Bark beetle (Ips grandicollis) disruption of woodwasp (Sirex noctilio) biocontrol: direct and indirect mechanisms

Yousuf, Fazila; Carnegie, Angus J.; Bashford, Richard; Bedding, R.A.; Nicol, H. I.; Gurr, Geoff M.

doi:10.1016/j.foreco.2014.03.009

Cited by 23 publications

(18 citation statements)

References 27 publications

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“…Symbiont performance affects S. noctilio development (Buchner, ), and the success and relative competitive strength of A. areolatum are affected by both environmental and biotic factors (López et al ., ; Hurley et al ., ; Yousuf et al ., ). It is not well known how host tree species affects A. areolatum performance, but this study indicates large differences in body size of S. noctilio between host tree species.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 97%

Beneath the bark: associations among Sirex noctilio development, bluestain fungi, and pine host species in North America

Foelker

2016

Ecological Entomology

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1. Invasive species with global distributions encounter unique environmental and biotic variables that can greatly affect the magnitude of their impact. The European woodwasp, Sirex noctilio Fabricius, is a prime example that has invaded climatically and ecologically distinct ecosystems across the Southern Hemisphere and, more recently, North America. 2. Northeastern North America presents a unique set of conditions, including pine host species, native parasitoids, a diverse assemblage of native co‐colonising insects, and fungal associates of these co‐colonisers. In North America, S. noctilio attacks both a naturalised ancestral host (Pinus sylvestris L.) from Europe and a naïve native host (P. resinosa). A large assemblage of insects and their associated bluestaining ophiostomatoid fungi colonise these pines. Competition between S. noctilio and this group is a hypothesised mechanism of biotic resistance in the invaded region of North America, possibly via superior resource capture abilities or alteration of host tissue by bluestain fungi. 3. Investigating these ecological interactions is challenging because they manifest deep in the xylem tissue. To overcome this, 30 experimentally stressed trees were systematically dissected with an electric log splitter to investigate the effects of bluestain fungi and tree factors on S. noctilio development and parasitism by native hymenopterans. 4. Body size and colonisation density were affected by pine species, with S. noctilio being 25% larger and densities three‐fold greater in P. sylvestris than P. resinosa. Survivorship was slightly negatively correlated with the proportional volume of bluestain infection. Interestingly, rhyssine (Rhyssa and Megarhyssa spp.) parasitism responded positively to greater S. noctilio density, but there was no density relationship with Ibalia leucospoides ensiger parasitism. Pine host species appears to play a strong role in S. noctilio development, which is important considering uninvaded regions of North America have a diversity of pine species that likely vary in their susceptibility to this woodborer.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 97%

Beneath the bark: associations among Sirex noctilio development, bluestain fungi, and pine host species in North America

Foelker

2016

Ecological Entomology

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“…In Australian biological control efforts, Ips grandicollis bark beetles and their fungal partner Ophiostoma ips foul trap trees, reduce xylem moisture, and reduce Amylostereum growth, but nematodes failed to survive within Ophiostoma culture, thus alleviating their parasitism of Sirex (Yousuf et al. ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Studies of the interactions of woodwasps, bark beetles, their fungal symbionts, and natural enemies conclude that species interactions can be mediated by xylem moisture (Yousuf et al. ). We then split bolts along their length to sections <1 cm thickness, excavating all insect galleries and mapping them relative to their distance to the surface.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Community resistance to an invasive forest insect–fungus mutualism

2019

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Antagonistic species interactions may prevent introduced species from becoming invasive in novel geographic ranges. Within mutualisms, resistance to any partner can impact the mutualism as a whole. Larvae of the globally invasive Sirex woodwasp Sirex noctilio (Hymenoptera: Siricidae) complete their development in the sapwood of Pinus spp. (Pinaceae) only in the presence of the fungus, Amylostereum areolatum (Basidiomycota). In the Southern Hemisphere where Pinus are introduced, Sirex noctilio is an outbreak invasive pest, but in North America where Pinus is indigenous it has not irrupted to economic levels 15+ yr since introduction. To test the biotic resistance hypothesis, we characterized the arthropod community attracted to and co‐infesting Pinus resinosa trees at the geographic frontier of its introduced North American range, quantified antagonistic interactions observed within trees, and assayed competition of fungal species under laboratory conditions. A suite of potential natural enemies and competitors inhabited Sirex‐infested P. resinosa trees. Trees experimentally exposed to ovipositing Sirex noctilio females and to physical wounding attracted greater numbers of saprophagous beetles (Cerambycidae: Xylotrechus sagittatus and Curculionidae: Ips pini) and parasitoid wasps (Ichneumonidae: Ibalia leucospoides) compared to undamaged controls. Recruitment of Xylotrechus and Ibalia was positively related to numbers of oviposition scars left by Sirex females. Within xylem tissue, abundant Xylotrechus larvae killed and consumed more than 10% of Sirex larvae. This facultative intraguild predation was positively density‐dependent but nonlinear, with a unimodal peak at intermediate Sirex density. Sirex density in xylem was weakly, negatively related to Ips bark beetle density, suggesting potential competition between fungal associates (Ascomycota: Ophiostoma ips) for sapwood resources. Benchtop experiments in natural and artificial media supported the hypothesis of competition between Ips and Sirex fungal associates, with faster growth and competitive dominance of the bluestain fungus under most scenarios tested. Altogether, this study provides evidence for multiple mechanisms of biotic resistance, whereby a resident community reduces survival or performance of both an invasive insect and its fungal mutualist.

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“…Some of these parasitoids (e.g., Ibalia leucospoides [Hochenwarth]; Hymenoptera: Ibaliidae) have been introduced as biological control agents of S. noctilio in the Southern Hemisphere and have been largely successful (Carnegie et al 2005). However, Yousuf et al (2014) described issues with using these native species for biological control in North America due to the fungal interactions between bark beetle fungi (Ophiostoma spp. ; Ophiostomatales: Ophiostomataceae) and the symbiotic fungus of Sirex spp.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of Forest Type and Management on Native Wood Wasp Abundance (Hymenoptera: Siricidae) in Mississippi, United States

2014

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Bark beetle (Ips grandicollis) disruption of woodwasp (Sirex noctilio) biocontrol: direct and indirect mechanisms

Cited by 23 publications

References 27 publications

Beneath the bark: associations among Sirex noctilio development, bluestain fungi, and pine host species in North America

Beneath the bark: associations among Sirex noctilio development, bluestain fungi, and pine host species in North America

Community resistance to an invasive forest insect–fungus mutualism

Effects of Forest Type and Management on Native Wood Wasp Abundance (Hymenoptera: Siricidae) in Mississippi, United States

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