Basal stem width, and herbivory differ in galled ramets versus ungalled ramets for Solidago altissima

Abstract

Plants respond to herbivore damage in many ways. A wide range of studies show that herbivory generally has a negative impact on plants (Belsky 1986, Krischik and Denno 1983, Huffaker et al. 1984, Schowalter et al. 1986, Verkaar 1988). Yet some studies show that some herbivores do not cause significant damage to plants and even enhance plant growth (Inouye 1982, McNaughton et al. 1983, Wallace et al. 1985, Maschinski and Whitham 1989). Insects have natural instinctive mechanisms by which they can tell if a plant will be a good host for the galls (Abrahamson and Weis, 1997). Galls are a tumor-like growth of plant tissue concentrating nutrition and providing shelter, caused by a chemical interaction between gallmaking insects and host plants. These galls then serve as a place for the growth and maturation of the offspring of the insects (Abrahamson and Weis 1987). We examined Solidago altissima across different burn treatments in order to minimize the differences in treatment history. We examined gall size, basal stem width, and herbivory on Solidago altissima.