Variations in the effects of local foliar damage on life span of individual leaves of downy birch (Betula pubescens)

Although the premature abscission of leaves damaged by herbivores has been discovered decades ago, the reduction in leaf life span caused by herbivory remains poorly documented, and the sources of variation in the magnitude of this effect have only rarely been studied. We aimed at exploring the effects of several herbivore species (at their background densities) and simulated herbivory on the leaf life span of downy birch, Betula pubescens Ehrh. Leaves damaged by herbivores abscised on average 12.6 days earlier and punched leaves 3.5 days earlier than the intact leaves of the control shoots. Different herbivores reduced the life span of the birch leaves from 0% to 27% depending on the intensity and timing of the damage but not on the insect feeding guild. The reduction in leaf life span was greater when the damage was imposed on expanding and growing leaves compared with mature leaves. However, the effect of herbivore species remained significant after accounting for intensity and timing of damage. This fact, together with greater reduction in leaf life span due to natural herbivory compared with mechanical damage, indicates that premature abscission in response to injury is considerably enhanced by insect-specific elicitors.