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Abstract Detail


Symbioses: Plant, Animal, and Microbe Interactions

Halle, Ernestine Mefor [1], Ssali, Fredrick [2], Gikonyo, Nancy [3].

Leaf production in relation to damage of seedlings in Amani Nature Reserve, (ANR), Tanzania.

This study was carried out in Amani Nature Reserve (ANR), Tanzania and focused on leaf production and its response to simulated leaf damage of seedlings on four fast growing species:Leptonychia usambarensis,Chostas spiras, Piper capense and Macarangakilimandscharica. A total of six study sites were selected in the forest gaps. Overall, the effect of damage on leaf production was strongest in Macaranga kilimandscharicawhere the rate of leaf growth decreased with increase in extent of damage. This implies that Macaranga kilimandscharicais more sensitive to damage compared to the other study species since its growth rate slows down when damaged. The results from this study suggest that the different species had different rates of shoot growth, leaf growth and leaf production. Macaranga kilimandscharicahad the highest rate of leaf growth, second highest rate of shoot growth and the highest rate of leaf production. There was also no significant difference in the level of herbivory between leaves of different ages. Similar studies onleaf production in relation to damage of seedlings can be carried out on fastgrowing canopy species, such as Macarangakilimandscharica in generating up to-date information so as to enhance further understanding of plant-animal interactions.

Broader Impacts:


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Related Links:
Tropical Biology Association (TBA) , field project


1 - University of Buea, Plant and Animal science, P.O Box 63, Buea, SW, 237, Cameroon
2 - Mbarara University of Science and Technology, Uganda
3 - University of Bremen, Tropical Aquatic Ecology (ISATEC), Bremen, 49, Germany

Keywords:
Leaf production
Macaranga kilimandscharica
herbivory
plant-animalinteractions. .

Presentation Type: Poster:Posters for Topics
Session: P
Location: Khorassan Ballroom/Chase Park Plaza
Date: Monday, July 11th, 2011
Time: 5:30 PM
Number: PSB005
Abstract ID:24


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