Effects of Asphondylia Borrichiae, Simulated Herbivory, and Nutritional Status on Survival, Flowering, and Seed Viability In
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
UNF Digital Commons UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations Student Scholarship 2014 Effects of Asphondylia borrichiae, Simulated Herbivory, and Nutritional Status on Survival, Flowering, and Seed Viability in Sea Oxeye Daisy (Borrichia frutescens) Lisa S. Rowan University of North Florida Suggested Citation Rowan, Lisa S., "Effects of Asphondylia borrichiae, Simulated Herbivory, and Nutritional Status on Survival, Flowering, and Seed Viability in Sea Oxeye Daisy (Borrichia frutescens)" (2014). UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations. 500. https://digitalcommons.unf.edu/etd/500 This Master's Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the Student Scholarship at UNF Digital Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of UNF Digital Commons. For more information, please contact Digital Projects. © 2014 All Rights Reserved Effects of Asphondylia borrichiae, simulated herbivory, and nutritional status on survival, flowering, and seed viability in sea oxeye daisy (Borrichia frutescens) By Lisa S. Rowan A thesis submitted to the Department of Biology in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Biology UNIVERSITY OF NORTH FLORIDA COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES February 2014 Unpublished work © 2014 Lisa S. Rowan Certificate of Approval The thesis of Lisa S. Rowan is approved: (Date) _______________________________________________ _____________ Dr. Anthony Rossi _______________________________________________ _____________ Dr. Daniel Moon _______________________________________________ _____________ Dr. Jason Smith Accepted for the Biology Department: _______________________________________________ _____________ Dr. Daniel Moon Chair Accepted for the College of Arts and Sciences: _______________________________________________ _____________ Dr. Barbara A. Hetrick Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences Accepted for the University: _______________________________________________ _____________ Dr. Len Roberson Dean of the Graduate School Acknowledgements Many people and organizations deserve my thanks and recognition for their time, energy, knowledge, and assistance. First, I wish to thank Dr. Tony Rossi for his expertise, patient guidance, and many hours reviewing my work and assisting me in the field. He was an excellent advisor and I could not have chosen a better one. I also thank Dr. Dan Moon and Dr. Jason Smith of University of Florida for rounding out my committee and for their time, knowledge, and knack for steering me toward looking at things in new ways. My entire committee challenged me and taught me much about exploring and examining the natural world with a scientist’s mind. None of my work would have been possible without Melanie Masdea and Natalia Millan, my undergraduate research assistants, and Roxanne Fuller, fellow Master’s candidate, whose tireless assistance and commitment amounted to hundreds of unpaid hours with me in the field. Their dedication to science and learning was admirable, and I will not forget their friendship. Much gratitude is owed Justin Lemmons, my lab mate and friend, for his fun-loving camaraderie and assistance with setting up the stem-nutrition experiment. Many thanks also to Rossi lab veteran Chris Bentzien for his assistance with setting up the stem-nutrition experiment. I thank UNF’s Department of Biology, Coastal Biology program, for a UNF Student Travel Award that allowed me to travel to the annual meeting of the Entomological Society of America to present my work. I also thank the Timucuan Ecological and Historical Preserve for permitting me to conduct field research at Round Marsh. I was especially delighted and honored to be awarded one of two Timucuan Preserve Student Research Grants in 2013. My heartfelt thanks iii go to Shauna Allen, Chief of Resource Stewardship, and Barbara Goodman, Superintendent of Timucuan, as well as Maria Mark, Executive Director of the Timucuan Trail Parks Foundation, for this award. I also wish to acknowledge and thank the 2013 award sponsors: UNF President John Delaney, UNF’s Office of Research and Sponsored Programs, and Jacksonville University’s Marine Science Research Institute. I owe much gratitude to Anne Lewellen, Timucuan Museum Curator, for patiently answering my countless e-mails about permits, grants, signs, trail maintenance, mud crabs, and many other things I surely have forgotten. I credit and thank Dan Tardona, Deputy Chief of Resource Education & Resource Interpretive Specialist, and any other NPS staff behind the scenes for the beautiful interpretive signs describing my research, which held up marvelously well for over six months of rain, wind, park visitors, and their dogs. My heartfelt love and gratitude go to my family and friends, who encouraged me with genuine interest in my work. I especially wish to thank Gary Wood for his many years of friendship and his time and skill in taking hundreds of photographs for use in my thesis, presentations, papers, and reports. Finally, and above all, I thank my fiancée and love of my life, Craig Spirko, for his undying devotion and patient support of my pursuit of happiness and a livelihood I feel passionate about. iv Table of Contents Certificate of Approval ........................................................................................................... ii Acknowledgements............................................................................................................... iii Table of Contents ................................................................................................................... v List of Figures ........................................................................................................................ ix List of Tables ....................................................................................................................... xiv Abstract ............................................................................................................................... xv Chapter 1: Introduction ........................................................................................................ 16 Types and Preferences of Herbivores ............................................................................... 16 Resistance Against Herbivory ........................................................................................... 29 Compensation as a Response to Herbivory ...................................................................... 37 Compensation as an Evolved Trait (Tolerance) ................................................................ 51 Resource Regulation – Overcompensation and Opportunism ......................................... 57 Coevolution Between Plants and Herbivores ................................................................... 59 Gall-making and Apical Meristem Damage....................................................................... 62 Chapter 2: Study system ....................................................................................................... 73 The Host Plant ................................................................................................................... 73 The Gall-Inducer ................................................................................................................ 75 Study Objectives ............................................................................................................... 81 Chapter 3: Methods ............................................................................................................. 83 Field Site ............................................................................................................................ 83 Gall Count vs. Stem Count Relationship Study ................................................................. 84 First Bud Break Experiment .............................................................................................. 85 Stem Condition and Nutritional Status Experiment ......................................................... 88 v Experimental Protocols ........................................................................................ 88 Statistical Analyses ............................................................................................... 94 Predicted Results ............................................................................................................ 100 Gall Count vs. Stem Count Relationship Study .................................................. 100 First Bud Break Experiment ............................................................................... 100 Stem Condition and Nutrition Status Experiment ............................................. 102 Chapter 4: Results .............................................................................................................. 106 Gall Count vs. Stem Count Relationship Study ............................................................... 106 First Bud Break Experiment ............................................................................................ 106 Survivorship at Eight Weeks .............................................................................. 106 Days to First Bud Break ...................................................................................... 107 Bud Break Among Surviving Ramets .................................................................. 107 Distance to First Bud Break ...............................................................................