Factors that affect the spininess of plants in different locations

Factors that affect the spininess of plants in different locations Sadie Harley Scientific Editor Andrew Zinin Chief Editor Plants often grow spines, thorns and prickles to defend against animals that feed on them, but why this happens in some places more than others has remained a mystery. Research in New Phytologist shows that plant spininess is shaped by browsing mammals, both past and present, together with environmental conditions. In the study of 2,686 ecologically diverse plants, including both spiny and non-spiny species, and 368 mammalian herbivores, investigators found that current and extinct large herbivores are key predictors of the prevalence of spiny species. Dry-season length, soil pH and temperature also shaped the proportion of spiny species, both directly and indirectly through their effects on herbivore richness, whereas fire influenced spinescence only indirectly. "Our findings suggest that ecosystems can carry the influence of large herbivores long after they disappear. Many of the fauna that once shaped the evolution of plant defenses are extinct, yet their legacy remains visible in the vegetation we see today," said co-corresponding author Rachel Souza Ferreira, Ph.D., of the German Center for Integrative Biodiversity Research. Publication details The complex interaction between mammalian herbivores, climate, soil and fire has shaped the evolution and distribution of plant spinescence across biogeographical realms, New Phytologist (2026). DOI: 10.1111/nph.71376 Journal information: New Phytologist Provided by Wiley