Authors
We analyse the cost of production and maintenance of mechanical defence and three typical chemical defence substances: tannins, terpenes and nicotine. The cost is affected both by chemical characteristics, like turnover rate and metabolic cost, and by ecological ones such 'as nutrient availability and growth rate of the plant. Within the ranges of concentrations of these defence substances that seem to actually prevail in nature, the ranking as regards the cost will differ between different situations. Tannins at high concentrations (10%) will be the most expensive when the plant is under carbon stress. When carbon is readily available, however, mechanical defences are the most expensive (...)
No takes yet. Share an insight, caveat, or question.
Skogsmyr et al. (1992) studied this question.