Joint effects of competitors and herbivores on growth and reproduction in Aristolochia reticulata.

Texas Dutchman's pipevine were grown alone and in competition with either or both little bluestem grass Schizachyrium scoparium and southern dewberry Rubus trivialis. Herbivory on A. reticulata by the pipevine swallowtail butterfly Battus philenor and on S. scoparium by cattle was simulated by clipping. Competition and clipping individually had the expected negative effects on A. reticulata growth and reproduction. The joint effect of competition and clipping on A. reticulata was additive. The joint effect of the 2 competing species on A. reticulata in 3-species mixtures was well predicted by a simple, but nonlinear, model that assumed that all 3 species competed for the same limiting resource.-from Authors

Duke Scholars

Author Mark D. Rausher Biology