower diversity of herbivores.
A caterpillar's feces induces corn plants to lower their defenses against insect predators, allowing the caterpillar to eat more and grow faster. This deception has likely evolved over thousands of years and may lead to the development of organic pesticides.
Scientists have discovered how earthworms digest plant material despite toxic chemicals produced by plants. The discovery highlights the importance of drilodefensins, molecules in the earthworm gut that counteract plant defenses.
A study found that rhino horn is more valuable by weight than gold, diamonds, or cocaine, posing a devastating threat to the world's largest herbivores. The loss of these animals would have drastic implications for ecosystems and human societies, with some species expected to become extinct in as little as 80-100 years.
The world's largest herbivores are declining due to habitat change and hunting, leading to a 'empty landscape' in diverse ecosystems. This loss of species poses significant ecological, social, and economic costs, including reduced food for large carnivores and altered nutrient cycles.
Northern coastal marshes are more susceptible to overgrazing by herbivores from nutrient-rich runoff, leading to destabilization and reduced function. This study integrates field experiments and finds that latitude plays a key role in mediating the impact of nutrient loading on plant-herbivore interactions.
Researchers analyzed data from over 7,500 species of insect herbivores and found that most species specialize on a single type of plant, contradicting the assumption that generalist feeders are more common. This study has important implications for ecosystem management and conservation efforts.
Leaf-mining insects completely disappeared after the dinosaur extinction event, only to reappear a million years later with diverse damage patterns. The researchers found nine different mine-damage types at Mexican Hat attributable to moths, wasps, and flies, suggesting an influx of novel insect herbivores during the early Paleocene.
Studies by Brown University researchers confirm that crabs are ravaging coastal saltmarshes in New England and Long Island. The team's work reveals herbivory of cordgrass by the Sesarma crab is a major cause of marsh death, with overfishing reducing natural predator populations.
The discovery of Eocasea martini reveals how carnivores gave rise to terrestrial herbivores for the first time on land. This 300-million-year-old fossil shows that herbivory arose independently at least five times, including twice in reptiles, and led to a significant shift in early ecosystems.
The fossil, Eocasea martini, provides evidence that large caseid herbivores evolved from small carnivorous ancestors. This finding contributes to our understanding of the early evolution of herbivory in terrestrial vertebrates.
Flowering plants adapt their scent signals to balance attraction of pollinators with protection from herbivore damage. Research shows that infested plants reduce floral scent to lure parasitic wasps, which are then attracted by leaf scents. This complex interaction highlights the trade-offs in plant defense strategies.
Biologists discovered a new plant species, Piper kelleyi, that is home to an estimated 40-50 insect species, most of which are entirely dependent on the plant for survival. The study highlights the importance of unique plant compounds in driving evolution and biodiversity.
A global assessment reveals that fishing has reduced vital seaweed-eating fish by more than 50%, compromising coral reef health. The study highlights the importance of protecting these key species to preserve ecosystem balance.
A recent study by Finnish scientists found that smaller island areas support fewer species and shorter food chains. The research team analyzed 20 islands off the Finnish coast and discovered that top predators were often missing from small islands, leading to a loss of control functions in local ecosystems.
Researchers found that plants can eavesdrop on herbivore cues, including snail slime, to mount a defensive response before being attacked. The study shows plants can use generalist herbivore cues in a sophisticated way to trigger defense mechanisms.
A recent study found that the presence of spiders drives up the rate of carbon uptake by plants, while also changing their storage patterns. This effect is linked to the predator-prey relationship between grasshoppers and spiders, highlighting the vital role of predators in regulating the carbon cycle.
Researchers discovered that female moths use changes in plant volatile compounds to guide ovipositing to unattacked plants, avoiding predators and competing caterpillars. This allows them to minimize the risk of newly laid eggs being eaten by predators.
A new study published in the Proceedings of the Royal Society of London found that plant communities in the Arctic are more resilient to climate change when populations of caribou and musk ox remain intact. The research suggests that these large herbivores maintain plant species diversity, while warming reduces it.
A Norwegian study found that climate events, particularly rain-on-snow events, drive synchronized population fluctuations among high-arctic vertebrates. This synchrony affects the entire community, including species such as reindeer, rock ptarmigan, and arctic foxes.
Researchers found that bracken ferns release minimal amounts of volatile compounds when attacked by herbivores. However, treatment with plant hormone jasmonic acid induces a response similar to flowering plants, releasing terpenoids.
Researchers found that releasing green leaf volatiles increases plant fitness by attracting enemies of herbivores and boosting reproduction. This natural defense mechanism can improve agricultural yields without harming the environment.
Scientists used airborne 3-D mapping to quantify tree losses across Kruger National Park, finding that elephants are primary agents of tree loss. The study highlights the challenges faced by conservation managers and provides valuable insights for improving savanna management practices.
Research suggests that herbivores may have driven the evolution of unique inflorescence architecture in Babiana ringens, a South African plant. The plant's ground-level flowers are protected from herbivores, while apical flowers are eaten, leading to higher reproductive success.
Researchers studied butterfly life cycles in central Spain's mountain range to understand climate change impacts. Some species that emerge later or fly higher may struggle, while others with longer reproductive windows are more resilient.
A major new study found that small marine snails have a profound impact on the marine ecosystem, removing almost 70% of plant material from the sea floor. The research, led by Associate Professor Alistair Poore, reveals that snails are a key driver of herbivory in marine habitats.
A study found that large-bodied herbivores declined in biodiversity over the last 12 million years of the Cretaceous period. In contrast, carnivorous dinosaurs and smaller plant-eaters remained relatively stable or increased in diversity. The researchers used morphological disparity to analyze dinosaur groups and found that certain spe...
Research conducted by Oregon State University reveals that the loss of predators in the Northern Hemisphere has led to an increase in populations of moose, deer, and other large herbivores. This surge in population density is crippling young tree growth and reducing biodiversity, contributing to deforestation and reduced carbon sequest...
Researchers studying seaweed-eating fish and coral reef health may develop new methods to manage seaweed growth. The study aims to determine which mix of fish can control the most damaging seaweeds and protect corals.
A recent study by Max Planck Institute researchers discovered that ants can recognize the distinctive body odor of caterpillars after they consume sugary secretions from wild tobacco plant trichomes. The caterpillars develop a unique odor profile, which is then detected by predatory ants, making them easier to locate and feed on.
A study at Michigan State University reveals a potential new way for plants to fend off pests through starvation. The research focuses on the enzyme threonine deaminase (TD2), which breaks down a key nutrient in caterpillars' stomachs, starving them.
A new study finds that weed-eating fish like parrotfish and surgeonfish can only keep coral reefs clear of weeds before they take over. Beyond a certain density, the fish no longer control the weeds, allowing the corals to be lost.
A new analysis by Field Museum scientists found that 44 theropod species distributed across six major lineages were eating plants, with the ancestor to modern birds likely losing its appetite for flesh alone. The study suggests that iconic predators like Velociraptor and T. rex should be viewed as exceptions rather than the rule.
Scientists have discovered that red light influences the regulation of nectar secretion in extrafloral nectaries of plants like Lima beans. This process involves the phytochrome protein and affects the binding of plant hormone jasmonic acid to isoleucine.
Lima bean plants produce extrafloral nectar to attract ants, which defend against herbivores. Red light influences the production of this nectar through phytochrome, a photoreceptor that regulates the signaling molecule jasmonic acid. This light-dependent regulation enhances defense when herbivory is most likely.
A recent study published in Ecology found that elk are responsible for the decline of aspen in Yellowstone National Park, contradicting previous claims that wolves helped restore the ecosystem. Aspen stands exposed to elk browsing did not regenerate, even in areas considered risky for wolf predation.
Scientists discovered that plants release (E)-2-hexenal, a compound produced after oral secretions of Manduca sexta larvae are applied to wounded leaves. This attracts carnivores like Geocoris, which feed on the caterpillars and their own natural enemies.
A study on trembling aspen found that phenolic glycosides and extrafloral nectaries are distributed together in the same leaves, contradicting previous assumptions. The presence of extrafloral nectaries is positively correlated with higher levels of chemical defenses, suggesting a complex relationship between these defense mechanisms.
Scientists found that milkweed species that grow quickly are more vulnerable to insect damage, while fast-growing plants rely on predators for protection. This study provides valuable insights into plant defense mechanisms and has implications for developing pest-resistant crops.