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Abiotic and biotic interactions as drivers of plant reproduction in response to fire frequency

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Abstract

Plant reproduction is influenced by abiotic resources and biotic mutualistic and antagonistic interactions, which in turn can be affected by anthropogenic disturbances such as increased fire frequency. Because frequent fires deplete soil fertility and thus decrease resource availability for plants, we hypothesize that increased fire frequency decreases specific leaf area (SLA) and reproductive success. In addition, lower SLA levels in frequently burned sites should decrease herbivore damage because of reduced leaf palatability. Finally, increased fire frequency will have stronger negative effects on specialist insects (seed predators) as compared to generalist feeding insects such as herbivores and pollinators, which can have direct consequences on plant reproduction. Through an integrative path analytical approach, we assess fire frequency effects on the reproductive success of two resprouting legumes from the Chaco Serrano (Desmodium uncinatum and Rhynchosia edulis), estimating the relative importance of SLA along with pollination, insect herbivory and seed predation interactions. Increased fire frequency decreased SLA but it did not affect biotic interactions in both plant species, with the exception of increased leaf herbivory in R. edulis. Sexual reproduction of D. uncinatum was reduced in burned sites but it remained similar across burned and unburned sites in R. edulis. Within burned areas, both species efficiently maximized the allocation to reproduction, showing a conservative strategy in the use of resources when SLA levels are extremely low. Decreased plant fecundity, especially in D. uncinatum, is likely to impact on the density and long-term viability of populations growing in anthropogenic high fire frequency areas.

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Data availability

All data generated and analysed during this study are included in the supplementary information files.

Code availability

The authors declare that they have used free software to statistical analysis (R) and the scripts are available in the supplementary information.

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Acknowledgements

We are grateful to Matias Wajner and Julia L. Camina for fieldwork assistance; to Melisa Giorgis and Juan P. Argañaraz for providing the information of fire history, to Claudio Sosa for help in the identification of bees and Arturo L. Terán for identification of bruchids; and to proprietors of fields for their permission and provided information. Special thanks go to Ana Calviño for the help in the statistical analysis and recommendations. We also are thankful for the valuable comments made by two anonymous reviewers who helped improve the original version of this paper. L.M.C. is a researcher from CONICET and professor of Faculty of Agronomy Sciences of the National University of Córdoba; R.A. is a researcher from CONICET.

Funding

This work was supported by the Science and Technology Secretary of the National University of Córdoba [33820180100138CB], CONICET [PIP 2016-0764] and FONCyT [PICT 2011-1606].

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Instituto Multidisciplinario de Biología Vegetal, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba—CONICET. Av, Vélez Sarsfield 299. CC 495, CP 5000, Córdoba, Argentina

    Lucas M. Carbone & Ramiro Aguilar

  2. Facultad de Ciencias Agropecuarias, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Ing. Agr, Felix Aldo Marrone 746. Ciudad Universitaria. CC 509, CP 5000, Córdoba, Argentina

    Lucas M. Carbone

  3. Laboratorio Nacional de Análisis y Síntesis Ecológica (LANASE), Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, 58190, Morelia, México

    Ramiro Aguilar

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Both authors contributed to the study conception and design. Material preparation, data collection and analysis were performed by LMC. The first draft of the manuscript was written by LMC and RA commented on previous versions of the manuscript. Both authors review, edit and approved the final version of this manuscript.

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Correspondence to Lucas M. Carbone.

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Carbone, L.M., Aguilar, R. Abiotic and biotic interactions as drivers of plant reproduction in response to fire frequency. Arthropod-Plant Interactions 15, 83–94 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11829-020-09792-3

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