Volatile responses of dwarf birch to mimicked insect herbivory and experimental warming at two elevations in Greenlandic tundra

Research output: Contribution to journalJournal articleResearchpeer-review

Documents

  • Fulltext

    Final published version, 2.62 MB, PDF document

Plants release a complex blend of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in response to stressors. VOC emissions vary between contrasting environments and increase with insect herbivory and rising temperatures. However, the joint effects of herbivory and warming on plant VOC emissions are understudied, particularly in high latitudes, which are warming fast and facing increasing herbivore pressure. We assessed the individual and combined effects of chemically mimicked insect herbivory, warming, and elevation on dwarf birch (Betula glandulosa) VOC emissions in high-latitude tundra ecosystems in Narsarsuaq, South Greenland. We hypothesized that VOC emissions and compositions would respond synergistically to warming and herbivory, with the magnitude differing between elevations. Warming increased emissions of green leaf volatiles (GLVs) and isoprene. Herbivory increased the homoterpene, (E)-4,8-dimethyl-1,3,7-nonatriene, emissions, and the response was stronger at high elevation. Warming and herbivory had synergistic effects on GLV emissions. Dwarf birch emitted VOCs at similar rates at both elevations, but the VOC blends differed between elevations. Several herbivory-associated VOC groups did not respond to herbivory. Harsher abiotic conditions at high elevations might not limit VOC emissions from dwarf birch, and high-elevation plants might be better at herbivory defense than assumed. The complexity of VOC responses to experimental warming, elevation, and herbivory are challenging our understanding and predictions of future VOC emissions from dwarf birch-dominated ecosystems.

Original languageEnglish
JournalPlant-Environment Interactions
Volume4
Issue number1
Number of pages13
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2023

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2023 The Authors. Plant-Environment Interactions published by New Phytologist Foundation and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

    Research areas

  • Arctic, biotic stress, dwarf birch, insect herbivory, methyl jasmonate, stress severity, volatile organic compounds

ID: 335968450