Plants survive constant herbivory by the following mechanism
:-
- By synthesising toxins or secondary metabolites that ward off
the herbivorous animal. Eg: Geranium produces a chemical in its
leaves which helps in defending it from the beetles by paralyzing
the beetle.
- By mechanical defenses like spikes and thorns as it causes pain
to when the herbivore would graze on it or tread on the plant.
- Thigmonastic plants are those plant which responds to the sense
of touch. Eg: Mimosa pudica, the leaves of this
plant close themselves rapidly and this would help them shrug off
small herbivores and this also makes them look wilted and decrease
the chance of being grazed.
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