Effects of Collembola and fertilizers on plant performance (Triticum aestivum) and aphid reproduction (Rhopalosiphum padi)

Schütz, Kirsten; Bonkowski, Michael; Scheu, Stefan

doi:10.1016/j.baae.2006.07.003

Cited by 38 publications

(32 citation statements)

References 29 publications

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“…Total nitrogen has been shown to correlate (both negatively and positively) with aphid performance and/or abundance (Chau et al 2005;Rutz et al 1990;Schutz et al 2008). In our study, total plant N levels were similar for soybeans, regardless of rhizobial source.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 52%

Plant–rhizobia mutualism influences aphid abundance on soybean

2009

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The mutualism between legumes and nitrogen-fixing soil bacteria (rhizobia) is a key feature of many ecological and agricultural systems, yet little is known about how this relationship affects aboveground interactions between plants and herbivores. We investigated the effects of the rhizobia mutualism on the abundance of a specialized legume herbivore on soybean plants. In a field experiment, soybean aphid (Aphis glycines) abundances were measured on plants (Glycine max) that were either (1) treated with a commercial rhizobial inoculant, (2) associating solely with naturally occurring rhizobia, or (3) given nitrogen fertilizer. Plants associating with naturally occurring rhizobia strains exhibited lower aphid population densities compared to those inoculated with a commercial rhizobial preparation or given nitrogen fertilizer. Genetic analyses of rhizobia isolates cultured from field plants revealed that the commercial rhizobia strains were phylogenetically distinct from naturally occurring strains. Plant size, leaf nitrogen concentration, and nodulation density were similar among rhizobia-associated treatments and did not explain the observed differences in aphid abundance. Our results demonstrate that plant-rhizobia interactions influence plant resistance to insect herbivores and that some rhizobia strains confer greater resistance to their mutualist partners than do others.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 52%

Plant–rhizobia mutualism influences aphid abundance on soybean

2009

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“…By increasing the content of mineralized nitrogen in the soil and thereby stimulating growth and nutritional status of the host plant, Collembola affected population growth of the aphid Rhopalosiphum padi on P. annua. In contrast to Schu¨tz et al (2008), Collembola positively affected aphid numbers even at high nutrient availability, which was still evident even after taking the effect of nitrogen in shoots into account. Similar to their effects on plant growth, the decomposermediated increase in numbers of aphids (by a factor of 15 to 20) was more pronounced in microcosms with low and moderate nutrient availability.…”

Section: Aphid Performancementioning

confidence: 76%

Above‐ and Belowground Interactions Are Mediated by Nutrient Availability

Haase

Brandl

Scheu

et al. 2008

Ecology

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By influencing nutrient mineralization in the soil, decomposers may affect the performance of plants and their associated herbivores. The strength of above-belowground linkages may therefore depend on the availability of nutrients in ecosystems. We investigated the dependency of decomposer-and leaf-herbivore-mediated changes in plant performance on soil nutrient availability in microcosm systems. In separate treatments, Poa annua was used as host plant for the herbivore and was grown in combination with different herb species: Plantago lanceolata, Trifolium repens, and Sanguisorba minor. At three different levels of nutrient availability, the impact of Collembola (Folsomia candida) and aphids (Rhopalosiphum padi), as well as their interacting effects on plant performance, were investigated. We further assessed the effects of Collembola on the performance of aphids and vice versa, as well as the effects on element contents in P. annua and soil nutrients.Collembola increased total aboveground biomass and biomass of single plant species (except T. repens) only at low and moderate nutrient availability, whereas the negative effects of aphids on P. annua and total aboveground biomass were highest at high nutrient availability. Collembola decreased relative root allocation. The negative effect of aphids on plant biomass was more pronounced in the presence of Collembola. Nitrogen concentration in shoots of P. annua was increased by Collembola. Aphids decreased the nitrogen concentration in grass shoots only when Collembola were present. These interacting effects can be related to indirect effects of decomposers on herbivore performance. At low and moderate nutrient availability, aphid numbers strongly increased due to decomposers, whereas at high nutrient availability this effect was much weaker. In turn, aphid herbivory increased the number of Collembola only at high nutrient availability.We conclude that the role of both below-and aboveground food webs for the dynamics of vegetation depend on each other and the availability of nutrients in ecosystems. This suggests that nutrient enrichment of ecosystems may have important consequences for abovebelowground linkages and their effects on natural communities.

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“…Soil decomposer animals such as Protozoa, earthworms and Collembola, and litter distribution in soil, have been shown to increase (Scheu et al 1999a;Bonkowski et al 2001;Wurst et al 2004;Haase et al 2008) but also decrease Schütz et al 2008) aphid reproduction. However, in contrast to the general view that herbivore performance correlates with N concentration in the diet, the eVects of soil animals and litter distribution on aphid reproduction and biomass were not correlated with plant tissue N concentration.…”

Section: Aphid Reproduction and Developmentmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Aphids are known to respond to changes in host plant quality (Srivastava 1987;Tjallingii and Esch 1993;Dixon 1998); in particular the availability of N limits the development of aphids and also that of other herbivores (Mattson 1980;Hartley and Jones 1997;Schütz et al 2008;Haase et al 2008). The strongest evidence for limitation of herbivores by plant N comes from experiments where plants had been fertilized with mineral N (Hartley and Jones 1997).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Earthworms, Collembola and residue management change wheat (Triticum aestivum) and herbivore pest performance (Aphidina: Rhophalosiphum padi)

Scheu

2008

Oecologia

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Management practices of arable systems determine the distribution of soil organic matter thereby changing decomposer animal activity and their impact on nutrient mineralization, plant growth and plant-herbivore interactions. Decomposer-mediated changes in plant growth and insect pest performance were investigated in wheat-aphid model systems in the greenhouse. Three types of litter distribution were established: litter patch at the soil surface (simulating mulching), litter patch deeper in soil (simulating ploughing) and litter homogeneously mixed into soil (simulating disk cultivation). The litter was labelled with (15)N to follow the mineralization and uptake of nutrients by the plants. Earthworms (Aporrectodea caliginosa) and Collembola (Protaphorura armata) were included as representatives of major functional groups of decomposers. Wheat (Triticum aestivum) was planted and aphids (Rhophalosiphum padi) were introduced to leaves as one of the most important pests. Earthworms, Collembola and litter distribution affected plant growth, N acquisition and aphid development in an interactive way. Earthworms and Collembola increased biomass of seeds, shoots and roots of wheat. Increased plant growth by earthworms and Collembola was mainly due to increased transfer of N from soil (rather than litter) into plants. Despite increasing plant growth, earthworms reduced aphid reproduction. Aphid reproduction was not correlated closely with plant N concentrations, but rather with the concentration of litter N in wheat. Unexpectedly, both Collembola and earthworms predominantly affected the mobilization of N from soil organic matter, and by altering the distribution of litter earthworms reduced infestation of crops by aphids via reducing plant capture of litter N, in particular if the litter was concentrated deeper in soil. The results suggest that management practices stimulating a continuous moderate increase in nutrient mobilization from soil organic matter rather than nutrient flushes from decomposing fresh organic matter result in maximum plant growth with minimum plant pest infestation.

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Effects of Collembola and fertilizers on plant performance (Triticum aestivum) and aphid reproduction (Rhopalosiphum padi)

Cited by 38 publications

References 29 publications

Plant–rhizobia mutualism influences aphid abundance on soybean

Plant–rhizobia mutualism influences aphid abundance on soybean

Above‐ and Belowground Interactions Are Mediated by Nutrient Availability

Earthworms, Collembola and residue management change wheat (Triticum aestivum) and herbivore pest performance (Aphidina: Rhophalosiphum padi)

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