Bromeliads increase herbivory in an ecological restoration area in Restinga, southeastern Brazil
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.25260/EA.26.36.1.0.2555Keywords:
bromeliad, environmental factors, folivory, herbivores, environmental restorationAbstract
1. We examined the effects of herbivory in a coastal sandbank (Restinga) restoration area by studying how the environment influences insect-plant interactions.
2. Four plant species were evaluated under three conditions: control, fertilization, and proximity to the bromeliad Aechmea blanchetiana (Baker) L.B.Sm. Leaf analysis using ImageJ software was performed to measure herbivory.
3. Bromeliad presence increased the herbivory rate on surrounding plants.
4. Conversely, less favorable conditions —characterized by high light intensity, temperature and low humidity— resulted in lower foliar herbivory in the control and fertilization treatments.
5. These results support the resource availability hypothesis, which posits that plants in resource-rich environments are more susceptible to herbivory, as A. blanchetiana facilitates the establishment of shaded microenvironments with milder temperatures that favor herbivore presence.
6. Implications. In restoration initiatives for fallow areas, it is essential to include species that provide physical facilitation and mediate biological interactions like herbivory, which can influence plant establishment success. This study demonstrates the potential of restoration projects to recover ecosystem services and key ecological interactions, such as those between insects and plants.
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