Light environments can influence variation in plant morphology, development and susceptibility to herbivores. Our research interest was to investigate the patterns of herbivore damage and developmental stability in dioecious understory forb Mercurialis perennis in contrasting light habitats, located at 1700 m a.s.l. on Mt. Kopaonik. Male and female plants from two light habitats, open (a sun-exposed field) and shaded (a spruce forest) were examined with respect to: herbivore damage (percentage of leaf area loss), fluctuating asymetry (FA) as a measurement of developmental stability, plant morphological and, specifically, leaf size traits, as well as biochemical traits relating to nutritional quality and defence, taking into account the possible presence of intersexual differences. Our results show that herbivore damage was significantly higher in open habitat, as well as one out of four univariate FA indices and the multivariate index. Morphological and biochemical traits, apart from defensive compounds, had higher values in the shade, pointing to sun-exposed habitat being more stressful for this species. Intersexual differences were observed for foliar damage, defensive compounds (phenolics and tannins), all leaf size traits, total leaf area, and protein content. Contrasting light habitats affected most of the analysed traits. Both foliar damage and FA were higher in a more stressful habitat; within habitats, no positive correlations were found. Herbivore damage was significantly male biased in open habitat. The analysis of intersexual differences in developmental stability measured by leaf asymmetry levels provided no evidence that female plants were more sensitive to environmental stress.

中文翻译：

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雌性和雄性Mercurialis perennis在对比光生境中的草食动物损害，发育稳定性，形态和生化特征的模式

光照环境会影响植物形态，发育以及对草食动物的敏感性的变化。我们的研究兴趣是研究雌雄异株林下杂类草草食性损伤和发育稳定的模式是Mercurialis多年生形成鲜明对比的是位于山上海拔1700 m的轻型栖息地。科帕奥尼克。在以下两个方面检查了来自两个光照生境的雄性和雌性植物：开阔地（暴露于阳光下的田野）和阴暗处（云杉林）：草食动物的损害（叶面积损失的百分比），波动的不对称法（FA）作为发育指标稳定性，植物形态（尤其是叶大小）性状以及与营养品质和防御相关的生化性状，要考虑到可能存在性差异。我们的结果表明，在开放栖息地中，草食动物的危害显着更高，并且是四个单变量FA指数和多变量指数之一。除防御性化合物外，形态和生化特征在阴凉处具有较高的值，指出暴露在阳光下的栖息地对该物种的压力更大。观察到两性之间的差异包括叶面损伤，防御性化合物（酚类和单宁酸），所有叶片尺寸特征，总叶片面积和蛋白质含量。对比鲜明的栖息地影响了大多数分析的性状。在压力较大的栖息地中，叶面破坏和FA均较高。在生境中，未发现正相关。在开放的栖息地，食草动物的损害明显是男性偏见的。通过叶片不对称水平衡量的两性发育差异的两性差异分析未提供证据表明雌性植物对环境胁迫更为敏感。对比鲜明的栖息地影响了大多数分析的性状。在压力较大的栖息地中，叶面破坏和FA均较高。在生境中，未发现正相关。在开放的栖息地，食草动物的损害明显是男性偏见的。通过叶片不对称水平衡量的两性发育差异的两性差异分析未提供证据表明雌性植物对环境胁迫更为敏感。对比鲜明的栖息地影响了大多数分析的性状。在压力较大的栖息地中，叶面破坏和FA均较高。在生境中，未发现正相关。在开放的栖息地，食草动物的损害明显是男性偏见的。通过叶片不对称水平衡量的两性发育差异的两性差异分析未提供证据表明雌性植物对环境胁迫更为敏感。