Fig 1.
Concentration of chemical compounds in different plant organs.
Means and standard deviations for the concentration of (A) total phenols, (B) hydrolyzable tannins and (C) condensed tannins on leaf, fruit and seed dry mass of Stryphnodendron adstringens. (p< 0.001, F = 120.43; p< 0.001, F = 27.57; p< 0.001, F = 28.52, respectively). Different letters represent significant differences for a significant level of 0.05. Number of plants observed: 69 for leaves, 38 for fruits and 13 for seeds.
Table 1.
Correlations between chemical secondary compounds—mg/g of plant tissue dried weight for total phenols, hydrolyzable tannins, and condensed tannins—In plant’s tissues–leaves, fruits and seeds—In Stryphnodendron adstringens.
P-values were corrected using Holm’s method [48].
Table 2.
Correlations in chemical secondary compounds—mg/g of plant tissue dried weight for total phenols, hydrolyzable tannins, and condensed tannins—Between plant’s tissues–leaves, fruits and seeds—In Stryphnodendron adstringens.
P-values corrected using Holm’s method [48].
Fig 2.
Principal component analysis of reproductive and defensive traits.
Principal component analysis for the covariance (A) among reproductive traits: number of inflorescences, fruit set, impact on fruits and fruit biomass (g); and (B) among defensive traits: total phenols, hydrolyzable tannins, and condensed tannins (mg/g of plant tissue). The first dimension (PC1) was used as latent variable for each trait. Number of plants observed: 17 C, 13 CF, 19 F and 19 Co. Plant treatments: C = Clipped; CF = Clipped-Fertilized; F = Fertilized; Co = Control.
Fig 3.
Defense, reproduction and growth investment among plant treatments.
Means and standard deviations of (A) defense, (B) reproduction and (C) growth in Stryphnodendron adstringens after different treatments: C, CF, Co and F (p< 0.01, F = 8.62; p< 0.001, F = 7.84; p = 0.074, F = 2.42, respectively). Defense and reproduction were evaluated as latent variables after a dimension reduction analysis (PCA). Increases in defense scores translate into higher plant defense, while increases in reproductive scores translate into lower reproductive capacity. Number of plants observed: 17 C, 13 CF, 19 F and 19 Co. Plant treatments: C = Clipped; CF = Clipped-Fertilized; F = Fertilized; Co = Control.
Fig 4.
Leaf production before and after treatments.
Number of leaves produced by Stryphnodendron adstringens of the treatments CF and F one month after clipping treatments as a function of their leaf dry mass before. Linear regression model with 95% confidence intervals in dark gray: p< 0.01, F = 44.71, y = -16.92 + 0.12 * x. Number of plants observed: 18 C and 15 CF. Plant treatments: C = Clipped; CF = Clipped-Fertilized.