@misc{10481/81581,
year = {2023},
month = {3},
url = {https://hdl.handle.net/10481/81581},
abstract = {Aim: Introduced mammal herbivores are predicted to negatively affect insular flora.
However, disentangling which particular traits (1) developed from exaptations and (2)
are functional to avoid herbivory remains mainly unknown. This study aims to assess
if the flora of continental islands with historic native herbivores are exapted to the
introduction of new mammal herbivores and to predict the potential vulnerability of
endemic species from islands where mammal herbivores have not been introduced.
Location: Balearic Islands.
Taxon: 96 Balearic endemic plant species.
Methods: We investigated whether the endemic flora on continental islands maintains
functional traits that resist introduced mammal herbivores by analysing the chemical
and morphological traits related to plant resistance of five individuals for each of
98 species. Also, we measured plant-size
variables to assess plant escape strategies.
Overall, we combined these traits with the accessibility to goats. Predictive models
were generated for species that inhabit islands where goats have not been introduced
to assess their potential vulnerability.
Results: Endemic species may defend against new herbivores (e.g. goats) if they contain
highly toxic compounds (alkaloids, glycosides, coumarins), spinescent and urticating
structures, or specific plant architecture (low plant size, high specific leaf area).
If such traits are absent, the species may become extinct—unless
they inhabit areas
inaccessible to goats. On continental islands, some endemic species are expected to
resist the introduction of herbivores, while others may be significantly affected.
Main Conclusions: From the ancient connection with the mainland, exaptations may
allow the plants to resist the presence of introduced herbivores. However, non-exapted
species could be threatened by the introduction of non-native
ungulates},
organization = {Direccio General de Politica Universitaria i Recerca (Govern de les Illes Balears)	FPI/1925/2016},
organization = {Spanish Government	CGL2015-70449-R},
organization = {European Union (NextGenerationEU)},
publisher = {Wiley},
keywords = {Defence},
keywords = {Escape},
keywords = {Insularity},
keywords = {Plant-herbivore interactions},
keywords = {Resistance},
title = {Exaptation and vulnerability to introduced mammal herbivores on Balearic endemic flora},
doi = {10.1111/jbi.14602},
author = {Capó, Miquel and Pérez Barrales, María del Rocío},
}