Detecting herbivory in two mosses from an Atlantic Forest, Brazil

Abstract

We recorded evidence for herbivory in the mosses Hypopterygium tamarisci and Lopidium concinnum in a tropical rainforest (Sã o Paulo State, Brazil). We described this herbivory quantitatively, measured the protein and phenol abundance, and identified potential herbivores in the laboratory. We sampled plants from 10 colonies of each species in the years 2007 and 2008. To quantify herbivory, we used an index of damage (ID), with six categories of injury from 0 (0%) to 5 (50-100%). Air-dried moss samples were weighed (100 mg) and used for protein and phenol detection by the Bradford and Folin-Ciocalteau methods, respectively. The plants were cultivated under controlled laboratory conditions and the identification of herbivores was performed from photographs. Injury was higher in H. tamarisci than in L. concinnum (68% and 38% in 2007 and 35% and 23% in 2008, respectively). H. tamarisci had higher mean ID (1.70 in 2007 and 1.09 in 2008); however, the ID values were low compared with ID values detected in angiosperms from tropical forests. Proteins were more abundant than phenol compounds for both species. H. tamarisci had the highest levels of protein and phenols. The phenol/protein ratios (ph/pt ratio) from H. tamarisci (0.42) and L. concinnum (0.40) were similar to those of other terrestrial plants. No correlation between ID and ph/pt ratio, proteins or phenols was detected. Lepidoptera larvae (Geometridae) and micro-snails (Charopidae) were found feeding mainly on the leaves of these mosses. Thus, H. tamarisci and L. concinnum are food sources for herbivores in the field, mainly as alternative food sources for some small and less mobile herbivores.

Haplocladium microphyllum(Hedw.) Broth. capsules as food forAgrotissp. (Lepidoptera) larvae

“…The known accounts of the feeding habits of lepidopteran larvae suggested that only the following four families are known to consume bryophyte capsules: Micropterygidae (Gerson, 1969), Mnesarchaeidae (Grehan, 1984), Lithosiidae (Liu, 1989), and Geometridae (Maciel-Silva & dos Santos, 2011). Thus, this is the first record of Noctuidae larvae that feed on mosses.…”

“…Although many lepidopteran larvae eat mosses at all latitudes (Prins, 1982;Richardson 1981;Maciel-Silva & dos Santos, 2011), the heavy consumption of H. microphyllum capsules by Agrotis larvae in subtropical cities in spring has never been reported. The known accounts of the feeding habits of lepidopteran larvae suggested that only the following four families are known to consume bryophyte capsules: Micropterygidae (Gerson, 1969), Mnesarchaeidae (Grehan, 1984), Lithosiidae (Liu, 1989), and Geometridae (Maciel-Silva & dos Santos, 2011).…”

“…There are only a few reports of direct consumption of bryophytes in subtropical and tropical regions, e.g. thrips (Johansen et al, 1983), mites (Flechtmann, 1985), pheasants (Wang et al, 2011), lepidopteran larvae and micro-snails (Maciel-Silva & dos Santos, 2011).…”

“…Some Brazilian Lepidoptera larvae (Geometridae sp. ), however, prefer leaves of a moss (Hypopterygium tamarisci), and do not eat its capsules(Maciel-Silva & dos Santos, 2011).…”

Early land plants: Plentiful but neglected nutritional resources for herbivores?

“…In 1964, Ehrlich and Raven stated that among herbivorous lepidopteran larvae, none is known to feed on bryophytes, nor on ferns, before mentioning the fern eaters Papaipema moths (Noctuidae; see page 598 in Ehrlich & Raven, 1964 ). Years later, studies on early land plants reported that various herbivores, including mammals, birds, gastropods, and arthropods can actually feed on bryophytes (Davidson et al, 1990 ; Fang & Zhu, 2013 ; Glime, 2017 ; Maciel‐Silva & Santos, 2011 ; Singer & Mallet, 1986 ) and pteridophytes (Hamm & Fordyce, 2016 ; Schneider, 2016 ). Some insects have even been shown to specialize on mosses, like weevils from the tribe Ectemnorhinini (Coleoptera: Curculionidae; Chown, 1990 ), larvae of some snipe flies (Diptera: Rhagionidae; Imada & Kato, 2016 ), or crane flies species (Diptera: Tipulidae; Freeman, 1967 ).…”