Variations in leaf production and floral display of Anthurium schlechtendalii (Araceae) in response to herbivory and environment

1. The study of the impact of herbivory on plant fitness and its relationship with environmental conditions is essential to an understanding of the ecological and evolutionary routes in different populations of the same plant species. This paper addresses the effects of herbivory and environment on growth (leaf production) and floral display (inflorescence production) in the tropical aroid Anthurium schlechtendalii ssp. schlechtendalii Kunth (Araceae). 2. Defoliation experiments were conducted in three natural A. schlechtendalii populations in Mexico: coastal sand dunes (Telchac); thorny dry forest (Dzemul); and medium-height subhumid forest (Hobonil). Experiments were also conducted under common-garden conditions using plants transplanted from the three populations. 3. Logistic regression models showed that herbivory did not affect growth negatively, but did affect floral display in A. schlechtendalii. The effect on floral display differed as a function of environment, damage intensity and season. When the plants experienced no resource limitation (common garden), herbivory inhibited inflorescence production in the first season (2001) and at the highest damage level (75%). When plants experienced heterogeneous resource conditions (field experiment), inflorescence production was inhibited in the second season (2002) at intermediate damage intensities. 4. Overall, A. schlechtendalii plants maintained growth regardless of damage intensity, but inflorescence production was reduced, indicating a trade-off between growth and floral display due to herbivory. Results also suggested that plants were constrained in their response by the environmental history of their native site.