e-journal

The acceptability of meadow plants to the slug Deroceras reticulatum and implications for grassland restoration

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† Background and Aims:
Despite the selective pressure slugs may exert on seedling recruitment there is a lack of information in this context within grassland restoration studies. Selective grazing is influenced by interspecific differences in acceptability. As part of a larger study of how slug–seedling interactions may influence upland hay meadow restoration, an assessment of relative acceptability is made for seedlings of meadow plants to the slug, Deroceras reticulatum.

† Methods:
Slug feeding damage to seedling monocultures of 23 meadow species and Brassica napus was assessed in microcosms over 14 d. The severity and rate of damage incurred by each plant species was analysed with a generalized additive mixed model. Plant species were then ranked for their relative acceptability.

† Key Results:
Interspecific variation in relative acceptability suggested seedlings of meadow species form a hierarchy
of acceptability to D. reticulatum. The four most acceptable species were Achillea millefolium and the
grasses Holcus lanatus, Poa trivialis and Festuca rubra. Trifolium pratense was acceptable to D. reticulatum
and was the second highest ranking forb species. The most unacceptable species were mainly forbs associated
with the target grassland, and included Geranium sylvaticum, Rumex acetosa, Leontodon hispidus and the
grass Anthoxanthum odoratum. A strong positive correlation was found for mean cumulative feeding damage
and cumulative seedling mortality at day 14.

†Conclusions:
Highly unacceptable species to D. reticulatum are unlikely to be selectively grazed by slugs during
the seedling recruitment phase, and were predominantly target restoration species. Seedlings of highly acceptable species may be less likely to survive slug herbivory and contribute to seedling recruitment at restoration sites. Selective slug herbivory, influenced by acceptability, may influence community-level processes if seedling recruitment and establishment of key functional species, such as T. pratense is reduced.

Key words: Acceptability, Deroceras reticulatum, grassland restoration, invertebrate herbivory, palatability,
seedling recruitment, slugs, upland hay meadow.

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Informasi Detail

Judul Seri

Annals of Botany

No. Panggil

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Penerbit

Oxford : Oxford University Press on behalf of the Annals of Botany Company., 2013

Deskripsi Fisik

Annals of Botany 112: 721–730, 2013

Bahasa

English

ISBN/ISSN

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Klasifikasi

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Tipe Isi

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Tipe Media

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Tipe Pembawa

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Edisi

112: 2013

Subjek

PEMULIAAN TANAMAN

Info Detail Spesifik

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Pernyataan Tanggungjawab

agus

Versi lain/terkait

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