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生物多样性 2002
Interactions of insects and oak trees and their impacts on the regeneration of oakwoods
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Abstract:
This paper reviews the evidence for interactions between insects and oak trees, and shows howthese interactions innuence oakwood regeneration. First, there are abundant insect species and individu-als feeding on leaves and acorns, and insect infestations are nearly always lethal to acorns. Second,quantitative defense effects may be the main strategy that oak trees use to reduce herbivory. And early fallof infested acorns and periodic synchronous mast seeding may be a result of long-term evolution in oaktrees for defense against insect infestation. Third, defoliation by insect herbivores reduces energy and nu-trients required for oakwood regeneration. Insect infestation decreases acom number and seedlings inwoods. Moreover, preference of sound or infested acorns by vertebrates may decrease or increase thenumber of potential seedlings, resulting in unexpected effects on oakwood regeneration.