Diurnal cycle of sparteine production in Lupinus arcticus
2005; Canadian Science Publishing; Volume: 83; Issue: 10 Linguagem: Inglês
10.1139/b05-104
ISSN1480-3305
AutoresGregory J. Sharam, Roy Turkington,
Tópico(s)Botany, Ecology, and Taxonomy Studies
ResumoSparteine is a neurological toxin found in arctic lupine ( Lupinus arcticus S. Wats.) and is probably used as a defensive chemical to deter herbivory, particularly by snowshoe hares ( Lepus americanus Erxleben). Lupine leaves were collected in southwestern Yukon at 2 h intervals for 2 consecutive days at the peak of the growing season (24–25 June), and their sparteine was extracted and compared with a standard using gas chromatography. A significant daily cycle of sparteine in leaf material was observed, with maximum concentrations occurring during the night and minimum during the afternoon. This may be a temporally optimal response to higher levels of hare herbivory that occur at night.
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