The Defensive World of Spiny Plants?
The evolution of physical defenses in flora represents a fascinating arms race between plants and herbivores that has shaped ecosystems for millions of years. Spines, thorns, and prickles are not mere random growths, they are highly sophisticated and metabolically expensive structural adaptations developed to ensure survival. These sharp structures are primarily a formidable deterrent against herbivory, making it difficult, painful, and energetically costly for…