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Differential susceptibility to Eucalyptus secondary compounds explains feeding by the common ringtail (Pseudocheirus peregrinus) and common brushtail possum (Trichosurus vulpecula)

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Abstract

The effect of two plant secondary metabolites, tannins and formylated phloroglucinol compounds (FPCs), on the intake of Eucalyptus foliage by common ringtail (Pseudocheirus peregrinus) and common brushtail possums (Trichosurus vulpecula) was studied. We manipulated the amount of tannin that was free to bind with protein by coating foliage with polyethylene glycol 4000 (PEG) and relied on natural intraspecific variation in FPC concentrations. In contrast to ringtail possums, brushtail possums showed a greater tolerance to FPCs and ate more foliage when it was coated with PEG, suggesting that tannins limited their food intake. Brushtails detected the effects of tannins through immediate oral sensations rather than through systemic effects. Ringtail possums appeared highly tolerant of foliar tannins yet susceptible to low concentrations of FPCs. We could not detect any interaction between tannins and FPCs that affected the intake of Eucalyptus foliage by either species of possum. Although ringtail and brushtail possums are widely regarded as specialist and generalist folivores, respectively, their differential susceptibility to co-occurring secondary metabolites suggests greater complexity. Each possum species appears to be a specialist in its own right, which leads to a partitioning of available foliage. Brushtails avoid tannins and ringtails avoid FPCs.

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Fig. 1a–c.
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Abbreviations

DM :

dry matter

DMI :

dry matter intake

FPC :

formylated phloroglucinol compound

PEG :

polyethylene glycol

PSM :

plant secondary metabolite

SED :

standard error of a difference between means

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Acknowledgements

Dr Noel Davies kindly analysed eucalypt extracts for tannins and interpreted the results. Ms Cynthia Cheung helped with various aspects of the possum feeding. Ben Moore provided many useful comments on the manuscript. The work described in this paper was approved by the Animal Experimentation Ethics Committee of the Australian National University and conforms to the Australian Code of Practice for the Care and Use of Animals for Scientific Purposes.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Botany and Zoology, Australian National University, 0200, Canberra, ACT, Australia

    K. J. Marsh, W. J. Foley & I. R. Wallis

  2. Statistical Consulting Unit, Australian National University, 0200, Canberra, ACT, Australia

    A. Cowling

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  1. K. J. Marsh
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  2. W. J. Foley
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  3. A. Cowling
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  4. I. R. Wallis
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Correspondence to K. J. Marsh.

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Communicated by I.D. Hume

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Marsh, K.J., Foley, W.J., Cowling, A. et al. Differential susceptibility to Eucalyptus secondary compounds explains feeding by the common ringtail (Pseudocheirus peregrinus) and common brushtail possum (Trichosurus vulpecula). J Comp Physiol B 173, 69–78 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00360-002-0318-4

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