Do Larvae of Species in Macrolepidopteran Assemblages Share Traits That Influence Susceptibility to Parasitism?

Barbosa, Pedro; Caldas, Astrid

doi:10.1093/ee/36.2.329

Cited by 17 publications

(19 citation statements)

References 58 publications

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“…Pigments such as carotenoids act to add coloration to the insect integument (Sandre et al 2007), and a general association between dark integument and a reduced likelihood of mortality from parasitoids has been observed in a natural assemblage of tree-feeding caterpillars (Barbosa and Caldas 2007). In addition, Ojala et al (2005) found that arctiid larvae consuming plant diets with high carotenoid concentrations had increased melanization responses.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…While the influence of plant chemistry is important, studying host plant selection in a multitrophic context captures important direct and indirect effects that can provide increased explanatory power (Price et al 1980;Bernays and Graham 1988;Singer and Stireman 2005;Schmitz 2008). In particular, including natural enemies in the study of herbivore host plant selection has stimulated a body of research investigating how plant chemistry and natural enemies interact to influence host plant choice (Mueller 1983;Dyer 1995;Lill et al 2002;Denno et al 2003;Kursar et al 2006; Barbosa and Caldas 2007;Singer et al 2009). Given the influence of both trophic levels, a necessary goal for host plant selection studies is to elucidate the mechanisms Parasitism by wasps and flies is an important factor determining host plant choice (Karban and English-Loeb 1997;Singer et al 2009).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Complex effects of parasitoids on pharmacophagy and diet choice of a polyphagous caterpillar

et al. 2010

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This study investigates complex effects of parasitoid infection on herbivore diet choice. Specifically, we examine how immunological resistance, parasitoid infection stage, and parasitoid taxonomic identity affect the pharmacophagous behavior of the polyphagous caterpillar, Grammia incorrupta (Arctiidae). Using a combination of lab and field experiments, we test the caterpillar's pharmacophagous response to pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs) over the course of parasitoid infection, as well as the effect of dietary PAs on the caterpillar's immunological response. Previous work from other systems gave the prediction that dietary PAs would be detrimental to the immune response and thus less acceptable to feeding early in the infection, when encapsulation of the parasitoid is most crucial. We found that the feeding acceptability of PAs was indeed low for caterpillars with early-stage parasitoid infections; however, this was not explained by PA interference with immune function. When allowed to choose among three host plant species, individuals harboring early-stage parasitoids increased their consumption of a nutritious plant containing antioxidants. This result was driven by wasp-parasitized caterpillars, whereas fly-parasitized caterpillars increased their consumption of plants containing iridoid glycosides. Individuals in the later time phase of infection exhibited an increase in PA intake that was consistent with previously reported self-medication behavior during late-stage parasitoid infection. This study reveals the depth of complexity and the dynamic nature of herbivore host plant choice, and underscores the importance of considering multitrophic interactions when studying insect diet choice.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Complex effects of parasitoids on pharmacophagy and diet choice of a polyphagous caterpillar

et al. 2010

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“…Herbivorous insects have evolved an arsenal of defenses against natural enemies, including chemical, behavioral, morphological, and physiological characteristics, or a combination of each (Gross 1993, Barbosa and Caldas 2007, Veldtman et al 2007). These defenses against natural enemies occur at three levels that are both spatially and temporally separated.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Recent studies suggest that defenses that are effective against generalized predators are not as effective against parasitoids Dyer 2002, Barbosa andCaldas 2007). This difference in defensive efficacies may lead to differential herbivore mortality depending upon the dominant natural enemy in a given community.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The insect immune response and other putative defenses as effective predictors of parasitism

Smilanich

Dyer

Gentry

2009

Ecology

103

105

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Abstract. Parasitic wasps and flies (parasitoids) exert high mortality on caterpillars, and previous studies have demonstrated that most primary and secondary defenses do not protect caterpillars against parasitoids. We investigated the efficacy of tertiary defenses (i.e., immune responses) against parasitoids. Using a bead injection technique to measure the immune response and a 15-year database to measure parasitism, we compared the immune response for 16 species of caterpillars in nine different families. We found that caterpillar species with a strong immune response had the lowest incidence of parasitism, and when statistically compared to other defensive traits, the immune response was the best predictor of parasitism. Parasitoids either avoid attacking caterpillar species with a capacity for high levels of melanization or are killed once they have parasitized. In either case, the immune response is clearly one of the most effective defenses that caterpillars have against parasitism, and elucidating consistent predictors of variation in encapsulation could improve understanding of parasitism patterns in time and space and could enhance biological control efforts.

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“…Several mechanisms have been invoked to explain these plant-plant interactions, including the repellantmasking plant hypothesis (Atsatt and Odowd 1976;Tahvanai and Root 1972), the attractant-decoy plant hypothesis (Atsatt and Odowd 1976), the resource concentration hypothesis (Root 1973), and the enemies hypothesis (Root 1973). The concepts of AR and AS have also been shown among herbivore species (sometimes termed apparent competition), where they are often mediated by shared natural enemies (Barbosa and Caldas 2007;Hamback et al 2006;Holt and Lawton 1994;Settle and Wilson 1990;Stiling et al 2003). Oviposition preference (Shiojiri et al 2002), differences in plant chemistry (Redman and Scriber 2000;Shiojiri et al 2001), and habitat modification (White and Andow 2006) have also been shown to drive AR/AS among herbivore species.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Ant predation on an invasive herbivore: can an extrafloral nectar-producing plant provide associational resistance to Opuntia individuals?

2011

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The legume Chamaecrista fasciculata attracts ants to its extrafloral nectar (EFN) which can lead to reduced herbivory and increased fecundity for the plant. In Florida, Opuntia stricta and O. humifusa, hosts of the invasive moth Cactoblastis cactorum, are often found growing in close association with C. fasciculata. We tested the hypotheses that O. stricta and O. humifusa individuals have higher ant abundance, lower levels of herbivore damage, and increased growth when growing in close association with C. fasciculata compared with individuals not growing near the plant. We also experimentally placed C. cactorum eggsticks and pupae on Opuntia individuals to see if ant predation of these stages occurred, and if so, whether predation rates were higher on individuals growing close to C. fasciculata. Opuntia plants near C. fasciculata were less likely to be attacked by C. cactorum and had higher ant abundance than plants far from C. fasciculata. Field surveys showed that Opuntia plants near C. fasciculata had a lower proportion of cladodes with C. cactorum damage of any type. Proportions of cladodes with damage from five native herbivores were not significantly different between treatments. In addition, Opuntia individuals growing near C. fasciculata added proportionately more pads during the growing season. We found evidence of ant predation on 15.9% of C. cactorum eggsticks and 17.6% of pupae. In August and October of 2008, there was significantly more evidence of predation on eggs and pupae placed on Opuntia individuals near C. fasciculata. No effect of distance to C. fasciculata was seen in November of 2008, potentially because plants were no longer producing EFN at this time. Our finding that Opuntia plants close to C. fasciculata show reduced herbivory from invasive C. cactorum, but not from the native herbivores examined, suggests that patterns of associational resistance may be influenced by the co-evolutionary history of the organisms in question.

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Do Larvae of Species in Macrolepidopteran Assemblages Share Traits That Influence Susceptibility to Parasitism?

Cited by 17 publications

References 58 publications

Complex effects of parasitoids on pharmacophagy and diet choice of a polyphagous caterpillar

Complex effects of parasitoids on pharmacophagy and diet choice of a polyphagous caterpillar

The insect immune response and other putative defenses as effective predictors of parasitism

Ant predation on an invasive herbivore: can an extrafloral nectar-producing plant provide associational resistance to Opuntia individuals?

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