Defense and Dynamics in Plant-Herbivore Systems

摘要: Recent theory about interactions between plants and their herbivores focuses on properties of individual that affect resistance to herbivores, it extrapolates from these those whole communities. In this paper I question three major assumptions approach—costs defenses, basic differences classes step-wise coevolution—and recast the a different community perspective. propose in defenses with very life-history characteristics arise structure, especially numbers herbivore species involved interactions. particular, because diffuse pattern herbivory persistent plants, new model coevolution—diffuse coevolution—becomes appropriate when many are involved. Complex interacting assemblages have special cannot be derived just by summing up all simple occur.