Summary
The carbon/nutrient balance hypothesis fails to correctly predict effects of fertilization and shading on concentrations of defensive metabolites in Alaskan balsam poplar (Populus balsamifera). Of six metabolites analyzed, only one responded in the predicted fashion to fertilization and one to shading. These results and those of other similar studies suggest that while the carbon/nutrient balance hypothesis may correctly predict the effects of fertilization and shading on the concentrations of metabolic “end products”, it fails for many metabolites because of the dynamics associated with their production and turnover. In metabolites that turn over, static concentration is a poor predictor of defensive investment.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Bigger CM, Oechel WC (1982) Nutrient effect on maximum photosynthesis in arctic plants. Holarct. Ecology 5:158–163
Bryant JP (1987) Feltleaf willow-snowshoe hare interactions. Plant carbon/nutrient balance and its implications for floodplain succession. Ecology 68:1319–1327
Bryant JP, Chapin FS III, Klein DR (1983) Carbon/nutrient balance of boreal plants in relation to vertebrate herbivory. Oikos 40:357–368
Bryant JP, Chapin FS III, Reichardt PB, Clausen TP (1987a) Response of winter chemical defense in Alaska paper birch and green alder to manipulation of plant carbon/nutrient balance. Oecologia 72:510–514
Bryant JP, Clausen TP, Reichardt PB, McCarthy MC, Werner RA (1987b) Effect of nitrogen fertilization upon the secondary chemistry and nutritional value of quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides Mich.) leaves for the large aspen tortrix (Choristoneura conflictanta (Walker)). Oecologia 73:413–517
Chapin III FS (1980) The mineral nutrition of wild plants. Ann Rev Ecol Syst 11:233–260
Chapin III FS (1991) Integrated responses of plants to stress: A centralized system of physiological responses. Bioscience 41:29–36
Chapin III FS, Schulze E, Mooney HA (1990) The ecology of economics of storage in plants. Annu Rev Ecol Syst 21:423–47
Chapin III FS, Tryon PR, Van Cleve K (1983) Influence of phosphorus on growth and biomass distribution of Alaskan taiga tree seedlings. Can J For Res 13:1092–1098
Coley PD, Bryant JP, Chapin FS III (1985) Resource availability and plant antiherbivore defense. Science 22:895–899
Croteau R (1987) Biosynthesis and catabolism of monterpenoids. Chem Rev 87:929–954
Field C, Mooney HA (1986) The pholosynthesis-nitrogen relationship in wild plants. In: Givnish TJ (eds) On the economy of plant form and function. Cambridge Univ. Press, Cambridge, pp 25–55
Gottleib OR (1990) Phytochemicals: Differentiation and function. Phytochemistry 29:1715–1724
Hefendchl FW, Underhill EW, von Rudloff E (1967) The biosynthesis of the oxygenated monoterpenes of mint. Phytochemistry 6:823–828
Hemingway RW, Karchesy JJ (1989) Chemistry and significance of condensed tannins. Plenum Press. New York
Hoffman P (1986) Ecophysiological aspects of biomass production in higher plants. Photosynthes Res 7:3–18
Hurlbert SH (1984) Pseudoreplication and the design of ecological field experiments. Ecol Monogr 54:187–211
Kedrowski RA (1983) Extraction and analysis of nitrogen, phosphorus and carbon fractions in plant material. H Plant Nutr 6:989–1011
Lapinjoki SP, Elo HA, Taipale T. (1991) Development and structure of resin glands on tissues of Betula pendula Roth. during growth. New Phytol (in Press)
Larsson S, Wiren A, Lundgren L, Ericsson T (1986) Effects of light and nutrient stress on leaf phenolic chemistry in Salix dasyclados susceptibility to Galerucella lineola (coleoptera). Oikos 47:205–210
MacLeod NJ, Pridham JB (1966) Observations of the translocation of phenolic compounds. Phytochemistry 5:677–680
Matson PA, Waring RH (1984) Effects of nutrient and light limitation on mountain hemlock: susceptibility to laminated root rot. Ecology 65:1517–1524
Mattes BR, Clausen TP, Reichardt PB (1987) Volatile constituents of balsam poplar: the phenol glycoside connection. Phytochemistry 26:1361–1366
McKey D (1979) The distribution of secondary metabolites within plants. In: Rosenthall GA, Janzen DH (eds). Herbivores: Their interaction with secondary plant metabolites. Academic Press, New York, pp 56–134
Mihaliak CA, Lincoln DE (1985) Growth pattern and carbon allocation to volatile leaf terpenes under nitrogen-limiting conditions in Heterotheca subaxillaris (Asteraceae). Oecologia 66:423–426
Mihaliak CA, Gershenzon J, Croteau R (1991) Lack of rapid monoterpene turnover in rooted plants: Implications for theories of plant chemical defense. Oecologia
Mole S, Ross JAM, Waterman PG (1988) Light-induced variation in phenoloic levels in foliage of rain-forest plants. I. Chemical changes. J Chem Ecol 14:1–22
Muzika RM, Pregtzer KS, Hanover JW (1989) Changes in terpene production following nitrogen fertilization of grand fir (Abies grandis (Dougl.) Lindl.) seedlings. Oecologia 80:485–489
Reichardt PB, Bryant JP, Clausen TP, Wieland GD (1984) Defense of winter-dormant Alaskan paper birch against snowshoe hares. Oecologia 65:58–69
Reichardt PB, Bryant JP, Mattes BR, Clausen TP, Chapin FS III, Meyer M (1990) The winter chemical defense of balsam poplar against snowshoe hares. J Chem Ecol 16:1941–1959
Sarkanen KV, Ludwig CH (1971) Lignins: Occurrence, formation, structure and reactions. Wiley-Interscience, New York
Swain T (1979) Tannins and Lignins. In: Rosenthal GA, Janzen DH (eds) Herbivores: Their interactions with secondary plant metabolites. Academic, New York, pp 657–682
Thieme H, Benecke R (1970) Die Phenolglykoside der Salicaceae. Pharmazie 25:227–231
Van Cleve K, Chapin FS III, Dyrness CT, Viereck LA (1991) Element cycling in taiga forests: State-factor control. Bioscience 41:78–88
Van Cleve K, Oliver L, Schlentner R, Viereck LA (1983) Productivity and nutrient cycling in taiga forest ecosystems. Can J For Res 13:747–766
Van Cleve K, Viereck LA (1981) Forest succession in relation to nutrient cycling in the boreal forest of Alaska. In: West DC, Shugart H, Botkin DB (eds). Forest succession: Concepts and applications. Springer, Berlin Heidelberg New York, pp 185–211
Vickery ML, Vickery V (1981) Secondary Plant Chemistry. University Park Press. Baltimore
Walker LR, Chapin III FS (1986) Physiological controls over seedling growth in primary succession on an Alaskan floodplain. Ecology 67:1508–1523
Waring RH, McDonald AJS, Larsson SS, Ericsson T, Wiren A, Arwidsson E, Ericsson A, Lohammer T (1985) Differences in chemical composition of plants grown at constant relative growth rates with stable mineral nutrition. Oecologia 66:157–160
Waterman PG, Ross JAM, McKey DB (1984) Factors affecting levels of some phenolic compounds, digestibility, and nitrogen content of the mature leaves of Barteria fistulosa (Passifloraceae). J Chem Ecol 10:387–401
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Reichardt, P.B., Chapin, F.S., Bryant, J.P. et al. Carbon/nutrient balance as a predictor of plant defense in Alaskan balsam poplar: Potential importance of metabolite turnover. Oecologia 88, 401–406 (1991). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00317585
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00317585