Leaf defense capacity of Japanese elm (Ulmus davidiana var. japonica) seedlings subjected to a nitrogen loading and insect herbivore dynamics in a free air ozone-enriched environment.

Abstract

Japanese elm (Ulmus davidiana var. japonica) is a native species in cool-temperate forests in Japan. We investigated growth, physiological reactions, and leaf defense capacity of Japanese elm seedlings under nitrogen (N) loading (45.3 kg N ha-1 year-1) and seasonal insect dynamics in a free-air ozone (O3)-enriched environment (about 54.5 nmol O3 mol-1) over a growing season. Higher leaf N content and lower condensed tannin content in the presence of N loading and lower condensed tannin content in elevated O3 were observed, suggesting that both N loading and elevated O3 decreased the leaf defense capacity and that N loading further enhanced the leaf quality as food resource of insect herbivores. Two major herbivores were observed on the plants, elm leaf beetle (Pyrrhalta maculicollis) and elm sawfly (Arge captiva). The peak number of observed insects was decreased by N loading. Visible foliar injury caused by N loading might directly induce the reduction of number of the observed elm sawfly individuals. While elevated O3 slightly suppressed the chemical defense capacity, significantly lower number of elm leaf beetle was observed in elevated O3. We conclude that N loading and elevated O3 can alter not only the leaf defense capacity of Japanese elm seedlings but also the dynamics of elm leaf beetle and sawfly herbivores.