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Schlagwörter:
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Zusammenfassung:
The fitness consequences of mating system variation (e.g. inbreeding) have been studied for at least
200 years, yet the ecological consequences of this variation remain poorly understood. Most plants are
capable of inbreeding, and also exhibit a remarkable suite of adaptive phenotypic responses to ecological
stresses such as herbivory. We tested the consequences of experimental inbreeding on phenotypic plasticity
in resistance and growth (tolerance) traits in Solanum carolinense (Solanaceae). Inbreeding reduced the
ability of plants to up-regulate resistance traits following damage. Moreover, inbreeding disrupted growth
trait responses to damage, indicating the presence of deleterious mutations at loci regulating growth under
stress. Production of the phytohormones abscisic and indole acetic acid, and wounding-induced up-regula-
tion of the defence signalling phytohormone jasmonic acid were all significantly reduced under inbreeding,
indicating a phytohormonal basis for inbreeding effects on growth and defence trait regulation. We con-
clude that the plasticity of induced responses is negatively affected by inbreeding, with implications for
fragmented populations facing mate limitation and stress as a consequence of environmental change.
