title: Autumn coloration as a signal of tree condition.
abstract: Hamilton and Brown suggested that bright autumn coloration in trees is an energetically expensive and therefore honest (handicap) signal of defensive commitment against insects. If this is so, one should expect that the intensity of the proposed signal should depend strongly on tree health. However, to the best of our knowledge, the link between vigour and autumn colour has never been tested. We explored the relationship between autumn coloration and tree condition (i.e. leaf fluctuating asymmetry) in mountain birch (Betula pubescens). Our results indicate that bright autumn birches are in better condition and therefore consequently should be better at combating herbivores.
authors.affiliation: Division of Zoology, Department of Biology, University of Oslo, PO Box 1050 Blindern, N-0316, Oslo, Norway. s.b.hagen@bio.uio.no
authors.forename: Snorre B
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Hagen
authors.forename: Stephanie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Debeausse
authors.forename: Nigel G
authors.initials: NG
authors.lastname: Yoccoz
authors.forename: Ivar
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Folstad
mesh_terms: D029662:Betula / Q000502:physiology*; D016014:Linear Models; D010858:Pigmentation / Q000502:physiology*; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000502:physiology*; D012621:Seasons; D013997:Time Factors; D014197:Trees