Trade‑offs and timing of leaf defenses during development in co‑occurring evergreen and deciduous Quercus
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Date
2026-02-19
Authors
Sancho Knapik, DomingoUrcola Lázaro, Nerea
Alonso Forn, David
Martín Sánchez, Rubén
Peguero Pina, José Javier
Ferrio Díaz, Juan Pedro
Gil Pelegrín, Eustaquio
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Research Square Company
Typology
artículo preliminarAbstract
Context: Young, expanding leaves are nutrient-rich and mechanically weak, making them highly attractive to herbivores. How defense timing and allocation differ during development between co-occurring evergreen and deciduous species remains unclear.
Aims: We tested whether evergreen oaks invest more in direct defenses during leaf development than deciduous oaks, and whether each habit prioritizes distinct defensive traits across stages.
Methods: In a Mediterranean common garden, we monitored co-occurring evergreen Quercus rotundifoliaand deciduous Q. faginea from budburst to leaf maturity, measuring growth and defense traits. Seasonal trajectories and toughness–tannin relationships were analyzed, and patterns validated with three additional evergreen and three deciduous congeners.
Results: Leaf area reached its maximum before LMA, creating a juvenile phase with low fibre content and toughness. The evergreen oak increased condensed tannins concentration early, then work of fracture; the deciduous oak grew faster initially, then reinforced mechanically and delayed tannins. Across stages, the evergreen kept higher work of fracture and condensed tannins, while the deciduous prioritized early growth; defense trade-off patterns were habit-specific and consistent across species.
Conclusion: Leaf-habit–specific defense schedules shape protection: evergreens front-load chemical defenses before structural hardening, while deciduous oaks prioritize tolerance and earlier mechanical reinforcement, patterns with potential implications for herbivore pressure and associational dynamics in mixed stands.
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Bibliographic citation
Sancho-Knapik, D., Urcola-Lázaro, N., Alonso‑Forn, D., Martín‑Sánchez, R., Peguero‑Pina, J. J., Ferrio, J. P., & Gil‑Pelegrín, E. (2026). Trade‑offs and timing of leaf defenses during development in co‑occurring evergreen and deciduous Quercus. Research Square. https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8639643/v1
AGROVOC subjects
TaninoReacción bioquímica
Tasa de crecimiento
Hoja
Quercus
Fractura
Sponsorship
Esta investigación ha sido financiada por la subvención PID2022-136478OB-C32, financiada por MICIU/AEI/10.13039/501100011033 y por «FEDER: una forma de hacer Europa»; por la subvención CNS2022-136156 financiada por MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033 y la Unión Europea Next Generation EU/PRTR; por la subvención PID2023-149430NB-I00 financiada por MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033 y FEDER, UE; por la subvención REGAGE23e00064750551 financiada por MAPA y FEADER; y por el grupo de investigación S74_23R del Gobierno de Aragón. El trabajo de NUL cuenta con el apoyo de un contrato FPI PREP2023-001647. La investigación de DAF cuenta con el apoyo de un contrato Juan de la Cierva JDC2023-051418-I financiado por MICIU/AEI/10. 13039/501100011033 y FSE+; y por el Pla Anual d'Impuls del Turisme Sostenible 2023 del Govern de les Illes Balears (ITS2023‑086).