Nursery conditions affect seedling chemistry, morphology and herbivore preferences for Eucalyptus nitens

Abstract

We examined intraspecific variation in leaf chemistry and seedling morphology of Eucalyptus nitens grown under three different nursery conditions, and compared these with preferences of two species of marsupial herbivore: red-bellied pademelons, Thylogale billardierii, and common brushtail possums, Trichosurus vulpecula. Chemical and morphological variation with nursery treatment reflected variation in light and nitrogen limitation to seedlings. This variation is discussed in terms of the carbon-nutrient balance hypothesis. The most resource-limited seedlings had the lowest biomass and nitrogen level, but highest specific leaf area, lignin:leaf area ratio, gallotannin:nitrogen ratio and sideroxylonal levels. Both pademelons and possums preferred these resource-limited seedlings least. Possums showed greater discrimination than pademelons for the two other nursery treatments, indicating differences in the two species’ responses to seedling characteristics. Results show that environmental variation in nursery growing conditions has potential in reducing palatability to seedlings, and hence browsing damage, in plantation forestry.