Shifts in leaf color during ontogeny do not affect herbivory in the tropical tree Lecythis pisonis (Lecythidaceae)

Herbivory plays a significant role in shaping plant-insect interactions. In this study, we investigated the relationship between leaf color and insect herbivory in the cannonball trees Lecythis pisonis. We focused on the temporal patterns of herbivory and leaf defense, taking into account the changes in leaf color throughout the season. Our findings revealed that young pink leaves exhibited smaller leaf area and greater specific leaf area (SLA) compared to green leaves. This higher SLA indicates that young pink leaves may be more susceptible to herbivory due to lower physical defense. However, despite these differences, there was no significant effect of leaf color on herbivory levels in the month of bud burst. This finding suggests that during the early stages of ontogeny, L. pysonis leaves do not suffer significant herbivory, which may indicate that their coloration acts as a deterrent to herbivore attack. Throughout the rainy season, no significant differences were found in herbivory, with an average of 4.5% of leaf area removed and 9.3% frequency of leaves attacked. While our results indicate a lack of significant differences in herbivory between pink and green leaves the increase in the number of attacked leaves following the change in leaf coloration suggests an increase in herbivore activity over the season. This study provides insights into the complex dynamics of herbivory and leaf coloration in cannonball trees and highlights the need for further research to elucidate the relationship between leaf pigments and levels of chemical and mechanical defense against herbivory.