Herbivory is the act of animals feeding on plants, which affects plant growth and reproduction. It plays a crucial role in ecosystem dynamics by influencing plant populations and their evolutionary adaptations.
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Herbivory can lead to the evolution of plant defenses such as thorns, toxins, and tough leaves.
Many herbivores have specialized digestive systems to break down plant cell walls and extract nutrients.
Seed plants often develop mutualistic relationships with animals to disperse seeds away from areas of high herbivory.
Herbivore pressure can influence plant community composition by preferentially consuming certain species over others.
Plants can communicate herbivore attacks through chemical signals that attract predators of the herbivores or induce defensive responses in neighboring plants.