Document Type
Article
Language
eng
Publication Date
7-2002
Publisher
Wiley
Source Publication
Ecology Letters
Source ISSN
1461-023X
Abstract
Researchers can alter the behaviour and ecology of their study organisms by conducting such seemingly benign activities as non‐destructive measurements and observations. In plant communities, researcher visitation and measurement of plants may increase herbivore damage in some plant species while decreasing it in others. Simply measuring plants could change their competitive ability by altering the amount of herbivore damage that they suffer. Currently, however, there is only limited empirical evidence to support this `herbivore uncertainty principle' (HUP). We tested the HUP by quantifying the amount of herbivore and pathogen damage in 13 plant species (> 1400 individuals) at four different visitation intensities at Cedar Creek Natural History Area, Minnesota, USA. Altogether, we found very little evidence to support the HUP at any intensity of visitation. Researcher visitation did not alter overall plant herbivore damage or survival and we did not detect a significant visitation effect in any of the 13 species. Pathogen damage also did not significantly vary among visitation treatments, although there was some evidence that high visitation caused slightly higher pathogen damage. Based on our results, we question whether this phenomenon should be considered a `principle' of plant ecology.
Recommended Citation
Schnitzer, Stefan A.; Reich, Peter B.; Bergner, Belle; and Carson, Walter P., "Herbivore and Pathogen Damage on Grassland and Woodland Plants: A Test of The Herbivore Uncertainty Principle" (2002). Biological Sciences Faculty Research and Publications. 723.
https://epublications.marquette.edu/bio_fac/723
Comments
Accepted version. Ecology Letters, Vol. 5, No. 4 (July 2002) : 531-539. DOI. © 2002 Wiley. Used with permission.
Stefan A. Schnitzer was affiliated with University of Minnesota - St. Paul at the time of publication.