Factorial field manipulation of plant antagonists (Polemoniaceae)

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Method synopsis

Three-way factorial field experiment manipulating herbivory (clipping), nectar robbing (artificial hole-cutting and nectar removal), and seed predation (egg removal) to test additive vs. non-additive effects on plant fitness components.

Synthesized from method descriptions across 1 paper using this protocol.

Procedure as described in the canonical source

Steps below were extracted from the paper that introduces this protocol — Additive effects of herbivory, nectar robbing and seed predation on male and female fitness components of the host plant <i>Ipomopsis aggregata</i> (2011), Oecologia. Implementations in other papers (listed below) may differ.

1. Site establishment and plant selection
   Haphazardly selected 264 bolting I. aggregata across two meadow sites facing south-west, separated by ~250 m. Plants were randomly assigned to one of eight treatments representing a full-factorial design of two herbivory treatments (control vs. clipped) by two robbing treatments (low vs. high robbing) by two seed predation treatments (egg removal vs. no egg removal).
   Quantities: 264 total plants, 33 plants per treatment at site 1, 13 plants per treatment at site 2, 8 treatment combinations, 2 sites separated by ~250 mDuration: Selection conducted in May 2003Conditions: Two meadow sites facing south-west near Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory
   Equipment: scissors, thin metal stakes
2. Herbivory treatment application
   Plants assigned to browsed treatment were clipped with scissors to a height of ~5 cm to simulate ungulate herbivory. Clipping was performed in early June 2003 when I. aggregata were bolting but none had produced buds or flowers. Plants were tied to thin metal stakes to prevent natural browsing.
   Quantities: Plants clipped to ~5 cm heightDuration: Single application in early June 2003Conditions: Applied when plants were bolting but had not yet produced buds or flowers
   Equipment: scissors, thin metal stakes
3. Nectar robbing treatment
   Plants assigned to receive artificially superimposed low (<10% of available flowers robbed) or high (>80% of available flowers robbed) robbing treatment. Robbing was performed at whole-plant level approximately every other day throughout the flowering season by cutting a hole ca. 1 mm in diameter in the side of the flower using dissecting scissors, then removing all available nectar using a 10 μl microcapillary tube.

Typical Equipment

• scissors
• thin metal stakes
• dissecting scissors
• 10 μl microcapillary tubes
• fine-point forceps

Output Measurements

• treatment effects on male fitness
• treatment effects on female fitness
• plant trait responses

Papers Using This Protocol (1)

Species Studied With This Protocol

Places Where Used