Monoecy is a relatively flexible sexual system that can be advantageous against environmental stresses such as leaf herbivory. Narbona and Dirzo (pp. 359–369) examine the effects of experimental defoliation on male and female reproductive traits in a natural population of Croton suberosus, a monoecious tropical shrub. They find an asymmetrical effect on reproductive components, whereby defoliation decreases only the male reproductive output.
Rather than inherently being 'male' or 'female', Mercurialis annua can produce flowers as a plastic response to its environment.
How does herbivory impact the survival and growth of three perennial grass species commonly used to revegetate dryland ecosystems?
Although lenga beech trees, completely defoliated by caterpillars of Ormiscodes amphimone, do not die, they show reduced growth for at least 2 years.
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