title: Relation between flower head traits and florivory in Asteraceae: a phylogenetically controlled approach.
abstract: •
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  While much research has examined the relation between leaf traits and herbivory, very little is known about the interaction between floral traits, particularly biochemical traits, and florivory. We investigated patterns between floral traits and florivory across multiple species using phylogenetic comparative approaches to enhance our understanding of the evolution of plant-florivore interactions.•
  
  
  METHODS
  The relation between the intensity of florivory and five biochemical traits (concentrations of carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, water, and total phenolics) and two morphological traits (diameter and number of flower heads) were investigated in wild individuals of 18 native species of Asteraceae. The phylogenetic signals in the morphological traits and intensity of florivory were also tested.•
  
  
  RESULTS
  We found that species with higher nitrogen, water, and total phenolics and lower phosphorus concentrations in the flower heads and species with a large number and diameter of flower heads tended to be attacked by florivores. In addition, we found significant phylogenetic signals in florivory and morphological traits.•
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results clearly show that biochemical traits also play important roles in plant-florivore interactions, as previously shown in plant-leaf herbivore interactions. The positive relationship between florivory and total phenolics implies that phenolic compounds in flower heads may not act as a defense in the species. In addition, the observed pattern of signals in florivory might not be solely explained by the signals of the measured traits and other plant traits may also play significant roles in plant-florivore interaction in these species.
authors.affiliation: Graduate School of Life Sciences, Tohoku University, 6-3 Aoba, Sendai 980-8578, Japan.
authors.forename: Michio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Oguro
authors.affiliation: Graduate School of Life Sciences, Tohoku University, 6-3 Aoba, Sendai 980-8578, Japan.
authors.forename: Satoki
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sakai
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D019659:Asteraceae / Q000502:physiology*; D020387:Food Chain; D060434:Herbivory; D056626:Inflorescence / Q000502:physiology*; D007313:Insecta / Q000502:physiology*; D007564:Japan; D010802:Phylogeny
keywords: Asteraceae; biochemical traits; floral defense; floral display; floral herbivory; floral traits; florivory; interspecific comparison; morphological traits; phenolics