Dissertation Research: Secondary Metabolites and Plant Fitness

植物在保护自己免受食草动物侵害的方式上有很大的差异。即使在一个物种内部，身体和机械防御也会因环境、历史因素和遗传组成而有所不同。将对植物防御的变异进行检查，以确定变异的原因，并随后确定国防投资对工厂的成本。这项工作的意义在于将植物特性的自然变异与一种选择性力量--食草性联系起来，并确定其对植物生产力的影响。这项工作是了解植物-食草动物相互作用的核心。

Plants vary dramatically in the ways in which they defend themselves from herbivorous animals. Even within a species, physical and mechanical defenses differ depending on environment, historical factors and genetic composition. Variation in plant defenses will be examined to determine the causes of variability, and subsequently, the costs to the plant of an investment in defense. The significance of this work lies in relating the natural variation in plant properties to a selective force, herbivory, and determining the effect on plant productivity. This work is central to understanding plant-herbivore interactions.