title: Leaf herbivores decrease fitness of a tropical plant.
abstract: Damage by insect herbivores to neighboring individuals of the shrub Piper arieianum in a neotropical wet forest varies greatly. This differential damage has a genetic basis and results in a 2-year decrease in growth, seed production, and seed viability, with larger plants recovering before smaller plants. The results provide evidence that leaf herbivores represent a potentially strong selective force for the evolution of plant defenses.
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Marquis